Country Star Zach Top Stays Grounded Thanks to His Supportive Tribe

The rising country artist credits his close-knit team for keeping him humble amid his growing success.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:00pm

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An abstract composition of stark, jagged black silhouettes and bold, high-contrast shapes in red and white, conceptually representing a country music artist staying grounded despite their growing success.A rising country star's inner circle keeps him humble amid growing acclaim.Athens Today

Reigning ACM new artist of the year Zach Top has seen a meteoric rise in the country music scene, grabbing five nominations for the upcoming 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. The 'South of Sanity' hitmaker recently won his first Grammy for best traditional country album. Despite the acclaim, Top says he stays grounded thanks to the encouragement and honesty of his longtime family, management team, and collaborators who believed in him from the start.

Why it matters

Zach Top's story highlights how an artist's inner circle can play a crucial role in maintaining perspective and humility, even as their star power grows. His experience reflects the challenges many rising musicians face in navigating sudden fame and success.

The details

Top explains that the people who 'bought into my little dream before it was working' and 'saw me before I was anything' have been instrumental in keeping him grounded. They provide both encouragement and constructive criticism when needed. The singer-songwriter credits this close-knit support system for helping him appreciate every milestone, from playing small gigs to now headlining stadiums.

  • In February, Top won his first Grammy for best traditional country album.
  • Top is set to play Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock with George Strait on April 24.
  • Top will perform at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, with Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean on April 25.
  • The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony will take place on May 17 in Las Vegas.

The players

Zach Top

A rising country music star who was named the ACM's new artist of the year and recently won his first Grammy award.

Chris Stapleton

A country music artist who has the most ACM nominations among male artists for the upcoming awards show, second only to Zach Top.

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What they’re saying

“There's a bunch of people that kind of bought into my little dream before it was working, and they believed in me and saw me before I was anything. So they do a good job of being encouraging and supportive. And then also if it's like, 'Hey, you're acting like a dummy,' then, you know, they'll tell me that, too.”

— Zach Top, Country Music Artist

“It's like, 'Remember when we were just hoping we could do anything like this?' And now we get to be playing on a stadium stage.”

— Zach Top, Country Music Artist

What’s next

If Zach Top wins any of the five ACM Awards he is nominated for on May 17, he will pick up two trophies for song of the year as both the artist and one of the writers.

The takeaway

Zach Top's success story underscores the importance of having a supportive inner circle to keep an artist grounded and humble, even as their career skyrockets. His experience serves as a reminder that maintaining perspective and gratitude can be just as crucial as raw talent in navigating the challenges of sudden fame.