Lottery, unicorns and magic
The “unbelievable” year of Chris Stapleton.
A few hours after Chris Stapleton found out he was country music’s leading nominee at the 60st Grammy Awards, he was still at a loss for words, saying simply: “I lack the mental capacity to properly describe how unlikely and altogether unbelievable things are.
“I used to use the word ‘surreal,’ but that doesn’t even really scratch the surface of how it actually feels,” Stapleton said, sighing heavily. “It’s like if you won the lottery but also discovered unicorns. It just feels magic.”
Stapleton’s three Grammy nominations cap a year that includes two charttopping album releases ( From A Room: Volume 1 and From A Room: Volume 2), a sold-out arena tour and trophies from the Country Music Association for album and male vocalist of the year.
After From A Room: Volume 2 was released Dec. 1, he became just the second artist to see three albums crack the top five on Billboard’s country albums chart at the same time in the modern era. Garth Brooks is the only other singer who can claim that stat. Brooks, it turns out, is a fan.
“I think Chris Stapleton is phenomenal,” Brooks said. “Chris and his wife are talented as hell.”
Stapleton is humble about his unparalleled success in 2017. In an era increasingly dominated by streaming numbers, many artists struggle to launch one album a year, yet Stapleton did it twice.
And through his unapologetic and soulful style, Stapleton attracted new fans to the genre and restored critics’ faith in country music.
“He’s a beacon, and I think the industry should learn something from him,” said author, historian and country music critic Bob Oermann. “The fact that the people responded to just pure talent — not to marketing, not to looks, not to videos, just a raw singer and songwriting talent. That he is a huge seller … shows you can’t ever overlook the public’s ability to see talent.”
Stapleton’s fellow artists adore him, too. Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Thomas Rhett, Adele and George Strait are among artists who have recorded songs written by Stapleton, and Miranda Lambert performed on an awards show wearing a Chris Stapleton shirt.
In a market driven by radio singles, Stapleton views albums as a source of career stability.
“You can live and die by one single, but if you have albums people want to listen to, you have a much more effective way to have an audience,” he said. “I feel like we go out and when we play shows it’s like we have 14 hits, because that’s what was on the record.”
The equivalent of more than 124,000 copies of From A Room: Volume 2 were purchased or streamed the first week in December. Stapleton co-wrote seven of the nine songs, the exceptions being the Kevin Welch tune Millionaire and Friendship, which was written by Hom- er Banks and Lester Snell. When Stapleton’s producer, Dave Cobb, played him Pops Staples’ version of the song, he cried. Lyrics include: If you’re on the street, I’ll take your hand/ If you’re hungry, I’ll give you food/ If it’s money you need, I’ve got some saved/ If you’re sick, I’ll visit you.
“I hope everybody’s got a friend that song will make you think about, somebody who would come pick you up on the side of the road,” Stapleton said. “I think it’s important to celebrate that in the world today.”
Stapleton also has a heavy heart for 2017. He thinks about his family, the musical heroes — Tom Petty, Gregg Allman and Don Williams — who died, the victims of this year’s onslaught of fires and hurricanes, and the people lost in the Route 91 Harvest festival shooting. He played benefit concerts for all of them.
“When I think of 2017, (my mind goes) to how many people there still are that need help and recovery and direction,” he said. “A lot of that takes money. I think of it as a reminder how fragile everything can be. We need to take care of each other as much as we can. Those things don’t just go away because the new year rolls around.”
Stapleton’s home flooded in Nashville’s historic flood of 2010. He said he wishes people the same healing he experienced as the community rallied in the wake of the disaster. He said that as often as he can, he’ll be there to help.
“I’m overwhelmed by it, and how I simultaneously don’t know what to do — and I want to do more,” he said. “I’m only good for a few things, and one of them is singing; the other one is playing guitar, and I make a mean pot of chili every now and then.
“I hope we can find ways to make the world a better place.”