J.C. Kurtis sings his feelings in "Zach's Song"

Originally from and currently residing in Reading, PA, J.C. Kurtis planned to be an actor since he performed in “Grease” in middle school. After retiring from the Army, he moved to California where he became a personal trainer while attending acting school. Always athletic, J.C. worked as a stunt man and stunt driver. While maintaining his love for health and fitness, his focus remains on his music, performing and recording his own songs.

His latest release, “Zach’s Song ( I’ll Be Seeing You Again)” was written to honor his late cousin who was killed suddenly in an auto accident. Zach was a phenomenal drummer, so they had a family connection that ran deep.

The soft production lets the lyrics and J.C.’s great southern voice take over. The drums are there to support but not distract, and the guitar doesn’t cover up the lyrics. The first verse mentions how J.C. dealt with the news of Zach’s passing, how he cried and prayed for strength. He remembered how Zach always told him that you don’t need to be blood to be family, and he knows that he will always carry Zach with him.

We will race the tracks of Heaven’s roads

I’ll grab the mic, you’ll play the drum roll

And we’re gonna jam just like we always wanted to

But for now, I’m gonna hold on tight, never let go

Because I know that someday, I’ll be seeing you again

The song feels like a classic country song, with just enough electric guitar thrown in between the chorus and the verses. The second verse mentions the effect Zach had on everyone, and how they will continue telling his stories and honor his memory. After the second chorus, J.C. adds a bridge to say nothing can change the hurt, although he knows that they will see each other again someday.

It’s great to hear a song where the emotions are raw and real. In the lyrics, J.C. doesn’t hide his feelings behind alcohol or refer to his feelings as any kind of weakness. He’s proven how personally strong he is throughout his military career and his personal fitness challenges, and the way that strength carries over into his lyrics is amazing. The words sound like an actual conversation, where the flow of language is more important than rhymes and counting syllables.

J.C. realizes that music has a healing effect, so he writes and sings to help him grieve, and he continues in the hope that Zach will share the music with him again. The electric guitar and southern rock style keeps the song from becoming moody. The instruments continue building throughout the song, much like our grief as we begin to deal with losing someone we love. Sometimes, there are no words to express what we're going through, and J.C. shares that idea as well when he vocalizes toward the end of the song.

Thanks J.C. for sharing your heart, showing us how to grieve and hope at the same time. And yes, you’ll be seeing him again.

To listen to "Zach's Song" click HERE

Song Credits:

Songwriter: J.C. Kurtis

Producer: Ben Reno

Follow J.C. on his socials at:

Instagram | Facebook | Spotify