Two of the best in the business pledging allegiance to the Hag.
Zach Top seems to be everywhere these days. Riding the highs of his debut album last year and his highly-successful sophomore effort this year, Ain’t In It For My Health, the Washington native has simply flown through the ranks in country music over the past two years.
Of course, this was highlighted on a national scale the past few months when he not only took home Best New Artist at the CMA Awards in November, which he accepted with a Coors Banquet in hand, but also when he scored his first-career Grammy back in February. In turn, Top became the first-ever winner of the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album category, winning it with Ain’t In It For My Health.
In addition to being labeled as the savior of traditional country music, Top has proven himself as the quintessential human jukebox over the past few years when it comes to delivering phenomenal covers of different songs across multiple eras. From Chris Stapleton’s “Nobody to Blame” and Billy Currington’s “Good Directions” to Shenandoah’s “Two Dozen Roses” and Conway Twitty’s “Slow Hand,” the Washington Native has yet to meet a classic song that he cannot perform flawlessly.
Of course, that’s not even mentioning the collaborations he’d had recently, teaming up with Chris Stapleton for a performance of Waylon Jennings’ “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” The Red Clay Strays not once but three times over the past two months, ripping Travis Tritt’s “Where The Corn Don’t Grow” in Nashville, George Jones’ “Bartender’s Blues” in Orange Beach, Alabama, and Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night” at Madison Square Garden and Marcus King for Charlie Daniel’s “Trudy.”
Just when you thought that Top was done teaming up with some of the best in the genre, he did it once again over the weekend during his sold-out show in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at PPL Center. Teaming up again with King, the Washington native delivered a tribute to a member of his country music Mount Rushmore, Merle Haggard, with a killer rendition of “Swinging Doors.”
Though the track isn’t as iconic as some of the legend’s biggest hits like “Mama Tried” and “Workin’ Man Blues,” there’s no doubt that it was a successful track. Being released as the second single of Haggard and the Strangers’ second album, Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down, “Swinging Doors” peaked inside the Top 5 in July 1966.
Prefacing the performance, the “I Never Lie” singer would offer up some high praise for King, explaining how grateful he is to have him as an opener.
“I’m such a huge fan, and we’re so grateful to have him out on our shows for right now.”
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Top and King absolutely crush the cover. Of course, the pair are arguably two of the best guitarists in the genre currently — save for the likes of Sturgill Simpson and Brad Paisley — and they put it on full display here, with Top providing some stellar acoustic licks while King laid down sweet fills on electric guitars.
There’s not too many artists doing it the way these two are right now, and this performance proves exactly why. If you’re a Merle fan, make sure to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
Watch here:
Zach Top 2026 Tour Dates
August 27—Dieppe, New Brunswick—YQM Countryfest 2026
August 28—Gilford, NH—BankNH Pavilion∞
September 1—Toronto, ON—Rogers Stadium~
September 11—Lake Tahoe, NV—Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre at Caesars Republic«
September 17—San Diego, CA—Pechanga Arena«
September 18—Anaheim, CA—Honda Center
September 19—Fresno, CA—Boots In The Park
September 25—Corpus Christi, TX—Hillard Center Arena«
September 26—San Antonio, TX—Frost Bank Center«
October 2—Jacksonville, FL—VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
October 3—West Palm Beach, FL—iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
October 8—Des Moines, IA—Casey’s Center≈
October 9—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena≈
October 10—St. Paul, MN—Grand Casino Arena≈
October 15—Sioux Falls, SD—Denny Sanford PREMIER Center≈
October 16—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum≈
October 17—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena≈
October 23—Lafayette, LA—CAJUNDOME∆
October 29—Duluth, GA—Gas South Arena∆
October 30—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena∆
≠with special guest Cole Goodwin
«with special guest Wyatt McCubbin
∆with special guest Lukas Nelson
~with Chris Stapleton
≈with special guest Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives
∞with special guest Marcus King Band
