In a recent interview, Zach Top revealed what it's like to be the trendsetter for guys in country music. "I feel very lucky, very fortunate to have landed on the front end of what feels like a big shift, a big turn in the genre." In a sea of guys with mustaches and guitars, there's something special about Top, and fans seem to recognize that too.
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Hailing originally from a ranch in Sunnyside, Washington, Top grew up listening to a lot of George Strait. However, he was also partial to Merle Haggard and Hank Williams. He's shared, "I'm obviously very heavily influenced by [90s country] but in all my time being a student of the music and digging back, I went way further back from the '90s, you know." Many of Top's main influences date back to the '40s or '50s.
Growing up surrounded by three other siblings, Top took guitar and bluegrass lessons while being homeschooled. His family formed a bluegrass band, which eventually helped Top to meet the musicians he would use on current tours.
In 2018, he posted a cover of Daryle Singletary's "Spilled Whiskey," which caught the attention of Carson Chamberlain, a country music producer. From there, Top started traveling back and forth to Nashville for sessions with Chamberlain and other writers. It wasn't long before he would sign a publishing deal and a deal with an independent label.
Fans Are Digging Top, and So Are His Imitators
By 2024, Top was opening for Lainey Wilson on tour. He followed that up this year by opening for Dierks Bentley. Lately, more and more people are catching on to his brand, and some are even trying to copy it. Chamberlain has said of Top's many imitators, "I don't have to say it, but, you know, all at once, a lot of guys have mustaches and a lot of guys are wearing cowboy hats that they weren't wearing before."
Top's third studio album, Ain't In It For My Health, drops August 29th. The new album will be a continuation of the sound that made people fall in love with the country singer, with a "more mature" sound.
At his rise to fame, Top has been pleasantly surprised. However, he's pleased that fans are connecting with his sound and style. "I think people appreciate it, and I think it stands out a little bit. And I would say that would be my best guess why it's worked. I don't know for sure, but I'm sure glad it has."
Photo by: Jason Moore/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
