Tour Itinerary (back to top)
Past itineraries - sorted by state and performance date (view)

7/25/08 8:00 PM Clarksville, TN Private Event
8/10/08 - 8/13/08 Southeast Oklahoma Private Event
8/27/08 11:30 AM Urbana, OH Urbana University
8/27/08 11:00 PM Richmond, KY Eastern Kentucky University
9/10/08 7:00 PM Nashville, TN Belmont University
9/17/08 12:00 PM Danville, KY Eastern Kentucky University - Danville
9/27/08 11:00 AM Pittsburg, KS Pittsburg State University
9/29/08 11:30 AM Ankeny, IA Des Moines Area Community College - Ankeny
9/30/08 11:30 AM Normal, IL Heartland Community College

1/13/09 8:30 PM Montgomery, AL Faulkner University


Reviews and comments (back to top)
Performance Date: July 11, 2007
Zane was fantastic! The audience loved him; all the feedback was very positive. He was very funny, blended his songs very well and was a heck of nice guy. It was also nice to get to know Jody a little as well. Thank you so much for working that deal out for us, it was really great of you to do that.
Ches Barnes, Director of Student Activities, Idaho State University – Idaho Falls, ID

Performance date: April 6th 2007
Zane's concert went pretty well. I enjoyed his "dry humor" and how real he was with our students. The overall consensus of those who were there was they enjoyed his performance. Thanks so much for the follow-up!
Jeanne Sandella, Director of Housing and Student Activities , David Lipscomb University - Nashville, TN

Performance Date: March 14, 2007
We really enjoyed him! Just back from Spring Break, students still settling in, those there really enjoyed him. Thanks for such a great artist!
Pat Bristor, Director Student Activities, Waynesburg College, Waynesburg, PA

Performance date: January 23rd, 2007
Zane is fantastic. His music is great, and his stage persona is a blast. He's a big time favorite on our campus! He pulled a good crowd on a night when so much else was going on around campus, which shows how much our students love him! He's great to work with and is a true artist! Zane Williams, Michael Warren, and John Rush are far and away your best performers. Anytime we can have them, we want them!
John Gordon, Director of Student Activities Faulkner University Montgomery, Alabama

Performance Date: Oct. 3, 2006
Zane was great as always. The crowd really got into and enjoyed the different style Zane brings to a show. Look forward to seeing you NACA.
Randall Paterson - Director Student Activities, U-Conn - Avery Point, CT

Performance Date: Sept. 30, 2006
Zane went great and he put on a great show!! We just happened to have a piano where he performed and he surprised us with a song on the piano. He did a great job transitioning from his show into the line dancing portion of the evening. Zane and Jody even got out their and danced with the students for a little while. He was also very easy to work with, set-up was a breeze and he and Jody were a pleasure to have on campus.
Rebecca Chance, Director Student Activities, Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, MD

Performance Date: Sept. 28, 2006
Zane was wonderful last night. We had a large crowd and they were all really engaged. Zane was great, too, in being flexible with us. He was essentially the host of the open mic night. He did 5 songs, let some students perform, did some more songs, let a few more students perform, and then did the closing while the votes were calculated as to who won the "open mic" competition. He was truly wonderful, and encouraged the students in their art. Thanks for bringing him to us!
Cassie Pickens, Program Coordinator, Penn College of Technology, Williamsport, PA

Performance Date: Sept. 27, 2006
Zane did a fantastic job. The students were very pleased with both his show and his interactions with them. Playing a lunch time show is never easy, but Zane never failed to lose spirit!
Jen Bothwell, Director Student Activities, Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA

Performance Date: September 12, 2006
Thanks for designing and getting us the poster! It looked great and worked wonders for us! We had an awesome crowd and show with Zane and Jennifer. Zane and Jennifer are great performers and they have written some incredible songs. Thank you for helping me put that show together. See you at the conference!
Danny Mackey, Director of Student Activities, Greensboro College

