Zach Top Takes Us Back to the Good Ol’ Days with CMA Fest 2024 Performance

Zach Top gave the packed-out crowd a dose of rose-tinted ‘80s country during his Chevy Vibes set on the finale day of CMA Fest 2024, with the neo-traditional trailblazer reeling off highlights from his widely lauded debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music.

Zach Top infused a welcome sense of levity and playfulness into his set, with the up-and-coming singer-songwriter appearing to be on the verge of laughing while crooning “Well, the day I was born the Doc couldn't believe / I came out cryin' ‘Chattahoochee’”, the opening line from his addictive current single, ‘Sounds Like The Radio’.

Despite being a relatively new face in the genre, Zach Top carries the charisma and swagger of someone who's been out on the road for a decade, honing his chops and tightening his set.

He builds out the instrumentation when the song demands an additional boost of energy, such as on the infectious ‘Bad Luck’ and ‘Cold Beer & Country Music’, before drawing it all back for sumptuous ballads, ‘Use Me’ and ‘There's the Sun’.

The latter was one of the hidden gems of Zach Top's 2024 album, and his live rendition of the endearing track cements its status as a beautiful example of the Texan's deft penmanship.

As he again demonstrated during his Nissan Stadium Platform Stage double-header later that evening, Zach Top is poised to become the face of neo-traditional country music. This set underlined that he has the charm, vocals and emotionality to continue his ascent into a classic country star in the mould of his icon - George Strait.

For more on CMA Fest 2024, see below:

Featured photo courtesy of CMA