Warren Zeiders

Country singer Warren Zeiders was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where he sang his first songs in church. Learning to play guitar in sixth grade, he steadily developed an appreciation for music that existed outside the church, too, trading the secular sounds of worship music for the hard-edged swagger of Mötley Crue and AC/DC. Later, when the Covid-19 pandemic stalled his intended career in medical sales, he began uploading his own versions of popular songs to social media platforms, developing an online audience along the way. He then moved to Nashville to pursue a songwriting career, collaborating with writers like Eric Paslay and Rob Crosby along the way. Together, the three musicians co-wrote "Ride the Lightning," which Warren Zeiders included on his debut EP The 717 Tapes. Released independently in October 2021, The 717 Tapes became a genuine hit, with "Ride the Lightning" riding a wave of social media support up the Billboard charts. The song peaked at Number 30 on the Hot Country Songs chart, making Zeiders one of the year's only independent artists to achieve a Top 40 hit in the country format. Another indie record, Acoustic Covers, was released that same year, and the popularity of Zeiders' self-released work helped the musician earn a major-label contract with Warner. He signed with the label in January 2022 and released 717 Tapes: Vol. 2 that spring, with the singles "Dark Night" and "Wild Horse" both cracking the Top 40.