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.
