Chris Stapleton

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12 Feb 2024

Chris Stapleton

Christopher Alvin Stapleton, born on April 15, 1978, is a prominent American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, he spent his formative years in Staffordsville, Kentucky. Stapleton initially ventured to Nashville, Tennessee, in pursuit of an engineering degree at Vanderbilt University in 2001 but opted to abandon his studies to pursue a career in music. He secured a contract with Sea Gayle Music to develop and publish his compositions.

By 2018, Stapleton had an impressive catalog, having written or co-written over 170 songs. His songwriting prowess extends to six number-one country hits, notably including "Never Wanted Nothing More" by Kenny Chesney, "Your Man" by Josh Turner, "Love's Gonna Make It Alright" by George Strait, and "Drink a Beer" by Luke Bryan. His compositions have also graced the albums of renowned artists such as Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Taylor Swift. Collaborating with esteemed musicians like Vince Gill, Peter Frampton, Sheryl Crow, and Ed Sheeran further showcased his versatility.

Stapleton's journey as a vocalist began with his involvement in two bands before launching his solo career: the bluegrass group known as the SteelDrivers from 2008 to 2010 and the Jompson Brothers. However, it was his solo debut album, "Traveller" (2015), that propelled him to stardom. The critically acclaimed record topped the US Billboard 200 chart and achieved quadruple-platinum certification from the RIAA. Notably, his rendition of "Tennessee Whiskey" attained Diamond certification from the RIAA. His subsequent albums, "From a Room: Volume 1" (2017) and "From a Room: Volume 2" (2017), received widespread acclaim and accolades, including Grammy Awards.

Throughout his career, Stapleton has garnered numerous accolades, including 10 Grammy Awards, 11 ACM Awards, and 15 CMA Awards. His remarkable contributions to the music industry earned him recognition as the ACM's Artist-Songwriter of the Decade. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine honored Stapleton by ranking him 170th on its prestigious list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Christopher Stapleton was born in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents are Carol J. Stapleton (née Mace), who worked at the local health department, and Herbert Joseph Stapleton Jr. (1946–2013), who was an engineer in the coal mines. Stapleton hails from a family with a background in coal mining. He has an older brother named Herbert Joseph III and a younger sister named Melanie Brooke.
Growing up, Stapleton spent his formative years in the small town of Staffordsville, Kentucky, situated near Paintsville and between the city and the Paintsville Lake. He attended Johnson Central High School, where he was involved in football and achieved the distinction of being his class valedictorian. Following high school, Stapleton enrolled at Vanderbilt University to pursue a degree in engineering but opted to discontinue his studies after a year.

In 2001, Christopher Stapleton relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in music. He quickly secured a songwriting deal with the publishing house Sea Gayle Music, shortly after his move to Nashville.
In 2007, Stapleton became the lead vocalist for the bluegrass band known as the SteelDrivers. During his tenure with the group, they achieved success with two albums, both of which reached number 2 on the bluegrass chart. However, Stapleton departed from the band in 2010.

Following his time with the SteelDrivers, Stapleton formed a Southern rock band named the Jompson Brothers in 2010. Comprising Stapleton as the vocalist, along with Greg McKee on guitar, J.T. Cure on bass, and Bard McNamee on drums, the band toured regionally until 2013. They even had the opportunity to open for the Zac Brown Band. The Jompson Brothers independently released a self-titled album in November 2010.

In 2013, Stapleton signed a solo artist contract with Mercury Nashville, a division of Universal Music Group Nashville. Despite the initial release of his single "What Are You Listening To?" in October 2013, which did not meet expectations, Stapleton continued to work on his music. He also co-wrote the theme song, "All-Nighter Comin'", for the WSM-AM radio show, The WSM All Nighter with Marcia Campbell, alongside Vince Gill and Al Anderson. The track featured vocals by Vince Gill.

Stapleton's compositions have been featured on the soundtracks of various films, including "Valentine's Day," "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip," and "Hell or High Water."
In 2013, Stapleton and his wife Morgane performed the Waylon Jennings song "Amanda" live at the Grand Ole Opry. They also participated in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in November 2015.
During the 2014 CMT Artist of the Year event, Stapleton collaborated with Lady A, performing "Drink a Beer," a song recorded by Luke Bryan, as a tribute to Bryan, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to a family tragedy. Previously, Stapleton had performed the song during Bryan's 2013 CMA Awards performance.

Christopher Stapleton's debut solo album, "Traveller," was released on May 5, 2015. Recorded at Nashville's RCA Studio A, the album was co-produced by Stapleton and Dave Cobb. Stapleton played guitar and provided vocals alongside a talented band, including J.T. Cure on bass, Robby Turner on pedal steel, Derek Mixon on drums, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, and his wife Morgane Stapleton on harmonies. The album was inspired by a road trip through New Mexico with his wife, during which they drove his father's 1979 Jeep, a gift following his father's passing in 2013.

"Traveller" earned Stapleton significant recognition, winning three awards at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards: Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year. His performance of "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Drink You Away" with Justin Timberlake during the ceremony was highly acclaimed and helped propel him to national fame. The album also received Grammy Awards for Best Country Album and Best Country Solo Performance.
Following the success of "Traveller," Stapleton contributed to various projects, including the track "You Are My Sunshine" for Dave Cobb's compilation record "Southern Family" and a collaboration with Jake Owen on the song "If He Ain't Gonna Love You."

In 2017, Stapleton released his second studio album, "From A Room: Volume 1," followed by "From A Room: Volume 2" later that year. Both albums debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 charts. He embarked on the All-American Road Show Tour to support the albums. "From A Room: Volume 1" earned Stapleton his second CMA Award for Album of the Year and became the best-selling country album of the year.

Stapleton continued his success with appearances on Saturday Night Live and the release of singles like "Starting Over" and "Cold" from his album of the same name in 2020. He received numerous awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2021 Country Music Association Awards and Male Artist of the Year at the 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards. At the latter, he performed "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" with Patty Loveless.