Performance date: September 9, 2006
ZANE was just wonderful, delivered awesome show, great to host, so laid back, such a good guy and we had a great time with him here. Thanks for all you did to make it happen.
Boyd Jones , Campus Programs Director , Winthrop University

Performance Date: August 30, 2006
Check’s in the mail! Big numbers attended the show and all went great! Then again, what would you expect from a guy that drives around on recycled French fry oil?
Scott Reynolds, Asst. Director of Student Activities, Eastern Kentucky University

Performance Date: March 8, 2006
The Zane performance went great! The audience really enjoyed him. He is a great guy and I think everyone really had a nice time!
Kara Zachman, Coffeehouse Chair, College of Saint Scholastica - Duluth, MN

Performance Date: February 25, 2006
Zane's performance was great and the students loved him! Thanks for filling-in at the last minute Zane!
Jennifer Woodward, Club Mac Coordinator, Randolph Macon Women's College, VA

Performance Date: January 25, 2006
Everything went well. Zane's an exceptional artist and a pleasure to work with. The Music Series attendance has increased and we’ve had a positive response from the students. Thanks for all your help setting this up.
Matthew R. Moore, Graduate Assistant of Late Night Activities, Northwest Missouri State University

Performance Date: November 7, 2005
Zane went over quite well. He's always a joy to watch because of his talent and his great personality and stage presence. He even did a little break dancing number for us...you should ask him about it. It's hard to get a reaction out of them sometimes because they are busy studying or eating but Zane got them to smile and laugh at his jokes and clap for his songs so that is always a good sign. Overall it went over well! Thanks for checking in House!
Laura Hulke, Coffeehouse Chair, Bemidji State University in Bemidji, MN

Performance Date: October 6, 2005
Zane was great. The crowd, students and faculty really like him. He has great music and such a wonderful presentation of music and humor. Thanks. Have a great day!
Erin Votava, Union Board Series Programming Chair, Valparaiso University

Zane Williams was excellent! He attracted more attention than anyone we had previously. It is sometimes difficult to get many students to come up and actually enjoy the music up close. They seem to prefer to enjoy it at a distance. But Zane did a great job of pulling them in!
Brian Joyce - Graduate Assistant - Marshall Center Operations - University of South Florida

Zane is great to work with. I appreciate working with performers who aren't "needy" and difficult.
Lesley - Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee, WI

Everyone in attendance loved Zane! He was a great performer, and he even played hackey-sack with the kids who came early. The audience was very enthusiastic throughout the show.
Kelly – University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point at Stevens Point, WI

Zane put on a wonderful show, with lots of talent and humor. It was nice that he sat with the audience to chat with the students...plus he took the time to sign CD's and answer questions after the show...Zane was great...thank you!
Alissa - Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, WI

Zane's performance was a hit!!!! Our entire board LOVED him, his wife, AND the performance. Both of them were such great people!!! We really didn't want them to leave :) Zane's live performance was phenomenal; something not to have missed. Aside from Zane's amazing voice, I think that what made his performace so great was his personality. Being from the good ol midwest, we come from a campus that is so friendly and people are always smiling - Zane fit in great and was very personable before, during and after the show. That's something that always goes over really great here. He's perhaps one of the nicest performers we have had here in a very long time!!! Well, I hope this gives you a good idea of how much we really loved the performance. I haven't heard even the slightest negative thing about the concert, except that it could have lasted a few hours longer ;)
Tracy Lonning, VP of Entertainment (SAB), Buena Vista University

Zane Williams put on one of the best shows I've seen at our coffeehouse venue. People really got into the show. The usual ebb and flow, in and out, that seems to define our coffeehouse crowd was absent during this show. Everyone who came there stayed there until the end.
Luke Moravec, DSA, College of Saint Scholastica

