Country singer Zach John King says the greatest influence in his life wasn’t another musician—it was his father, a man whose unwavering faith in Jesus shaped the way he approached both life and loss. Following his father’s sudden death, the 29-year-old artist is stepping away from the stage for two weeks to grieve, while sharing a tribute that has deeply resonated with fans and fellow artists.
King announced on Instagram that his father, John King, “suddenly went home to Jesus” on Friday.
“He was our family’s rock. My best friend. The greatest man I will ever know,” King wrote. “John King was the kind of husband, father, grandfather, friend, and follower of Jesus you’ll only find once in a lifetime.”
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Rather than focusing only on the heartbreak of the loss, King devoted much of his message to the faith that defined his father’s life. He described a man whose perspective was never rooted in earthly circumstances but in the hope he believed awaited him in eternity.
“Those that knew him knew his eyes were never fixed on this weary world,” King wrote. “It used to frustrate me how joyful he could be even in the worst moments of life. In his own words, that joy came from ‘the hope I have in Jesus.'”
Even in the middle of unimaginable grief, King said that same faith gives him confidence about where his father is now.
“In the literal blink of an eye Friday, he was home with Jesus where his soul longed to be,” he wrote. “We wanted 25 more years with him and that pain will cut deep for the rest of my life. However, if there were ever a moment to be sure my dad is waiting for me in the very place all of our souls long for, it would be now.”
King also announced that he is canceling the next two weeks of concerts to spend time with his family. But he made it clear that his father wouldn’t have wanted grief to be the final word.
“After that, Imma do what my dad would want me to do and get back to work,” he wrote. “I’ll leave y’all with what he said every morning even when I didn’t want to hear it… ‘Today is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.'”
He ended the tribute with a simple promise: “I love you dad. I’ll see you soon.”
The heartfelt post prompted an outpouring of support from across the country music community. Christian artist Brandon Lake reflected on the example John King left behind, writing, “What a beautiful thing to be able to say of your dad. Leaving a legacy.” Ella Langley added, “I’m sorry Zach… praying for you and your family,” while Cole Swindell, Ashley Cooke, George Birge, Conner Smith, Priscilla Block, Emily Ann Roberts, McCoy Moore, and many others also shared prayers and messages of encouragement.
A day later, King thanked supporters for the overwhelming response.
“I am overwhelmed by y’all’s love and prayers for our family,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “I’m overwhelmed by the beautiful stories of my dad I didn’t even know about. God bless y’all. Be back soon.”
King has spent much of the summer touring with Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, and Thomas Rhett while preparing to headline his upcoming “Get to Drinkin'” Tour this fall. Those plans are temporarily on hold, but King’s tribute made clear that his father’s greatest gift wasn’t advice about music or success—it was a lifelong example of faith in Christ.
Before stepping away, King chose to leave fans with the words his father faithfully repeated each morning: “Today is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” For King, those words now serve as both a daily reminder and a lasting tribute to the man he believes is now home with Jesus.
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