On Zach Bryan Trying to Fight Gavin Adcock

Random Notes 48 Comments


There’s an old saying that if you find yourself constantly surrounded by assholes, the real asshole might be you.

In this particular instance, are we talking about Zach Bryan, or are we talking about Gavin Adcock?

Yes.

Zach Bryan got drunk, and decided he was going to be a tough guy. It probably was not the smartest of decisions. Gavin Adcock is a troll, and the first rule of how to deal with a troll is to not feed them. Zach Bryan just threw a big hunk of red meat Adcock’s way.

Granted, navigating a triple barb wire fence while heavy in the sauce is certainly a feat in itself. And with the way Zach was so bound and determined to chuck knuckles, he very well might have won any physical altercation. Gavin Adcock seemed to think the same, backpedaling pretty quickly once Zach Bryan made the leap. As is common with trolls, Adcock has a lot to say, but is rarely there to back it up. But this isn’t high school. Being a real man is knowing when to fight, and knowing when not to.

For those who haven’t seen the video yet, Gavin Adcock was set to perform at Born & Raised Festival in Pryor, Oklahoma Saturday evening (9-13) when Zach Bryan showed up along the perimeter of the fest to confront Adcock with a barbed wire fence in between them. Bryan eventually hopped the fence, before security detained him, while Adcock backpedaled and his people held him back.


It’s pretty obvious Zach Bryan was drunk. Bryan was on location because earlier in the day, he’d appeared as a surprise guest to sing “Madeline” with Gabriella Rose, once again underscoring Bryan’s commitment to helping up-and-coming artists, and women in particular, which they needed at this festival where you had to go 19 names deep on the poster before getting to the name of a woman in small print. While on stage, Zach Bryan said, “Gavin Adcock, where you at?”

Meanwhile, Gavin Adcock had no business even being at Born & Raised Festival. It’s called “Born & Raised” for a reason, and perhaps nobody was born and raised closer to Pryor, Oklahoma in music than Zach Bryan, who has a long history with the fest, both debuting during a pre-party in 2021, and then returning the next year as a headliner. Gavin Adcock is the pride of Athens, Georgia. For Zach Bryan, this was about defending his dirt.

But the suits booking these festivals and the folks peddling Adcock’s career on Music Row have decided to market Gavin as an “underground” or “Outlaw” artist, though his music is decidedly mainstream. That is why we continue to see Gavin Adcock appear at festivals like this, as if he’s the next Waylon Jennings. This is the mainstream country music business trying to recapture some of the fan base they’ve lost to actual independent country artists and labels.

And unfortunately, because folks like Zach Bryan and Charley Crockett can’t help but engage with Adcock’s trolling, Gavin continues to garner disproportionate attention, and to become a folk hero of sorts, and to outclass some of his opponents as he gets in their kitchen. Then the mainstream media is more than happy to help, with Rolling Stone Country platforming Adcock on their Nashville Now podcast, and specifically needling Gavin about his previous Zach Bryan tiff over fan interaction, pouring fuel on the fire.

For those that don’t remember, Zach Bryan was criticized by some fans for not meeting with them after a stadium show earlier in the summer. Gavin Adcock then called out Zach Bryan directly. In the greater context, Zach Bryan did not deserve to be criticized. He’s a stadium act that sold out three consecutive nights. He can’t expect to meet with every single fan afterwards. But just like at Born & Raised, Zach decided to engage with his detractors, and the worst of him came out. That previous interaction with Adcock is what fueled this weekend’s confrontation.

Gavin Adcock should have not been booked at Born & Raised Festival, or the Texas Two Step Inn festival in April, or FairWell Fest in Oregon in July. Those appearances also caused disruptions. These promoters have no idea what they’re doing, and even more frustrating, they all cheat off of each other’s lineup to point that no matter what major festival you go to all across the country, the lineup is the same, while artists that never make it on these lineups never get an opportunity to break through.

This whole thing is embarrassing. It feels embarrassing to be writing this article right now. And the big winner here is the guy who is quickly become country music’s wrestling heel, Gavin Adcock. Because people are paying attention to him, which is exactly what he wants, and doesn’t deserve.

© 2025 Saving Country Music

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