Let me just say that Zane’s show was awesome! I had the greatest turnout for a singer/songwriter in the past year! We did pair his show with an open mic talent show which brought in people, but they stayed for Zane. Zane kept them laughing and singing along. I couldn’t be happier with the whole show. He kept things flowing throughout the competition for the students and related to our students on their level. The audience loved Zane! .
Charly Reinert, S.P.A.C.E. Chairperson - University of Minnesota, Crookston

Zane was excellent! Zane's voice and music were impressive and enjoyable. I received all positive feedback from the audience, people were pleasantly surprised, even us non-country fans. Zane's charisma and interaction with the audience was enjoyed by all.
Dru Smith, Gustavus Adolphus College

"I went to the concert with my cousin who is a student at Bemidjii. I went mainly to see John Michael Montgomery, but was more impressed with Zane than him. Zane was totally awesome. I had to drive 3 hours to get there, but would definitely drive that far to see Zane again. Although it would be nice if he could do St.Cloud State because that is only 30 miles for me. He was great about our wanting a picture with him. It took a while but we got a good picture. He is going to make it big someday and I only hope he doesn't forget about us little people when that happens (though I don't think he will, he is just too nice a guy for that). I hope to see him again soon."
Rachael Schmidt, Concert Attendee - Bemidji State University (MN)

"Zane, I just wanted to write and thank you once again for performing for us before John Michael Montgomery! It was awesome having you here at Bemidji State. I also wanted to pass on comments that I heard about the show. I have heard from many people that you put on the better show at the concert. The people here really enjoyed your show. That's right...Zane Williams is preferred over John Michael Montgomery. Thanks again!"
Joe Pint, Union Board Vice President - Bemidji State University (MN)

"The concert this weekend was awesome! Zane and his wife, Jody, are two of the nicest people... we even got to meet and have dinner with Jody’s parents, who drove all the way from McKinney, TX to surprise them. I think the students really took to Zane. He put on a great show, and managed to capture several new fans. I look forward to working with him again in the future...and I do plan on working something out for TJ McCloud in the spring."
Dustin Vyers, Asst. Director of Student Life - Harding University (AR)

"Zane played a great show, a little country twang which was loved by the audience. His songs ranged from laugh out loud to cry me a river. He performed several songs specifically for our college and kept the audience entertained between songs. Easy to work with and enjoy he will be coming back to RMWC."
Patrick Paradzinski, DSA - Randolph Macon Woman’s College (VA)

"Zane was excellent!! Although we didn't have a huge turnout for the show, the audience really responded well..he had a lot of funny stories he told, and he really got them going when he made up a song on the spot about thundar and NDSU. He was a hit, and I am so glad we got him here."
Erica Schmidt, Nightlife Coordinator - North Dakota State University (Fargo)

"Zane was a very entertaining! He was very personable and told some funny stories that went along with his music. He had a good variety of songs, some funny and others more serious. I think the audience enjoyed him, there were some people tapping their feet and smiling at his stories. He did a great job!"
Renee Pasker, Student Programmer - University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls)

"The show went very well. Both Zane and his wife were very easy to work with and i think the audience responded well to the show. He made up some songs about loras and our mascot that everyone found very funny and he was very good at explaining where the inspiration for his songs came from. I enjoyed having him at loras!! Thanks."
Brittni Sturm, CAB Chair - Loras College (IA)

"I'd like to say thank you for bringing Zane Williams over to the University of Denver this past Monday. He was absolutely wonderful. His performance was heartfelt, humorous, and his songs are infectious. Zane was very friendly and down-to-earth, and displayed an incredble level of professionalism. He taught me quite a few things about the music industry and about his songwriting. My only concern was that the set up we had for his performance--kind of a coffee shop atmosphere at a Lounge from 3-5pm--may have been insufficient for his amazing talent. This, of course, was our own folly, and Zane did not waver his performance at all."
Larry Nguyen, Concerts Chair - University of Denver (CO)

