Chris Stapleton

Christopher Alvin Stapleton is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born on April 15, 1978, in Lexington, Kentucky, he grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky, as part of a coal mining family. He attended Johnson Central High School in Paintsville, where he played football and graduated as class valedictorian. In 1996, Stapleton moved to Nashville to study biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University before switching to business. He eventually left college to pursue music after learning that songwriting could be a career.

After moving to Nashville, Stapleton signed a publishing contract with Sea Gayle Music and wrote over one thousand songs over the following decade. During this period, he co-wrote six number-one singles on the Hot Country Songs chart for other artists, including Kenny Chesney, Josh Turner, George Strait, and Luke Bryan. His songwriting and vocal credits also appeared on works for artists such as Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.

Stapleton began his performing career as the vocalist for the bluegrass ensemble the SteelDrivers in 2007, which earned two hit records before his departure in 2010. He then formed the Southern rock band the Jompson Brothers, touring regionally and releasing a self-titled independent album in 2010. After signing as a solo artist with Mercury Nashville in 2013, he released his debut single, "What Are You Listening To?", and contributed music to various film soundtracks.

Stapleton achieved his solo breakthrough with his debut studio album, Traveller, released in May 2015. Co-produced with Dave Cobb, the album topped the US Billboard 200 chart, received septuple platinum certification by the RIAA, and became the top-selling country album of 2016. His 2015 cover of "Tennessee Whiskey" earned a diamond certification, and his high-profile performance with Justin Timberlake at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards brought him national prominence.

He followed his debut with From A Room: Volume 1 and From A Room: Volume 2 in 2017, both of which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Volume 1 won a CMA Award for Album of the Year and a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. In 2020, Stapleton released his fourth studio album, Starting Over, led by its title track, which earned him a third Grammy Award for Best Country Album.

Throughout his solo career, Stapleton has engaged in high-profile collaborations and performances. He co-wrote and featured on Justin Timberlake's hit single "Say Something", co-wrote "Blow" with Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran, and performed on tracks with Taylor Swift, Tom Morello, and Adele. In 2023, he sang the United States national anthem at Super Bowl LVII and recorded a cover of "In the Air Tonight" with Cindy Blackman Santana and Snoop Dogg as the theme for Monday Night Football.

Stapleton's sound incorporates outlaw country, bluegrass, rock and roll, blues, and Southern soul, featuring his tenor vocals and guitar work. He has been honored with numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Country Music Association Awards, and was named the ACM's Artist-Songwriter of the Decade in 2019. Stapleton married singer-songwriter Morgane Hayes in 2007, and the couple resides in Nashville with their five children.