Zac Brown Band will kick off The Great American Road Trip Tour in May, introducing ZBBs’s new, eighth member Matt Mangano on bass, with a stop at Jones Beach on Aug 30. The tour announcement comes on the heels of ZBB selling out a two-night stand at Fenway Park without any support acts — a feat only accomplished by four other bands (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, The Police and The Rolling Stones)…ZBB’s latest musical expansion will see long-time ZBB bassist and vocalist John Driskell Hopkins playing different instruments. Hopkins will continue to sing and play bass, but take on guitar, baritone guitar, ukulele, upright bass, and banjo in the band.
Matt Mangano’s official addition to the band line-up might be news but fans of ZBB will recognize him from on-stage guest performances over the years and from his studio work on The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1 and Uncaged… Of the new line-up, Zac Brown said, “We’re always growing as musicians and challenging ourselves to bring new things to our fans. Hop is an amazing talent and I can’t wait for people to see what we’ve got coming for the live show.”