Zach Top Delivers Memorable Performance of ‘Guitar’ at CMA Awards, Snags New Artist of the Year Win
“It’s been a hell of last couple of years. So thankful and ready to celebrate on that.”
Zach Top; Photo by Josh Brasted/CMA
Zach Top served up a healthy dose of classic country music with a performance of his song “Guitar” during the 59th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday.
The breakout star fittingly appeared on a guitar-shaped stage dressed in a sleek suit to deliver a rousing performance, marking his debut on the award show. He showcased his true star power while letting his warm vocals tackle the traditional country storytelling tune with modern production. It features twangy riffs and a steady driving beat, capturing the power of music.
The day before the CMA Awards, Zach Top spoke with Country Now, teasing what fans could expect from his first-ever performance at the show, and it comes as no surprise that he planned to bring authentic country music to the stage.
When asked what viewers could expect, he kept it simple: “Country music, baby!”
Top’s song “Guitar” is featured on his sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health. Co-written with Tim Nichols and Carson Chamberlain, the track is a personal story that Top hopes will introduce him to fans who may not be familiar with his music yet.
“I’m excited. [It’s] uptempo, fun. I feel like it’ll be a nice introduction to any folks who haven’t heard me before either,” Top shared. “The song is kind of biographical to me, almost. And yeah, it is country music. If you love it, great. And if you don’t, I’m sorry, it’s probably not going to get any different.”
Top earned five nominations, including Album of the year (Cold Beer & Country Music), Male Vocalist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Single of the Year (“I Never Lie”) and Song of the Year (“I Never Lie”).
“It’s wild,” Top admitted of his five nominations. “I think I still have sort of the mindset of the underground, under the radar, up and comer, so…it’s strange to be up for all the awards, but I’m very thankful, obviously. It is cool whenever other folks in your business feel like you’ve been doing a good job and want to pat you on the back and say, ‘good job.’ So I’m really, really proud to just be nominated for all them things.”
Following his performance, the country act returned to the stage to collect his win for New Artist of the Year. With his beer in hand, Top offered a heartfelt speech in which he reflected on the milestone moment and made sure to thank his family, members of the industry that have been with him since day one, his road crew and more.
“I’m so thankful to be included in a category with a bunch of other great artists that have had phenomenal years. Thankful to be here. This is my first CMA win ever, so it’s a big deal to me, and I got a long list of people to thank. My father in heaven, for giving me the gift of being able to sing and play, first of all, my mother and father for realizing that I was never going to be a professional cowboy or a baseball player, so maybe the closest I could get was to sing about cowboys….It’s been a hell of last couple of years, so, so thankful and ready to celebrate on that. Thank you all very much.”
Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the 59th Annual CMA Awards took place live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19 (8:00–11:00 PM ET) on ABC.
The night also featured performances from Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Tucker Wetmore, Stephen Wilson Jr., Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, and Chris Stapleton.
Collaborative performances included Luke Combs & BigXthaPlug, Shaboozey & Stephen Wilson Jr., and Chris Stapleton & Miranda Lambert.
Presenters and special guests appearing throughout the evening included Lady A, Alison Brown, Jessica Capshaw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Daigle, Jordan Davis, Elizabeth Hurley, Cody Johnson, Bert Kreischer, Brandon Lake, Ella Langley, Steve Martin, Leanne Morgan, NE-YO, Chris O’Donnell, Kimberly Perry, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Ritchson, Lara Spencer, Billy Bob Thornton, Grace Van Patten, Gretchen Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman.
The full broadcast is available for next-day streaming on Hulu.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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