![]() ![]() The black clouds parted, however, with “Traveller,” the title track hit from his breakthrough debut and a song that elicited immediate screams from the audience. The song ended in a shriek of feedback that served as a bridge to “Death Row,” a crawl through the heart of darkness. Gifted vocalist Morgane returned for “Outlaw State of Mind,” a swampy tune that mixed Creedence Clearwater Revival with the 70s country of its title. The classic road dog ballad sounded right at home in its current electric arrangement, highlighted by its guitar solo. He then stripped down musically, dismissing the band and wielding an acoustic guitar to reclaim the Traveller gem “Whiskey and You,” formerly a hit for both Tim McGraw and Jason Eady.Ĭure and Mixon returned as Stapleton explained that he wrote “The Devil Named Music” while he fronted the bluegrass band the SteelDrivers. Stapleton then really let it all ride, singing the bluesy ballad “I Was Wrong” with raw hurt. It was back to Volume 1 for the stoner anthem “Them Stems,” before another brand new tune: the choogling “Tryin’ to Untangle My Mind,” which, from the crowd’s reaction, is destined to be his next hit. ![]() Stapleton hit the honky-tonk for “Nobody to Blame” and the ballad box for “Broken Halos.” He then unveiled “Hard Livin’,” a new song from the upcoming Volume 2 that revived classic 70s country rock for the twenty-first century. The singer/guitarist took the stage with drummer Derek Mixon, bassist J.T Cure and his wife and fellow traveler, singer Morgane Stapleton, and wasted no time launching into the bluesy groove of “Might As Well Get Stoned,” showcasing both his stinging guitar and blowtorch soul. In the midst of another banner year for the now superstar artist, we were thrilled to host him and his crack band on the ACL stage for the first time. Since then the Kentucky native has gone from strength to strength, releasing the follow-up From a Room: Volume 1 earlier this year to great success, and hitting the road with his “All-American Road Show” tour in preparation for the companion release of Volume 2 on December 1. There’s little risk that he’ll run dry of material by Stapleton’s estimate, he’s written more than 1,000 songs.After years of penning others’ hits, singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Stapleton took the country and Americana scenes by storm in 2015 with his multi-platinum, Grammy-winning debut Traveller. Stapleton, who records and performs with his wife, singer Morgane Stapleton, is refreshingly undogmatic for a traditionalist he’s recorded with Justin Timberlake and with P!nk, and Adele and Kelly Clarkson have cut songs that he wrote. The stark clarity of Stapleton’s songwriting, his carefully modulated baritone, and Dave Cobb’s guitars-forward production brought together mainstream country fans and alt-country hipsters, two groups that rarely meet. Grammy awards, Saturday Night Live, and an appearance in Game of Thrones followed. 1 on the Country charts and sold nearly 3 million copies. Then, in November 2015, he won three Country Music Association awards, including the biggest prize, Album of the Year. Stapleton thought selling 75,000 albums would count as a triumph. Traveller grew through word-of-mouth enthusiasm, one person saying, “You’ve got to hear this guy” to friends who told their friends. His mixture of Southern rock, classic country, and blues didn’t sound like anything else on the radio, and the songs were dark explorations of hard times and boozy unhappiness: “I drink because I’m lonesome, and I’m lonesome ’cause I drink,” he sang in “Whiskey and You.” ![]() He was in his mid-thirties, with unfashionably long hair and an expansive beard (the best in Nashville since William Lee Golden threw away his razor). Stapleton (born in Lexington in 1978) was already an established songwriter for Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and others when he released his 2015 debut, Traveller. ![]() He became one of Nashville’s most unlikely success stories. Country music was awash in charged-up tunes about bikinis and tailgating, and Stapleton’s rawhide Kentucky voice immediately evoked earlier eras. Chris Stapleton’s debut album arrived at the right moment. ![]()
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