Zac Brown, born the 11th of 12 children, was raised in Dahlonega, Georgia. He began playing the guitar as a teenager. Previously, Brown and his father owned a restaurant in the Lake Oconee area of Georgia called "Zac's Place". He also began to work as a philanthropist and humanitarian, planning income from his current album to enable the funding of the non-profit Homegrown Camp, designed as an "all inclusive children's camp that will teach diversity, freedom, teamwork, America, nutritional awareness, liberty and life skills as well as music and art".

The Zac Brown Band released their first album, Far from Einstyne, in 2004, followed by Home Grown a year later. A live album entitled Live from the Rock Bus Tour followed in 2007 on the Home Grown label.

The Zac Brown Band then signed to Live Nation Records in 2008. Their first single, "Chicken Fried", was originally recorded in 2003 and included on the Home Grown album, but later re-recorded and released to country radio in 2008. This song was also recorded by The Lost Trailers, whose 2006 recording was released as a single but withdrawn after Brown decided that he wanted to release it himself instead. On the chart week of December 6, 2007, the Zac Brown Band's rendition reached Number One on the Hot Country Songs charts.

In October 2008, Atlantic Records took over distribution of the single. Their album, The Foundation, was released under Atlantic Records, under their country division in association with Home Grown/Big Picture label on November 18, 2008.