"I thought it went extremely well. Zane was very professional, quite personable, very spontaneous and warm with the crowd. When he observed that there were children there, he tailored several songs and jokes to the kid's level. I believe that Zane was very well received by audience members of all ages."
Michael D. Osterbuhr, Dir. of Student Life - University of Texas Permian Basin (TX)

"Wally, the show was great! Another success-the crowd loved him! There were over 40 people who came to see Zane and all stayed till the end-he even got a standing ovation when he finished, which was awesome to see. I think the crowd loved his sensitive style and the way he makes up those songs on the spot is great. We had a puppy wander in from the cold and Zane made up a song on the spot about the puppy and everyone was laughing uncontrollably. We really wish the best for him and his future as a songwriter and musician. Anytime we can have Zane out here again to our campus would be great. Thanks so much for all your help getting him to OLLU!"
Catherine Sosa, Asst. DSA - Our Lady of the Lake University (TX)

"Great show! Zane and Jodi are two super people. Zane is still be talked about by students that attended the show. Just yesterday (Wednesday), I had another student tell how good he was Friday night. Wally, be looking for a package that I sent to Zane and Jodi."
Pete Kelly, Asst. Dean of Students - Arkansas Tech University (AR)

"Wonderful, fabulous, outstanding! Students are still talking about it today. Zane and his wife were just the nicest bunch of people. And lucky for them, they had family nearby who came to watch the show. We are two for two on wonderful shows. Thanks so much for the recommendations!"
Amy Chapman, DSA - Southeastern Oklahoma State University (OK)

"Zane's show was wonderful last week. My students had a great time working with him and they really enjoyed his performance. Thank you so much for working with us to bring him to our campus. I hope that him and his wife enjoyed their stay in Shreveport."
Shannon Delaney, Asst. DSA - Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)

"Wally - Zane was GREAT! The student's feedback was very positive. I really appreciate him playing at the BCM. I know that is not something he usually does but our students really appreciated it. I look forward to working with you again."
Kathleen Grimmett, Asst. DSA - Louisiana State University at Shreveport (LA)

"Zane performed great! He was great to work with. The students that were there loved him, and he sold quite a few CDs. Working with you and Zane was a breeze! THANKS!"
Jan Wilson, Program Coord. - Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi (TX)

"The show was great! We had over 200 people in attendance and everyone really enjoyed Zane. I think he sold a lot of CDs. I had many students request that we bring him back again."
Jim Miller, DSA - Harding University (AR)

"Zane was wonderful. There were lots of great comments from students and staff following his performance. All performances here are kind of rough because they are a noontime show. So, performers are working around people coming and going, eating lunch, etc. Zane was great, though. He did a wonderful job and was super easy to work with."
Lesley Frederick, Coord. of Student Life - Waukesha County Technical College (WI)

"Zane rocks! His show and his material were great. We had a rather small audience, but you would have thought he was performing for hundreds! We hope to have him back sometime soon."
Ken Lydy, Asst. DSA - Wilmington College (OH)

"Zane was excellent and was a pleasure to have on campus. He and Jody were class acts. The show went well also, and I'm glad that we booked him."
Wil Burton, Bands Chair - College of Wooster (OH)

"There was a great turn out last night. Jennifer and Zane did a great job getting the audience into it. I was thinking Zane would be great for an orientation gig and we are trying to get together a Women's history month festival in the Spring of 2004 hopefully Jennifer will still be on tour. Both Jennifer and Zane had great interaction with the students before, during and after the show. Zane even stuck around and played some pool with the students afterwards and Jennifer's husband Jeff let one of the students play his guitar after the show. That kind of thing means a great deal to the students. Thanks for your help, Jym"
Jym Walters, DSL - Saint Vincent College (PA)

"Zane was great! He was even better than his showcase in Tulsa. I think he gets better all the time! Zane has the ability to connect with his fans, not only at the live shows, but also through electronic correspondence. Zane's e-mails are very informative and the personal e-mail seems to be the way music promotion is going. Thanks again Wally. Zane was great!"
Barry McKinney, Asst. DSA - Texas A&M University (Kingsville)

