Zach McPhee

Between a hockey career and songwriting, Zach McPhee has built a distinctive path in Canadian country music. Born and raised in Vernon, in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, McPhee discovered singing as a child during speech therapy for a speech disorder, and learned guitar as a teenager. Long focused on hockey, he played major junior in the WHL and then at the University of Regina, where he studied sociology, before redirecting himself toward coaching, psychology and gradually music. Encouraged by teammates, Zach McPhee began posting covers and originals on YouTube in the early 2010s, earning the support of country singer Aaron Pritchett and increased visibility on the Western Canadian scene, notably through the Denim on the Diamond contest in 2019. Based in Kelowna, McPhee develops a contemporary country sound centered on voice and storytelling, blending ballads and more uptempo tracks. He released his first single "Bring On" in 2023, followed by the EP "Feels Country to Me" the same year, and a deluxe version in 2024 including the tracks "Who Knew" and "Smoke." His trajectory sharpened with the victory in SiriusXM Top of the Country in 2024, several BC Country Music Association Awards, a nomination at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards and the release of the single "Feel Free" in 2025, confirming Zach McPhee’s place within the new generation of Canadian country.