The country swinging, guitar slinging, mustache wearing man Zach Top is constantly reaching new heights in his exploding career. On Friday night, October 30, his Cold Beer & Country Music Tour came to an end in Music City. This was the final stop on a two year long tour that saw Top perform for over 900,000 fans. Friday night, country fans piled into a sold out Bridgestone Arena for an evening full of country twang and songs we all know by heart. This was Top’s first headlining show at the arena, although he has made several guest appearances at other artists’ shows. This accomplishment marks a major milestone in Top’s career, considering he has really only broken into the commercial country music scene within the last few years. I personally remember seeing him at a local bar called Winners in 2023, with just him and his guitar, playing to a packed room. Now, in just three years, he has taken his music and style to an entirely new level.
The debut arena show was full of surprises, new music, and stories from his growing career. The night kicked off with none other than Lukas Nelson, who brought his own brand of country rock twang to the stage. Later in the evening, Zach welcomed Nelson back out to perform “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning,” a tune originally recorded by Lukas’s father, Willie Nelson. This wasn’t the only duet of the night. Top later brought out The Red Clay Strays frontman Brandon Coleman to sing Zach’s hit “Use Me” and a cover of Genesis’ “That’s All.” Zach stated that he had texted Coleman only an hour before the show and asked, “Hey, do you know the lyrics to ‘That’s All’ by Genesis?” Coleman replied, “I’ll start learning ’em right now.” A true last minute Nashville collaboration!
Throughout the show, Top mentioned that he has been writing and recording new material and getting things ready for release. When? We don’t quite know. But I’m sure we can expect more new music from the man himself real soon. Top also paid his respects to two of country music’s biggest icons who we recently lost, John Anderson and Dolly Parton. He covered Parton’s “9 to 5” with his own little bluegrass twist, as well as Anderson’s classic “Seminole Wind.” A great tribute to two legends of the genre.
Traditional country music is filling arenas again, and that is all thanks to young artists like Zach Top. An artist with deep country roots and bluegrass beginnings selling out one of Nashville’s biggest rooms is great news for country music. To hear the sounds of steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, and electric guitar filling the arena gives me hope for the genre moving forward.
Top was born and raised in Sunnyside, Washington, where his musical beginnings took shape playing in bluegrass groups and bands with his siblings. Influenced by many of the greats, including George Strait, Randy Travis, and Keith Whitley, he spent years honing his craft before moving to Nashville in 2021. His first major breakthrough came with his debut country album, Cold Beer & Country Music, a record that has helped him surpass one billion streams. His song “I Never Lie” earned him his first No. 1 at country radio and propelled him into the country music spotlight. His rise to stardom continued with a win for ACM New Male Artist of the Year in 2025. Then, in 2026, he earned his first Grammy Award for his sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health. In just a few years since moving to Music City, Top has gone from a Nashville newcomer to an award winning, arena headlining country megastar. Zach Top is saving country music!