"Zane was awesome. We had a decent turnout of about 50 people, considering the fact that we also had Caedmon's Call and a movie going on the same night. The audience responded well to Zane and he worked off the crowd. Really I think one of the better performers that we has this year so far. People just walking through JAVA stopped and stayed. He also had quite a few people buy CD's. Overall I think it went quite well. Tricia"
Tricia Kostner, Java Chair - Augustana College (IL)

"The Zane show was awesome. He was even better than at NACA Nationals. He was extremely cordial. I would heavily recommend him for anyone that is looking for an entertaining and music filled show! Thanks for your help George"
Chris Stickney, Student Programmer - Springfield College (MA)

"Zane was excellent! He was a pleasure to work with and put on a great show...Zane is a must for any college coffeehouse!"
Dawn Schmoll, SUB Coordinator - Drury University (MO)

"Zane was great. People really enjoyed his show. I know cafeteria gigs are sometimes tough for performers but he did a great job. Thanks for your help and we'll see you in Winston-Salem! --Angie Dunlap"
Angie Dunlap, Coord. of Student Activities - University of Memphis (TN)

"Zane's show was great and the audience loved the show. Zane, as usual, was working the crowd and playing great music at the same time. I personally thought Zane, as a performer was a very refreshing approach. With his voice and stage presence I want to have him back every year. 125 people showed up stayed for the duration of the show and enjoyed it in its entirety. After the show Zane sold CD's and was bombarded with people. Thanks, Travis"
Travis Lallemand, Coord. of Campus Life - Crowder College (MO)

"Everything went SUPERBLY with Zane and his concert last Thursday! The students really enjoyed it! I received many compliments after the show. He is just the nicest guy (and his wife is wonderful as well), and his personality shines through during his performance. It's a very personal show -- almost like he's up there having a conversation with you. I was very pleased with the evening."
Lisa Sorensen, Campus Life Director - Wisconsin Lutheran College (WI)

"Zane was a real trooper. I don't think he understood what Relay for Lifewas about, but he rolled with it and did a great job!! Everyone (Bakerstudents and Baldwin community members) were very impressed with his musicalability. Thanks again for coming to Baldwin/Baker. Susan HoffmanPS: We ended up raising just over $22,000 for the American Cancer Society.:)"
Susan Hoffman, DSA - Baker University (KS)

"Zane's Cafe Divan performance was fabulous on Friday night. It was a pleasure working with he and Jodi both. We had a tiny crowd which I feel terrible for, but other than that the show was wonderful! Thanks for being so great to work with.Gratefully, Mendy Swan"
Mendy Swan, Activities Board - Northeastern State University (OK)

"The show went very well...I hope that Zane had a decent time. It was a lunch crowd, but on the whole, the reception was pretty good. We did a questionnaire that day, and got 70 responses to it (about half the people who were there) and 60+ thought that he was good or very good. We have a gentleman here who is sort of a local fixture - he's older, but a bit slow (his brother, one of our alumni, cares for him)...Zane and Jodi were both very nice to him, even attempting an Elvis song for him. :-) I was very impressed. Neil"
Neil Outar, Student Center Manager - Arkansas State University (Beebe)

"Things went great! The audience was small (only about 30 people) - we are still trying to figure out why that happened. But Zane was awesome! The people that were there really enjoyed him. Cindy"
Cindy Strine, Assoc. Dean for Student Development - Millsaps College (MS)

"Wally, thanks a ton. Zane is one of the more genuine people I have ever met. The crowd loved him and his CDs are a hit.Jim"
Jim Burrow, Social Chair - Hendrix College (AR)

"Zane was a terrific show. Trying a Friday night coffee house started out rocky because Friday is not a normal night for campus programming. But we ended up with a great crowd of about made up primarily of our two campus religious organizations and a few other students who noticed the crowd and joined in. Zane and Jodi are very friendly and were great to work with! Jamey"
Jamey Campbell, Coord. of Student Activities - Lambuth University (TN)

