What would you get if you crossed Bruce Springsteen and the Zac Brown Band? American Aquarium, of course. And no, that’s not the name of a big building with fish in it, it’s the title of a Raleigh-born band that’s been making their own way in the world since 2006.

Since the beginning, the fans have loved the way their smoky vocals croon relatable lyrics, that are realistic, but still, have a touch of romance. That’s not to say the instrumentals of the band lack, though. In any given song, you can hear piano, classical bluegrass guitar, or the wails of an electric one. To quote the band itself, “This isn’t the country my grandpa” … listened to. It’s brand new!

Making the Band

B.J. is the main man behind the songwriting, but he couldn’t do what he does without the other members of the band. They consist of Zack Brown on piano, Bill Corbin on Bass, Ryan Johnson on guitar, steel player Whit Wright, and Kevin McClain on drums. It’s a big group, and they make a big splash. The band members each have their own things going on, but seeing them play together is electric.

Springsteen Inspired Success

If you ask the band who their biggest musical influence is, they’ll tell you it’s the good old boy, Bruce Springsteen. They love his mix of rock and roll, with the raw lyrics that come from country and bluegrass genres. The band has even been profiled in Rolling Stone Magazine, where they were compared to their musical hero. We love Bruce, but American Aquarium took what worked for him, and brought it into the 21st century.