also in 2004, brown added violinist/fiddler and tenor vocalist jimmy de martini to the lineup. according to an interview with de martini, he explained that wyatt durrette, brown's frequent songwriting collaborator, was working as a bartender at sidelines sports bar in kennesaw, georgia, at the time, where the zac brown band frequently performed. durette suggested de martini to brown, who was wanting a "lead instrument" in his band, as well as a harmony singer. after doing several performances with the band at the club, brown asked de martini to become a permanent member, to which de martini gladly obliged.