Zach Tate Band: Google Tested, Texas Approved

​Zach Tate isn't your run-of-the-mill cowboy. While his lyrics and twangy vocals definitely give his music a country feel, the backing tunes are heavily influenced by the Southern strain of classic rock. Although Tate isn't even from the South, his music makes us glad that he finally made his way here.

Earlier this week, Rocks Off drove down to Coffee Oasis in Clear Lake to better get to know a (relatively) new face, and we returned home with three CDs, the recently released single "Cowgirl," two guitar picks and a few Zach Tate Band postcards. Cool, much? We sure think so.

Before moving to Clear Lake, Tate lived in Los Angeles for 12 years. And before that, he lived in Windsor, Ontario, just south of Detroit. He moved to California after getting divorced, at which time he bought a $200 van and started driving West.

"It's funny that this one was recorded while I was living in L.A.," Tate says, picking up a copy of his second CD, Texas Road. "It was before I even knew I was going to move here."

He made Clear Lake home after the cost of living in Los Angeles got a too high, but he doesn't have any complaints. In fact, he's grown pretty fond of the greater Houston area. Similar to many late-nighters, though, Tate is often perplexed by how little is open (even inside the Loop) after dark. Otherwise, he likes it here just fine.

Tate has recorded, mixed and mastered his music in Dickinson and in Los Angeles, but he may have finally found somewhere to go that's a bit more convenient.

"Somebody I know was doing a session there [at SugarHill], and I think we're probably going to end up [recording] there," Tate said. "We may even take some of our drum tracks and whatnot from the other place and take it from there."