Chris Stapleton

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1978, Chris Stapleton first made his mark in Nashville from 2001 as a songwriter on the country scene, penning songs for numerous artists before launching his own project. After a noteworthy stint with the bluegrass group The SteelDrivers in the late 2000s—where he honed a blend of bluegrass, traditional country, and more rock-tinged sounds—he turned to a solo career that anchors him at the crossroads of country, Americana, Southern rock, soul, and blues. The 2015 album “Traveller” signaled his move into the spotlight, followed by “From A Room: Volume 1” and “From A Room: Volume 2” in 2017, then “Starting Over” in 2020 and “Higher” in 2023—projects recorded chiefly in Nashville and produced with a stripped-down ethos. Stapleton’s music rests on a deep, grainy voice; songs centered on personal narratives, the landscapes of the American South, and everyday tensions; and an emphasis on groove, blues-drenched guitar lines, and understated arrangements. Onstage and in the studio, he regularly works with his partner Morgane Stapleton on backing vocals, a collaboration that amplifies the vocal dimension of his songs and cements his place on the contemporary American country scene.