Grammys 2026: Washington’s Zach Top wins new country category as UW Tacoma student musician weighs in

The 68th Grammy Awards were held Feb. 1 in Los Angeles, where Washington artist Zach Top won Best Traditional Country Album. UW Tacoma student musician Tam Cureaux said the win highlighted the visibility of Washington. 

By Syed Huzaifa Bin Afzal

The 68th annual Grammy Awards took place Sunday, Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, according to the Grammy website. The winners list included a Washington state artist, country singer Zach Top won Best Traditional Country Album for “Ain’t In It For My Health,” according to Grammy website. 

Top’s win came in a category that was new for 2026. The Recording Academy announced Best Traditional Country Album as one of the new categories added for the 2026 awards year, according to Grammy website. Pitchfork, covering the category, reported the award was introduced this year and said Top won over nominees including Charley Crockett, Lukas Nelson, Margo Price and Willie Nelson. 

Top was also nominated for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “I Never Lie,” according to his Grammy artist listing. Washington coverage described the win as Top’s first Grammy and reported the album was released in August 2025, according to Kiro7.  

At UW Tacoma, Tam Cureaux, a sophomore musician majoring in business administration accounting, said he did not watch the Grammys and did not know when the ceremony was being held; however, he said he has been following Washington country artists. Cureaux, a sophomore majoring in business administration accounting, said he voted in the Country Music Association awards for Top and for Washington artist Katie Wade and her song “Fireball,” and said he voted for as many recognizable names as possible “to support them in their journey.” 

“I casted my vote for as many people as I recognized to support them in their journey,” Cureaux said. “I look forward to the day I see my name on the ballot.” 

Cureaux said he was not surprised by Top’s Grammy win and described Top as “a phenomenal artist, performer, lyricist, and more,” adding that Top “captures the essence of what American Country Music is all about.” Cureaux also pointed to Washington’s broader music history, referencing artists including Macklemore, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and Bing Crosby, and said he sees Top’s win as one example of Washington talent receiving national recognition. 

Cureaux said he is an American country musician while attending UW Tacoma and has toured between Texas and Seattle, performing gigs while managing a full-time course load. He said he is working toward professionally recording a backlog of original material and is building toward an album release, describing studio time as costly but necessary. 

“Studio time is expensive so I can’t get in as often as I’d like,” Cureaux said. 

He said a UW Tacoma course “T ARTS 120: History of Classical Music,” taught by Kim Davenport shaped how he thinks about storytelling and album structure. Cureaux said he is developing a full-length album even as the current industry often pushes artists toward releasing singles. 

From his perspective, Cureaux said the Grammys function primarily as marketing and a measure of professional recognition. 

“The Grammys don’t necessarily represent that the recipients’ music is the best,” Cureaux said. “But the Grammys represent the dedication of both the artist and their community of family, friends and fans that supported them along the way.” 

Cureaux said outreach remains a major challenge for student musicians, arguing that many students spend years learning an instrument but do not know how to apply that skill after graduation. He also said finding rehearsal space can be difficult when students want to practice without disturbing others. UW Tacoma students can follow and support fellow campus musician Tam Cureaux on Instagram at @tam_cureaux. 

The Grammys’ top prizes went to major headliners across pop, hip-hop and global music. The Grammy winners list shows Bad Bunny won Album of the Year for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” The same winners coverage lists Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year for “luther,” Billie Eilish and FINNEAS won Song of the Year for “WILDFLOWER,” and Olivia Dean won Best New Artist. 

For UW Tacoma students who perform or produce music while balancing school and work, Cureaux said the recognition of a Washington artist at a national ceremony was a reminder that careers can develop from local scenes, while the day-to-day barriers from cost to space to outreach remain a practical part of student life.