"Wow, the show was awesome! We had a great turnout. Everyone there loved him and I think he sold quite a few CDs. Thanks!"
Karen Slough, Asst. DSA - McMurry University (TX)

"The show with Zane Williams was great. The people that attended genuinely seemed to enjoy the show. Zane brings out all possible emotions with his songs. You go from laughing to crying in minutes. He is definitely one that we would consider bringing back. Keep up the good work guys. Shameka"
Shameka Butler, Entertainment Coordinator - University of Arkansas (Little Rock)

Interview (back to top)
Where did you grow up?
I was born and went to college in Abilene, TX, but in between I lived in Kentucky for two years, West Virginia for four years and California for five years.

How did your childhood/upbringing influence your decision to be a musician?
I grew up in a church that did all of its singing a capella, so I learned from an early age to sight read music and sing harmonies. I took several years of piano lessons, but for some reason I was always more interested in composing my own songs than playing the ones I was supposed to play. No one in my family is that into music, so I was really sort of a surprise.

What other influences in your life encouraged you to pursue a career in music?
I had always enjoyed composing on the piano, but I never combined music with lyrics until I got my first girlfriend and starting writing songs about our relationship. Nothing like a little bit of a love life to get the songs flowin'!

When did you start performing on the road?
I met Wally, my booking agent, in the year 2000 and was fortunate enough to be selected for three NACA showcases. In 2001 Jodi and I "quit the day job", did a hundred shows, and completely covered my guitar case in college stickers. We've been out there lovin' it ever since.

Is there a particular part of the music business you like the most (i.e. songwriting, touring, singing, etc.)?
Writing a great song that I'm really excited about is rare, and it's pretty much the best feeling there is. Everything else I get to do---recording, performing, traveling, you name it---is all made possible by the creation of a few great songs.

How often do you write?
In the past it's been just here and there, whenever inspiration strikes. Lately I've been getting so busy that it's like my inspiration is permanently on strike, so I've been experimenting with setting whole days aside to concentrate solely on writing.

What do you like about touring on the college circuit?
The best part of the college circuit for me is traveling the country with my wife Jodi---it's such a blessing to be able to make all these memories together. After that it's just getting to hang out with all the students, who we would never meet otherwise, and share my songs and stories with them. And to top it all off, the money is great! We're hooked up!!

What do you do to pass the time on the road when you're not performing?
Jodi and I bought a tent and a big sleeping bag, so we spend a lot of time at state and national parks. We also get a lot of opportunities to visit family and friends in different parts of the country, which is always a nice break.

How would you describe your music? Who do you consider to be your musical influences?
I'm lazy, so I just call it country. If pressed for more information, I say it's kind of a cross between Jim Croce, Garth Brooks, and Limp Bizkit. Then I say I'm joking about the Limp Bizkit. I didn't grow up being a fan of any particular artist or genre, so my musical well is really just filled with bits and snatches from all kinds of music I've heard here and there.

Do you have any formal training?
I took piano lessons on and off through high school, and I've had a few guitar lessons. I definitely would not call myself a master of either instrument---I'm more of a writer and singer.

What kind of music do you currently listen to?
I honestly don't listen to much music. It distracts me when I'm working at home and when I'm driving I tend to prefer books on tape. But I still pick up on certain songs here or there that I really like, at least a few from almost every genre.

What other passions do you have besides music?
This is going to be a little embarrassing, but my most time consuming hobby is hunting for reptiles and amphibians. I would be tempted to throw my entire music career away if Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter) said I could join him on some of his trips!

What advice would you give someone who wants to become a full-time musician?  
Know yourself. Know what you're best at; know what sets you apart, and know what your dream is. Chase down every opportunity you can. Be patient, and eventually you will find someone who believes in your dream and who can help you get there.