About me
Hello!
My name is Zach Blackburn and I am from Warsaw, NC. I have been playing piano since 2014 and have taught private piano since 2019. I currently serve as minister of music of Eureka Christian Church in Mt Olive, NC.
It may shock you to know I didn't like playing piano at a young age. Hate would be an understatement. I started playing at age 6 and finally stopped at age 12. In those 6 years of music, the only knowledge of the piano I retained was the names of the white notes. I vowed when I quit lessons, I would never play again. Little did I know God had a different plan in mind. After having a powerful experience with God at a local campmeeting, I prayed and asked him for his will to be done in my life. That very night, with the help of my grandfather Ronnie Ezzell, I began to pick out the tune to "Mansion Over the Hill Top" and "Because He Lives".
As I began to teach myself piano, I was introduced to the Stamps Baxter School of Music in Murfreesboro, TN, the North Carolina School of Gospel music in Beulaville, NC, and the Alabama School of Gospel Music in Boaz, AL. Thanks to these summer music schools and the favor of God, I achieved 1st place in a national piano competition in 2017, became an instructor/accompanist for several summer music schools, and have served as minister of music of numerous churches in Eastern NC.
Because of these schools, I've had the opportunity to travel to multiple states to perform and teach, allowing me to meet some of the best musicians and songwriters in gospel music. My goal is to preserve the classic hymns as well as promote new southern gospel music being written by educating and training current church musicians of any level on the basic and advanced rudiments of music. Traveling the southern United States has exposed me to outstanding 4 part harmony singing and impeccable piano playing, something I want churches of all sizes to have in Eastern NC.
God put a love for music inside of me and it's my calling to help others better their worship to God. God gave us his very best, his only son Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Because of this marvelous act of love and grace, we should strive to worship him the best we can.