“Colder Weather,” a chart-topping single by the Zac Brown Band, resonates deeply with listeners thanks to its poignant lyrics and heartfelt melody. But the story of how this iconic “Colder Weather Song” came to be is just as compelling as the track itself. Songwriter Wyatt Durrette, in an interview, shared the intimate details of the song’s creation, revealing a collaborative journey sparked by personal experience and long-distance love.
The initial seed for “Colder Weather” was planted during a challenging long-distance relationship Durrette was navigating. As he explained, “There was a girl I was seeing, who lived in Kansas City.” Despite a strong connection, the realities of distance and conflicting priorities began to strain the relationship. His burgeoning music career demanded travel and commitment, something his girlfriend at the time found difficult. This friction point became the emotional core of the song.
The pivotal moment of inspiration struck amidst a tour stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “We were in Green Bay, Wisc., playing a show with Little Big Town, and it was pouring down snow,” Durrette recounted. Travel plans to Kansas City were disrupted by a cancelled radio engagement due to the weather. Forced to call his girlfriend and deliver the disappointing news, Durrette faced her understandable frustration. “She was not a happy camper. She let me have it,” he admitted. However, this difficult phone call ignited a creative spark. Walking onto the tour bus immediately after the call, the chorus and melody of what would become “Colder Weather” poured out of him.
Recognizing the nascent potential of the song, Durrette shared it with his Zac Brown Band bandmates. He and Zac Brown collaboratively refined the first chorus, solidifying the song’s foundation. “Me and Zac worked on the first chorus together,” Durrette stated. His intuition as a songwriter told him this was something special: “I knew the song was special. You can just tell as a writer when you’ve written something that has a chance to be big or special.”
However, the song remained in a nascent state for approximately six months. Durrette typically tests new material by playing it for his bandmates, gauging their reactions. While the initial response was positive, Durrette felt the song needed further depth and nuance. He then turned to fellow Southern Ground Records artist and poet, Levi Lowrey.
Inviting Lowrey to his house, Durrette sought his lyrical expertise to flesh out the verses. This collaboration proved fruitful, adding layers of emotion and narrative to the song. Serendipitously, Coy Bowles, the band’s guitar player, visited Durrette that same evening, unaware of the songwriting session. Upon hearing the verses taking shape, Bowles spontaneously suggested a bridge. “How about a bridge?” Bowles proposed, and presented a lyrical idea that resonated immediately. “He read one to us, and we were like, ‘Hell yeah! That’s perfect!'” Durrette exclaimed.
Finally, the collaborative songwriting circle closed with Zac Brown’s return to the process. Together, Durrette and Brown crafted the alternate chorus, completing the song’s structure and solidifying its final form. “Zac and I finished writing the alternate chorus in the end,” Durrette concluded.
“Colder Weather” ultimately became more than just a personal story for Durrette; it evolved into a song that resonated with each member of the Zac Brown Band and their experiences with life on the road. Durrette reflects, “That one’s special to all of us. It holds a spot because of what we do and being away and all those things. For those guys, I think that song rings on missing their family.” This universality is a key part of the song’s appeal. While rooted in Durrette’s experience of “impossible love,” hindered by distance and timing, the “colder weather song” beautifully captures the broader themes of longing, separation, and the bittersweet nature of pursuing dreams while navigating personal relationships.
