How Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and a Rising Newcomer Named Zach Top Unexpectedly Found Themselves Linked in One Remarkable Story. ML

On one night in Nashville, it felt like three generations of country music were standing in the same spotlight.

At the 59th CMA Awards, Zach Top walked onstage with a beer in his hand and a look on his face like he could not believe what was happening. New Artist of the Year. A kid who grew up with country heroes on static-filled radios, suddenly holding the kind of trophy he once thought belonged to “mythical creatures.”

Cody Johnson keeps Merle Haggard’s name close to his heart. He still tells the story of the day Merle signed his guitar and shaped how he writes and sings. Vince Gill accepts an award named for Willie Nelson and calls him a “great role model” with a song catalog that seems to go on forever.

Then you look at this year’s stage.

Zach Top and his old-school sound. The Red Clay Strays, thanking God and hard work after years of doubt. Riley Green and Ella Langley watching a song grow because fans decided it was theirs.

2025 cma awards best new artist of the year award

In a recent sit-down called “Zach Top Talks CMA Awards, Grammy Nomination & Touring with Dierks Bentley,” he tells the story in his own words. He laughs about the jump from tiny bluegrass gigs in the Northwest to the CMA carpet, and opens up about learning the ropes on the road with Dierks. He also talks about his Grammy nods, proving that New Artist of the Year was not a fluke, but the start of something much bigger. 

Zach Top Talks CMA Awards, Grammy Nomination & Touring with Dierks Bentley!

If Zach Top’s win shows how the legends shaped one young artist, The Red Clay Strays show what happens when a whole band refuses to fit the mold. In their backstage conversation, they talk about playing “People Hatin’” at the CMAs, a song built on unity in a divided world. Brandon Coleman opens up about being “Southern gentlemen” and “country boys” who still see themselves as a rock/soul band, leaning on faith and stubborn persistence. 

The Red Clay Strays on Breaking All the Rules, and Receiving Vocal Group of the Year CMA Award