Get to Know the Stars of 93Q Star Party

HOUSTON — 93Q Star Party Driven by Best in Texas Ford is quickly approaching, as six amazing artists are set to put a very special show Wednesday at 713 Musical Hall. Before Dasha, ERNEST, Megan Moroney, Parmalee, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore take the stage for the benefit of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, here’s your chance to get to know them a little better:

Dasha

Hailing from San Luis Obispo, California, Dasha began participating in musical theater productions as early as five years old, and by the age of eight she had learned to play guitar and piano. Her father, PJ Novotny, and her brother, Bardo Novotny, supported her career early on as her talent manager and producer, respectively. Bardo continues to collaborate with some of her new music.

One of the breakout rising stars of 2024 in country music, Dasha fuses country and pop, giving her a fresh and distinctive sound heard in hits like Austin. She released Austin in November of 2023, from her second studio album What Happens Now?, which was released in February. The song marked her first entry on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.

Dasha and Austin were selected as a finalist for “Top Country Song” at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.

ERNEST

Love Music? Get more! Join the 93Q Country Newsletter

Subscribe

We care about your data. See our privacy policy.

Ernest Keith Smith, known mononymously as “ERNEST,” started his music career in his hometown of Nashville as a songwriter. He has written for artists like Florida Georgia Line, Jelly Roll, Jake Owen and Morgan Wallen. In 2017 he embarked on a recording career of his own, releasing two country rap singles. He’s previously stated Eminem, John Mayer and George Strait as major influences.

In 2019 ERNEST signed with record label Big Loud, and released his debut studio album, Locals Only, in October of that year. His following studio efforts include Flower Shops (The Album) in 2022 and Nashville, Tennessee in 2024. A frequent collaborator with Wallen, his 2022 single with him, Flower Shops, peaked at Top. 13 on the U.S. Country charts. In 2024 he was featured on Wallen’s Cowgirls, which peaked at No. 1 on U.S. Country Airplay, while his own single Hangin’ On peaked at No. 37 on the Hot Country charts.

He received his first CMA Awards nomination in 2024 for the “Song of the Year” award, as a songwriter on Post Malone’s I Had Some Help.

Megan Moroney

Megan Moroney, from Savannah, Georgia, began listening to country music and playing piano as a young child. She later participated in musical theater during high school, before attending the University of Georgia as an accounting major. During her time at Georgia, she opened a show for Jon Langston and interned for Kristian Bush of Sugarland. Through Bush she was introduced to several songwriters once she graduated and moved to Nashville.

Moroney released her first single, Wonder, in 2021, and her second single, Tennessee Orange, in 2022. Bush served as a producer on the latter track. The online popularity of Tennessee Orange led to her landing with Arista Nashville, who helped land the song on the Billboard Hot 100 charts later that year. She was later transferred to Columbia Records, and released her debut album Lucky in May of 2023. Singles Tennessee Orange and I’m Not Pretty peaked at No. 4 and No. 14 on U.S. Country Airplay, respectively. On July 12, 2024, she released her second studio album Am I Okay?

Moroney has won the “New Female Artist of the Year” in 2023 for the ACM Awards and the “New Artist of the Year” award in 2024 for the CMA Awards, along with several other nominations for both ceremonies.

Parmalee

Parmalee, which formed in 2001, is a group consisting of brothers Matt Thomas and Scott Thomas, their cousin Barry Knox and childhood friend Josh McSwain. Matt fronts the group and plays guitar, Scott is the drummer, Knox plays bass and McSwain plays guitar. The band’s music blends country and rock, which has led to several No. 1 singles across their two-decade-and-counting career. They signed with the label Deep South not long after forming, and released their first full-length album Inside in 2004.

Parmalee would go on to sign with Stoney Creek Records in 2011, releasing singles Musta Had a Good Time in 2012 and Carolina in 2013. Carolina was a major hit for the band, peaking at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on Hot Country and No.1 U.S. Country Airplay. Their first album with Stoney Creek, Feels Like Carolina, was released in December 2013. 2019’s Be Alright and 2021’s Take My Name peaked on the Hot 100 charts at No. 31 and No. 22, respectively, while both landing at No. 1 on U.S. Country Airplay.

Zach Top

Starting out as a bluegrass musician, Sunnyside, Washington’s Zach Top broke out in 2024 as another rising star in country music. Top came up performing bluegrass music in a band with his siblings called Top String. He moved to Nashville in 2021 and made the switch to country music in 2023, signing with newly-formed independent record label Leo33 in September of the latter. Top cites Strait, Randy Travis and Keith Whitley as major influences for his 90s-country sound.

His debut country single Sounds Like the Radio was released in January, becoming an instant radio hit. The songs serves as the lead single for his debut studio record, Cold Beer & Country Music, which was released in April. Sounds Like the Radio peaked at No. 15 and No. 29 on the U.S. Country Airplay and the Hot Country charts respectively. His second single, I Never Lie, sits at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 13 on the Hot Country and No. 39 on the U.S. Country Airplay charts.

Top was nominated for the “New artist of the Year” award at the 58th Annual CMA Awards.

Tucker Wetmore

Native to Kalama, Washington, Tucker Wetmore’s background in music starts as early as 11, when he taught himself how to play piano. Jerry Lee Lewis was a major musical inspiration for him. Wetmore was an accomplished athlete in high school, which led to him playing football at Montana Technological University, where he majored in business and information technology. He had dreams of making the NFL Draft, but a broken leg suffered during a spring practice ended his football career.

Wetmore turned to music, moving to Nashville in 2020 to pursue a full-time career in country music. He released several promotional singles in 2021, which eventually led to him signing with Back Blocks Music in 2023 and UMG Nashville not long after. 2024 was a breakout year for Wetmore, with his single Wine Into Whiskey becoming his first song to hit the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country charts. Wind Up Missin’ You was released digitally in March, and became his radio debut single in June. Wind Up Missin’ You peaked at No. 40 and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country charts respectively. His debut studio album, Waves on a Sunset, was released in October.