American country singer Zach Bryan has purchased a historic church in Lowell, Massachusetts.

The former Saint Jean Baptiste Church, where famous author and poet Jack Kerouac once served as an altar boy and where his funeral was held, had long been earmarked as a future Jack Kerouac Center.

But the vision remained out of reach until Bryan stepped in with a reported $3.4m purchase, as reported by The Independent.

Bryan, who recently signed two major music deals estimated at $350m, called the purchase "my life’s greatest honour" and posted a quote from On the Road alongside the words: "Miss you, Jack."

Sylvia Cunha of the Jack Kerouac Estate said: "Zach reached out in October, and right from the start, it was clear he shared our passion for honouring Jack’s legacy...He stepped up and delivered in a big way."

The new centre will celebrate Kerouac’s life and literature through events, music and creative projects.