Zach Top wins first Grammy for traditional country album

Zach Top wins first Grammy in new category

Zach Top won the first ever Grammy Award for best traditional country album earlier this month. The 28-year-old artist took the prize for his second album, Ain’t In It For My Health.

Top beat genre icons including Willie Nelson. "That seems sacrilegious to me," Top told the BBC. "I certainly don’t aim at awards when I’m making the music."

A new Grammy category for traditional sounds

The Recording Academy introduced the best traditional country album category this year. It was created alongside a new award for best contemporary country album, which was won by Jelly Roll.

The move was meant to honor both the genre's historic roots and its modern evolution. "It’s cool there’s a spot for hillbillies like me," Top said.

He believes the new category validates artists who stick to a classic sound. "Up till now what they brand contemporary country has taken home most of those awards," he noted.

Bringing old-school country to a new generation

Top only broke onto the national scene two years ago, but he has been playing music since he was seven. He is known for a straightforward, traditional style, as heard on his Grammy-nominated single "I Never Lie."

"It’s just what comes out of me when I open my mouth or play the guitar," he explained. "I grew up loving the really, really old stuff."

He credits his rapid rise to timing, suggesting fans were ready for a raw alternative to more produced, hip-hop-influenced country. "I think people were ready to hear something more simple and real," he said.

His approach has connected with younger audiences. "We get a lot of younger people at the shows," Top said. "For them it’s something fresh and brand new."

Taking his music on a global tour

Top is currently in the UK preparing for his headline slot at the C2C Festival in March. The festival is the biggest country music event outside North America, with shows in London, Belfast, and Glasgow.

"If there are fans around the world that want to hear my music, I feel I have an obligation to take a show to where they are," Top said. He sees this as part of a broader moment for the genre. "It’s such an exciting time for country with it getting so much attention and love on a global scale."

However, he acknowledges the logistical and financial challenges of touring internationally. "It costs a lot to get over here," he said, "so you have to make that commitment that you do want to be an artist internationally."

What's next for the Grammy winner

After his UK run, Top returns to a packed summer schedule in the US. His plans include:

• Headlining major country festivals across the United States
• Writing and recording his next album
• Continuing to tour extensively

Despite the sudden spotlight and Grammy win, Top says he feels no pressure to become a genre ambassador. "I don’t have any existential crisis in my head about trying to keep bearing the country music torch," he stated.

His philosophy is simple: keep doing what works. "It’s just people are going crazy for what I’m doing, so I’m going to try and keep doing what I am doing as well as I can."

For now, he's focused on enjoying the moment. "I still feel like it’s not sunk in," he said of his Grammy win, "but whatever happens no-one can take that away from me for the rest of my life."