Zach Top received the invitation of a lifetime, when he was invited to open for Alan Jackson, for Jackson’s final Last Call: One More For The Road Tour. Top, who has been earning rave reviews by both artists and fans for his traditional-sounding music, admits he was in awe when he first met the Country Music Hall of Fame member.
“It was funny,” Top recalls on Country Countdown USA. “There aren’t many people who make me starstruck, but I was definitely starstruck meeting Alan. He was in the Top 5 of my childhood, so I was just a fan when I met him.”
Top is thrilled to be opening for the country music icon, but he is also selling out arenas on his own, on his Cold Beer & Country Music Tour.
“I’m just happy I get to sing and play every night and call it a job,” Top maintains. “I got a pretty buzzy name in country music. The shows have grown to where I can’t go out during the day without starting a meet and greet line! But I love it.”
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Top will return to opening status, when he joins Dierks Bentley on Bentley’s Broken Branches Tour, beginning on May 29. Top not only is honing his vocal skills, but his pickleball skills as well.
“I’m about to get my butt beat in pickleball,” Top jokes. “I hear they’re a big pickleball crew. I’ll have to knock some rust off there, see if I can hang with them. Hopefully do some fishing too.”
The 27-year-old is also a first-time awards winner. Top was just crowned the ACM New Male Artist of the Year, ahead of the live ceremony, which takes place on Thursday, May 8. He could walk away with another trophy, since he is also nominated for Album of the Year, for his freshman Cold Beer & Country Music record.
“I couldn’t be more honored, and I can’t say a big enough thank you to my fans for loving music and loving what we do on the road, and listening to the songs every day,” Top says of his first ACM Award. “It means the world to me. I’ve always wanted to just play and sing for a living, and I get to do that now. And it’s cool to be able to get a little trophy every now, and then to let us know that we’re doing good doing it. So thank you so much. This is beautiful.”
While some might think Top’s decision to do traditional country music was a wise business decision, the 27-year-old says it’s really just who he is as an artist.
“It’s not like I made the choice that I’m going to be the ’90s throwback guy,” Top tells Wrangler Western. “I think that maybe part of the reason that people like my music so much is that it’s not a ’90s gimmick thing. I’m not trying to — this is all I know how to do. It’s not like I made the choice to, ‘I’m going to be the ’90s country throwback guy.’
“I grew up listening and learning from those same guys that all those ’90s guys would have been influenced by,” he continues. “So it comes from as genuine of a place as those guys did the first time they came around … It feels comfortable. It feels like an old boot.”
The ACM Awards will air live at 8:00 PM ET on Amazon Prime. Top currently has a Top 5 single with “I Never Lie.” Find all of his music and upcoming shows at ZachTop.com.