Making music and being the best person he can be are Zack Keim's goals.

The front man for the Pittsburgh garage band, Nox Boys, and 2015 Fox Chapel Area graduate recently released a solo effort, “First Step,” an acoustic folk record with nine original songs and a cover of the gospel standard, “Gonna Lay Down My Sword and Shield.”

Keim calls his music “stripped-down folk, Dylan-esque.” He writes about life experiences and reads the work of writers from generations ago, such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and J.D. Salinger. Reading, watching old movies, and “listening to a lot of music to draw inspiration” are some of the ways he spends his down time. Not that the 20 year old has a lot of down time.

Along with trying to stick to a goal of writing a song a day, gigs like a CD release party he played in Greensburg recently, and touring with Nox Boys, Keim is a sales rep for an international company on the North Side called Get Hip Records, which also signed him to a record deal.

“Working with Get Hip is an education in the music industry,” Keim said.

College concerts and playing clubs in Cleveland and New York have been part of his life since he was 17. While a little daunting at first — playing in clubs where he couldn't be legally served — he says he's gotten past that.

“I don't get nervous now,” he said. “I try to get the best performance possible while I'm on stage.”

The Nox Boys — a named derived from band members' connection to Blawnox — play original, garage punk music and are also under contract with Get Hip. Drummer Sam Berman grew up on Powers Run Road, O'Hara. Lap-steel guitarist Bob Powers is from a family who gave Powers Run its name. Chris Trepagnier is from the North Hills. They all wear hoodies proudly emblazoned with the words, “Blawnox, PA,” one of the towns Keim calls home.

With his black jeans, black jacket, and black glasses, Keim strikes just the right chords on stage. But his solo career gives him the chance to also go in another direction.

“I love folk music, but I want to do both (kinds of music),” Keim said. “It makes me happy. For me, it's just about playing music.”

Sharon Drake is a freelance writer.

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