Deep in the hills of Perry County lives a man who focuses on the times forgotten, harkening to the days past when music took a much simpler approach—where the words are much more than a song, but a story about the days of our lives. Zachariah King has just released a two-song limited-edition vinyl 45 featuring his original “The Perry County Waltz” along with his rendition of Marion Dix Sullivan’s 1841 hit “The Blue Juniata.”
The Perry County Waltz is written about Zach’s home—the place he grew up getting to know music and the place that ultimately would shape who he would become as a musician. The song talks about traveling through the county and includes historic references from our state’s rich history, as well as key landmarks that make Perry County such a special place. The mighty Susquehanna and the Juniata Rivers, along with Sherman’s Creek, were once a hub for transportation in the area, all meeting up at the footsteps of Perry County at the historic Clark’s Ferry Crossing. “Beneath the hemlock and the hickory creeps the box huckleberry” speaks of the oldest woody plant east of the Rockies. Located at Losh Run, this rare species of huckleberry takes up over 6,500 feet and is calculated to be at least 8,000 years old. While talking with Zach, you quickly realize his love for the history of Perry County. From researching historic pictures and documents to sharing information with fellow historians, his excitement on the topic is contagious and helped him create his masterpiece, which won the 2024 Perry County Poet Laureate Award presented by the Perry County Council of the Arts.
“The Blue Juniata,” the Marion Dix Sullivan original, was the first commercial hit written by an American woman. It is a song about a Native American girl and her plight living along the Juniata River during the French and Indian War. Said to be inspired by a canal trip along the river, the song was a hit during the Civil War and was sung often by soldiers from both sides, becoming a favorite of General Sherman. Zach has modified the song slightly to relate to modern times, changing a reference of an antelope to the more fitting white-tailed buck. Little is known of the history behind where the song was written along the river, but Zach likes to believe it was right in his own Perry County.
For the album artwork, Zach wanted something that would connect the album with the county, so he reached out to Duncannon-based artist Scotty Brown, known for illustrating local landmarks as well as designing the county flag. Together they looked through artwork as she shared the story of each painting. They settled on “Aunt Anne’s Garden,” a farm she never saw but was told about many times by her mother—a place described so well she was able to create an image capturing the spirit of what early farm life looked like in the county. To pull it all together, he summoned the help of Keith Seaman at Uncle Twisty’s Spirit Lodge, whose creative mindset tied it all together in a simple but very PC (that’s Perry County) kind of way.
The album features William Brown III on bass, drums, and lead guitar, Dan Klinger on fiddle, and—to pay tribute to local luthier and famous dulcimer maker George Orthey—he enlisted Jared McGovern to help on “The Blue Juniata.” Recorded at Tuscarora Records and Brown Studios, engineered by Ross Kennedy, mixed by William Brown III, with mastering by Dan Gibney.
At only 200 copies, this is a very limited edition, so if you’re interested, get your copy now while supplies last at kingfishandfriends.com/fishmarket , at People’s Provisions in Elliottsburg or in person at a show. You can find Zach playing at The Pandemonium in Shermans Dale most Wednesday nights or up at the North Mountain Inn on Waggoners Gap, hanging with locals, telling tales, and slinging tunes.
Zach has had a lot of help in his early days, but one of his biggest influences and mentors was local legend Chubediah (Carl Lee Enyeart), known for his witty original songs, hillbilly attitude, and steadfast support of the local music scene. He was always there to offer encouragement, even if he didn’t agree with what Zach was doing. To honor his lost friend, The Chubediah Memorial Music Award was founded this year. The award is set up to help one young artist (12–30 years of age) financially bring a project to fruition. The amount awarded is $2,500 and can be used for anything from gear to recording, merchandising, marketing—anything needed to help further their craft. There are a few requirements to meet, such as age and location, along with a formal application. Submissions are open until July 17th and awarded by a board of members on October 1st. The board consists of Zach King, Lindsay Hutchinson, Becky Harrison, Missy and Danny Foster, Linda and Chuck Roush and Toni and Tank Szczypta. This year’s winner was 16-year-old guitarist Alex Lee Warner of York, PA. Go to kingfishandfriends.com for more details and to submit applications.
One thing Zach has realized over the years is that his love for his home has grown, and songs that he once thought were just drinking songs have turned out to be much deeper, reminding him of friends he has met and the paths he has taken along the way—each song somehow connected to his home, Perry County. A very heart-spoken artist, he takes his craft seriously and believes everyone should push to be original and keep the creative side of the arts alive.
His album dedication speaks for itself: “I would like to dedicate this work to Marion Dix Sullivan, who, to my knowledge, wrote the first song about Perry County, Pennsylvania; to Bill Fleisher, whose love of the county and song inspired me to pen my own love letter; to Myles Brazill, for your mysterious legacy and passion for preservation; to Sped, Donovan Reed, and Vic Miller, for reminding me that Perry County country music still matters; to Jill, Greg, Keith, and the whole Seaman family, for always being supportive, inspiring, and prime examples of what it means to be a Perry Countian; to my grandparents, John and Barbara King, who shared their endless love of country music with me; to my family, for their encouragement; to my darling Lindsay, for her love and unwavering support of my passions; to Eugene and Shirley Knisley, and Ross Kennedy, for showing us the love that flows from Henry’s Valley; to Scotty Brown, whose drawings are synonymous with Perry County—we are honored to have her art associated with this release; to Will Brown, Danny Gibney, Dan Klinger, and Jared McGovern, for bringing these songs to life; and lastly, to all the good people of Perry County, Pennsylvania and beyond—I hope this finds you well.” —Zachariah King.
For More info about Zach and all things Kingfish and Friends check out the links below.
kingfishandfriends.com
zachariahandrewking.com
facebook.com/zachariahandrewking
