Zac Rae


Zac Rae is American musician, best known as the keyboardist, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, with whom he has recorded one studio album and one EP.
Rae is a former member of Alanis Morissette's backing band, which he joined in 2001 at the age of twenty-one. While touring and recording with Morisette, Rae worked extensively as a session musician, recording with Macy Gray, Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr, Ziggy Marley, Jane's Addiction, Miley Cyrus and Against Me! amongst others.
In 2015, Rae initially joined Death Cab for Cutie in a touring capacity, following the departure of founding member Chris Walla. In 2016, both he and touring guitarist Dave Depper were added to the band's core line-up. Rae's first studio album with the band, Thank You for Today was released in 2018.
Alongside his duties in Death Cab for Cutie, Rae continues to record as an in-demand studio session musician, contributing to Leonard Cohen's final two studio albums, You Want It Darker and Thanks for the Dance, and appearing on albums by Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, Childish Gambino, Niall Horan, and Best Coast.

Early life

Rae began taking piano lessons at the age of five. During high school, he would seek out live musical opportunities: "When I was in high school, you could get a gig playing jazz for a couple hours at places like Barnes and Noble. So my friends and I would play in little quartets, and each get paid in $25 gift cards, which translated to about two CDs. Later as a teenager, I spent some time on the Cuban jazz circuit in Los Angeles, which was a lot of fun."
Rae studied at USC Thornton School of Music in Southern California for two years, before dropping out to find full-time work as a musician: "Shockingly, no one has ever passed me over for a gig because I didn't have a degree."

Career

Rae's professional career began in 1999: "Around the time I dropped out of music school in 1999, I met a group of more active musicians in LA and I started connecting and working with them. One thing led to another and soon I was working full time doing session work, and then I got my first touring break with Alanis Morissette in 2001 when I was 21".

Discography

with Death Cab for Cutie
with Alanis Morissette
as a session musician
YearTitleArtist
2020Always TomorrowBest Coast
2020The Family SongbookThe Haden Triplets
2020Through a Dark WoodSea Wolf
2019Thanks for the DanceLeonard Cohen
2019Norman Fucking Rockwell!Lana Del Rey
2019California SonMorrisey
2019Heroin and HelicoptersCitizen Cope
2019Love RemainsTal Wilkenfeld
2018The Pains of GrowingAlessia Cara
2018Bay DreamCulture Abuse
2018CastlesLissie
2018Safe Harbor for Wayward EchoesTobias the Owl
2017FlickerNiall Horan
2017Lust for LifeLana Del Rey
2017We're All Alright!Cheap Trick
2017Dua LipaDua Lipa
2017Safe HavenRuth B
2017No DateDaye Jack
2016"Awaken, My Love!"Childish Gambino
2016You Want It DarkerLeonard Cohen
2016Ziggy MarleyZiggy Marley
2016Bang, Zoom, Crazy... HelloCheap Trick
2015Global Underground 041: NaplesJames Lavelle
2015'Sara Bareilles
2015Cheers to the FallAndra Day
2015Eyes Wide OpenSabrina Carpenter
2015All American BoySteve Grand
2015'Glen Campbell
2015Sisters of Perpetual HeartacheSisters of Perpetual Heartache
2012ParadiseLana Del Rey