Ninety's honky-tonk hero, Zach Top, draws attention for his traditional country music style.
Zach Top's Rise to Country Stardom
Zach Top, the colorful country musician, has been making waves in the music industry. His old-fashioned legwork allowed his debut single, "Sounds Like the Radio," to become the most-added song on radio the week of its release.
This success has led to bigger things for Top. Starting next month, he will be headlining venues that hold several thousand people. This is a significant leap from his current tour, where he is a support act, opening for Bentley, and expected to be his last tour in this role.
Top's rapid rise in the industry has not been without stumbles. He was married in 2020 and divorced last year. Despite this, his career continues to thrive.
Top's music is heavily influenced by country artists such as Garth Brooks, Clint Black, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, and Daryle Singletary. He has even had the opportunity to do some songwriting with Alan Jackson and opened shows on his farewell tour.
George Strait, a country music legend, has expressed his appreciation for Top's sound and invited him to play with his backing band. This is a testament to Top's authentic country style.
Top's first full-length country album, "Cold Beer & Country Music," was released last year and spawned two hits: "Sounds Like the Radio" and "I Never Lie." The latter became Top's first song to crack the Billboard Hot 100, hitting No. 24.
"Use Me," a song about an illicit one-night assignation, is one of the most affectingly dour on his debut album. It showcases Top's ability to delve into darker themes while maintaining a country sound.
Top's follow-up album, "Ain't in It for My Health," due on Friday, draws from a deep well of country music history and features an air of melancholy.
Top's success has not gone unnoticed. There is an increase in hopeful imitators of his style in the country music industry. However, Top's unique sound, rooted in the golden age of country music, sets him apart.
Top regularly flew to Nashville from Colorado for sessions arranged by producer Carson Chamberlain with like-minded songwriters, many who had been writing since that golden age, including Paul Overstreet and Tim Nichols.
Top's fashion sense is as unique as his sound. He wears a colorfully patterned pearl-snap shirt, dark-blue boot cut jeans, dark-brown ostrich cowboy boots, an appetizer-plate-size belt buckle honoring his performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and a white cowboy hat that adds three inches to his height during show days.
Top has also formed a collaboration with Kimes Ranch, a Western-wear brand. This collaboration is a testament to Top's commitment to authentic country style, both in his music and his fashion.
At the 2024 Country Music Association Awards, Top lost the best new artist award to Megan Moroney. Despite this, he continues to make a name for himself in the country music industry.
Top signed a publishing deal in 2021 and signed to a Nashville independent label, Leo33, in 2023. His current touring lineup is drawn from musicians he met out at family-band events.
Top grew up in Sunnyside, Yakima County, Washington, home-schooled through sophomore year of high school while doing chores on the family farm. He took guitar lessons with a local teacher who taught him and his siblings bluegrass, and the family formed a bluegrass group that traveled the country to festivals.
Despite his success, Top remains grounded. His rise to stardom is a testament to his hard work and dedication to traditional country music.
