On this day (May 5) in 2015, Chris Stapleton released his debut solo album Traveller. The album was a massive chart hit and brought Stapleton a long list of awards and nominations. The collection saw a surge in sales after the now legendary duet performance of “Tennessee Whiskey” with Justin Timberlake at the CMA Awards.
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Stapleton started his life in Nashville as a student at Vanderbilt in 1996. However, after studying biomedical engineering and switching to a business major, he found his calling. He signed a publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music and built a reputation as a songwriter. Eleven years after moving the Music City, he joined the SteelDrivers. He stayed with them through two albums before leaving in 2010 to form the rock band the Jompson Brothers. They released an album and toured regularly until 2013. Two years later, Stapleton released his debut as a solo artist.
[RELATED: Chris Stapleton’s ‘Traveller’ Breathes Rare Air With 500 Weeks on the Billboard 200]
Traveller brought Stapleton several awards. It won Album of the Year at the 2015 CMA and ACM Awards and Best Country Album at the Grammys, among others. Additionally, it brought him a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
Chris Stapleton’s Debut Album Gets Two Lives
Critics and listeners alike praised Chris Stapleton and Traveller upon its initial release. It also charted favorably, debuting at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart. Six months after the release of the album, Stapleton attended the CMA Awards, where he took home Album of the Year. That night (November 4), he and Justin Timberlake took the stage to perform “Tennessee Whiskey.”
Sales for the album jumped 6,000 per cent after the performance. As a result it returned to the Billboard 200 at No. 1 more than a month after it initially fell off the chart. Additionally, it went to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and stayed there for a whopping 29 weeks.
Interestingly, Stapleton didn’t release “Tennessee Whiskey” as a single from Traveller. However, it still went to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and stayed there for two weeks, giving him his only multi-week No. 1 on the chart.
Featured Image by John Salangsang/Shutterstock
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