Zach Ashton
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| Zach Ashton | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Zachary Ashton Smith |
| Born | April 23, 1976 |
| Origin |  Clearwater, Florida, United States |
| Genre(s) | Pop music Acoustic Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | guitar, voice, |
| Years active | 2002–present] |
| Website | www.zachashton.com |
| Members | |
| Zach Ashton - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar Sergio Soffiatti - Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Guitars, Percussion, Production, Mixing Engineer Xin - Drums |
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Zach Ashton is a self-taught musician who has achieved international success[1] as a singer-songwriter. His musical genres include pop, bossa nova, jazz, reggae and acoustic pop. He is noted for his lyrical style and dreamy delivery.
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[edit] Childhood
Zach Ashton spent much of his youth in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. He was fond of marine biology and would constantly explore the local marine life. Zach learned to surf at an early age and spent his summers on the east coast with friends, chasing waves during the flat-spells that are a commonplace in the Atlantic. He was a competitive swimmer since the age of seven and took a job as a lifeguard during high school. Nature played an important role in the aspect of his youth which is evident in his songs.
[edit] Introduction to music
Zach Ashton’s introduction to music came from the home in which he was raised as well as the area in which he lived. His parents eclectic taste in music would introduce him to artists such as Jacques Brel and Harry Belafonte, while his older siblings would introduce him to such groups as The Cure, The Police and The Smiths. His first record was Low-life by the band New Order. In high school he was the vocal element of the band Clay Feet. He began playing the guitar at the age of 18, choosing the classical guitar as opposed to the steel-string acoustic guitar. He was early songs were heavily influenced by the music from the Oldies stations that broadcast in his area. Artists like Ricky Nelson weighed heavily on his lyrical writings.
[edit] Music
In 2000, Ashton moved from Florida to San Diego, California. He played coffee houses like the former hotspot Java Joe’s, a small club in Ocean Beach where songwriters like Jewel and Jason Mraz started their careers. In 2002 he began work on Under the Blanket of the Sky, a self produced demo which he recorded at Spotless Studios. The record would feature musicians from Israel, Venezuela, and Brazil. The record was never intended for commercial release but gave way to various tv and film placements.
In 2003, Ashton moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil an ended up signing with the independent label Rio8. He spent two months recording the album Mellow Dia. The record was a mix of latin, reggae and acoustic songs similar to Jack Johnson. The song Ocean went to #2 on the Radio Atlantida charts. It was during the recording of Mellow Dia that Ashton met producer Sergio Soffiatti.
After Mellow Dia, Ashton recorded on Sweet Nothings 2005 and Marley Rendition 2006. The albums were released in Japan through Ward Records.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Under The Blanket of The Sky (2003)
- Mellow Dia (2004)
- Sweet Nothings (2005)
- Marley Rendition (2006)
- Sugar & Spice (2006)
- Just Like Beautiful (2008)
[edit] Soundtracks
- 2004 Hang – Longboard Surf Film
- 2004 Fuel TV
- 2007 Sete Pecados
[edit] Unofficial bootlegs
- Hollow Nights
- Live at Thrusters
[edit] Compilations
- Sete Pecados's Trilha Sonora - International - "Sugar & Spice"
