Country newcomer Zach Top became the inaugural winner of the Grammy’s newly added category, Best Traditional Country Album, on Sunday, Feb. 1, when he collected his award for his sophomore record, “Ain’t in It for My Health.” Though the 68th annual ceremony marked his first Grammy win, and the first time he was nominated, he’s had dreams since childhood about being a part of the longstanding awards show.
Just a year prior, his neotraditional country sound would have made him a longshot in the previous catch-all category, Best Country Album, generally dominated by performers who fuse the genre with other modern stylings like pop and R&B. But with the brand-new category focused on traditional country and roots music, the odds tilted in his favor.
When he stepped onto the stage to accept his award and give his speech, he extended gratitude to his support system and summed up the experience with a simple statement.
The King of Country Was an Early Influence
Not only did the Grammys unveil the Best Traditional Country Album category this year, but the former all-encompassing Best Country Album category was also changed to Best Contemporary Country Album to better reflect artists releasing modern country music.
The Grammys also stated sub-genres like outlaw country and western are included as well.
Top is a perfect fit for the Best Traditional Country Album category. After picking up a guitar as a young boy, he was inspired to follow in the footsteps of the King of Country Music himself.
‘Superheroes on TV’
The musical foundation for “Ain’t in It for My Health” was engineered by veteran producer Carson Chamberlain, whose resume includes collaborations with late country star Keith Whitley as well as a performer whom Top has often been compared to, Alan Jackson. The Chamberlain-produced record features an array of classic country stylings, from the bluegrass-tinged opening track, “Guitar” to the song’s popular single perfect for summertime, “Good Times and Tan Lines.”The Washington native faced stiff competition to take home his golden gramophone award. A rare father and son music rivalry formed when country songwriting legend Willie Nelson, nominated for his album “Oh What a Beautiful World,” was joined by his troubadour son Lukas Nelson in the category for his debut solo album “American Romance.”
Top opened with a joke during his acceptance speech, saying he was “winded” because he was sitting in the back and had to run to the stage to accept the award in time. He then thanked those around him who’ve acted as a support system the last two years of his accelerating career, from God and his family to his management team and live music crew accompanying him on tours. He shared with the audience the experience was a dream come true.
“I feel like I watched the Grammys as a little kid and it looked like superheroes on TV, so to be up here and be a part of the whole thing is insane,” he said during the ceremony. “Thanks for letting me be here. This is amazing.”
