Born on This Day in 1978, the Country Singer Who Became a Superstar After Reviving a George Jones Classic With a 90s Pop Star

On this day (April 15) in 1977, Chris Stapleton was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Over the last decade, he has become one of the biggest stars in country music. He started his time in Nashville as a songwriter before joining a bluegrass band and, later, a Southern rock band. However, he didn’t find success until starting his solo career. Since then, he has released multiple hit singles and taken home a trophy case full of awards.

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Stapleton came to Nashville for the first time in 1996. That time, though, he wasn’t working on a music career. Instead, he was attending Vanderbilt University, working on a biomedical engineering degree. Then, he returned to Kentucky and changed majors, focusing on business. Finally, he discovered songwriting.

[RELATED: 3 Songs That Chris Stapleton Wrote but Didn’t Keep for Himself]

According to Her Kentucky, he came back to Music City a few years later. Within a week, he landed a publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music. Since signing that deal, Stapleton has co-written several hits for other artists, including No. 1 singles for Josh Turner, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, and George Strait.

In 2007, Stapleton joined the SteelDrivers, a bluegrass group, as the lead vocalist. He recorded two albums with the band before leaving in 2010. This allowed him to focus on The Jompson Brothers, a Southern rock band he formed around the time he signed on with the SteelDrivers. The band independently released their self-titled album later that year.

Chris Stapleton Goes Solo

The Jompson Brothers broke up in 2013, and Chris Stapleton signed a recording contract with Mercury Nashville the same year. Two years later, he released his debut solo album, Traveller. The LP received favorable reviews, and its singles charted well.

In November 2015, Stapleton attended the CMA Awards, where he won Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and New Artist of the Year. More importantly, he took the stage that night and performed “Tennessee Whiskey” with Justin Timberlake.

Stapleton didn’t release “Tennessee Whiskey” as a single. However, it still topped the country chart and reached No. 20 on the Hot 100 after the CMA Awards performance. It has since been certified 2x Diamond by the RIAA, making it the highest-certified country song in the United States.

His performance also introduced the song to a new generation of country fans. Penned by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove, David Allan Coe was the first to record the song in 1981. Two years later, George Jones recorded “Tennessee Whiskey” and sent it to No. 2 on the country chart.

The career-making performance didn’t just boost Stapleton’s version of “Tennessee Whiskey,” though, according to Billboard. His solo debut initially stalled at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart. After the CMA Awards, it saw a 6,412 percent spike in sales, sending it to No. 1, where it spent 29 weeks. Additionally, it peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 upon release. Post-CMA Awards, it topped the chart for two weeks.

Since then, he has notched two more No. 1 singles and four more No. 1 albums. Stapleton has also taken home multiple Grammy, ACM, and CMA Awards.

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