If the rest of the Zac Brown Band‘s new album is half as fun as ‘The Wind,’ fans are in for a great summer in 2012. The ever-growing country jam band performed their new single live for the first time at the 2012 CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night, and proved why they belong in discussions about country music’s top musicians.

Brown’s rapidfire vocals — as well as the harmonizing by his bandmates — were impressive. The group hasn’t had many opportunities to polish a live performance of this song, but they sounded as tight as they would on ‘Chicken Fried,’ a song they’ve played hundreds of times.

Jimmy De Martini’s fiddle and Brown’s chicken-picking made the performance, however. Who else can look so angry while playing so gently? The singer was wearing his summer beanie, one slightly more breathable for a hot June Nashville evening.

‘The Wind’ will be included on ‘Uncaged,’ which hits stores on July 10, 2012. The project follows the platinum-selling album ‘You Get What You Give.’ The band recently said that new songs will feature plenty of artists on Brown’s Southern Ground Records, as well as Amos Lee.

Watch the Zac Brown Band Perform ‘The Wind’

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