Zach Bryan Recalls the 5-Word Letter He Received From His “Favorite Band” After They Shared a Jail Cell

Oklahoma has produced many great country artists. Folks like Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Vince Gill, and more hail from the Sooner State. Even Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys got their start in Tulsa. More recently, the state has served as home base for the likes of Turnpike Troubadours, Zach Bryan, and Wyatt Flores.

So, learning that some of these artists have met outside of the music business isn’t surprising. However, some might find it a little surprising to find out that two high-profile Okies spent time in jail together. During his recent headlining set at the Buckeye Country Superfest, Bryan told the crowd that he met one of the members of his favorite band in the drunk tank when he was a teenager.

[RELATED: Top 10 Turnpike Troubadours Songs]

Zach Bryan Recalls Meeting Turnpike Troubadours’ Ryan Engleman

“One time, I was 18 years old and I was way too drunk and I wound up in jail,” Zach Bryan told the festival crowd. “There were these people in this jail cell,” he continued. “And it was Turnpike Troubadours’ guitarist,” he added.

Time passed and Bryan’s star began to rise. That’s when he learned that he wasn’t the only one who remembered the chance encounter. “I get a letter three years ago. It’s just in an envelope, I didn’t know what it was. So, I opened it and it was a note that says ‘Stay out of jail, f—er.’ It was from Ryan Engleman from Turnpike Troubadours,” he recalled as the crowd cheered.

“They’re our favorite band in the entire world. So, playing after them is pretty weird,” Bryan said of Turnpike, who performed earlier in the day.

The Return of Turnpike

Zach Bryan isn’t alone in his Turnpike Troubadours fandom. Due to some personal issues, the band went on an “indefinite hiatus” in 2018. Many fans hoped that the band would straighten things out and come back together. However, they were prepared for their hit 2017 album A Long Way from Your Heart to be the band’s last outing.

Then, in late 2021, the band scrubbed their Instagram and official website. The following January, the band officially announced their reunion. Fans across the country were thrilled to see the Red Dirt band making moves once again. Finally, they released Cat in the Rain in August 2023.

Since getting the band back together, they have been touring relentlessly and giving a platform to up-and-coming independent artists. They’ve also been mainstays of country festival lineups nationwide.

One can only imagine how exciting it is for Bryan to share the stage with his heroes. At the same time, it’s easy to see how it would feel strange for him to be headlining over the band that helped influence him to make raw, honest, and authentic music.

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