Warren Zeiders, a breakout country singer known for his gritty vocals and high-energy blend of Southern rock influences, almost didn’t pursue a career in the music industry. The Pennsylvania native initially focused on his athletic endeavors after being recruited to play lacrosse at Maryland’s Frostburg State University, where he was studying to become a medical salesman. However, after dedicating more than a decade to the sport, his time on the field was cut short when he sustained multiple concussions his freshman year.
“It was hard to say goodbye. You do that for so long, it becomes a part of you. It was hard for my parents.
I remember calling my grandfather in tears because my grandparents didn’t miss a single game of my junior and senior year of playing high school lacrosse,” Zeiders, 25, told Fox News on March 13. Unable to continue playing, Zeiders—who grew up singing gospel hymns in church—pivoted to music after the demise of his collegiate lacrosse career. In March 2020, he recorded an acoustic cover of Chris Stapleton’s 2015 single “Tennessee Whiskey” and posted it on TikTok, gaining thousands of fans overnight.
“I’m a firm believer that God has a plan for everyone, and we all have our own gifts, and some of us find them, find them sooner than others,” he said. “But I do believe this I was meant to do.” Zeiders later shot to fame in 2021 with the release of his viral single “Ride the Lightning.
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