Getting his start in his hometown honky-tonks of Beaumont, Texas, Mark Chesnutt landed on country radio for the first time with 1990's "Too Cold at Home." As the industry tides have shifted throughout the decades, Chesnutt has remained steadfastly neotraditional. And it's served the "Brother Jukebox" crooner well as he racked up three platinum-certified albums and eight chart-topping hits. Recently, Chesnutt expressed his gratitude for one artist who is carrying on his torch.
As the definition of country music expands to make room for crossover acts like Jelly Roll and Post Malone, Zach Top is sticking to the genre's tried-and-true elements. Just 27 years old, Top's debut single, 2024's "Sounds Like the Radio," would indeed have likely given Mark Chesnutt a run for his money on the '90s country charts.
Taking to social media Feb. 28, Chesnutt shared high praise for the "I Never Lie" crooner. "After a long long time of thinking that my kind of country music was gone forever, I FINALLY HAVE HOPE! That hope is ZACH TOP!" wrote the "Almost Goodbye" singer, 61. "He's single handedly bringing real country music back."
As if that weren't enough, Chesnutt proceeded to invoke The Possum. "GEORGE JONES would call him the real deal!" he concluded.
That's high praise indeed from a man who helped shape the traditions you're currently trying to keep alive. "Zach is finally getting the appreciation and recognition he deserves," one Instagram user wrote. "So glad the classic hit REAL country artists are noticing him as well!"
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Mark Chesnutt isn't the only one who's picking up what Zach Top is putting down. On Tuesday (March 11), the "Cold Beer and Country Music" crooner treated a Houston Rodeo crowd of 70,865 to some Merle Haggard and George Strait, along with his own hits in a similar vein.
The Houston Chronicle called Top's rodeo set "a rare, full-fledged throwback to the late-'80s and early-'90s sound, untouched by pop and rock influences."
"Oh my goodness. This is ridiculous," Top told the audience at Houston's NRG Stadium.
He continued, "This is by far and away the biggest show we've ever played. Two years ago, we played in a little town called Dothan, Alabama, and I sold 12 tickets to our show. And in two years, it looks like this now? You gotta be kiddin' me!"