Colder Weather & Warmer Hearts: Music, Family, and Purpose

In this episode of Retire Southern, host James Lewis sits down with Coy Bowles — Grammy-winning guitarist, songwriter, and children's author best known for his work with the Zac Brown Band — to explore how music, family, and purpose intersect in a life built on creativity and gratitude.

From his "blue-collar Wonder Years" upbringing in Thomaston, Georgia, to writing hits like Colder Weather and Knee Deep, Bowles shares how his Southern roots shaped his storytelling — and how fatherhood and faith now fuel his passion for inspiring others.

He also opens up about his newest children's book, Every Amazing Story, co-written with Malcolm Mitchell, and his mission to help young readers across Georgia discover the power of imagination and literacy.