If You Dare Ask Chris Stapleton To Partake in This Party Trick, He “Will Graciously Decline”

Australia is the closest thing you’ll get to Nashville when you fly over the pond. Thanks to the plethora of country music fans down under, a horde of musicians from different countries have gone down to play a series of shows. Currently, with four Australian shows left to go, Chris Stapleton is in the middle of finishing the Australian leg of his tour. Stapleton has already performed twice, both shows took place on February 25 and 26 in Melbourne.

Videos by American Songwriter

For his last four shows, Stapleton will appear in Brisbane and Sydney with special guest Marcus King. Stapleton has been nothing but amazing for Australian fans. However, there is one thing he won’t do for them, and that is drink out of a stinky old boot. You’ve probably seen somebody somewhere drink out of a shoe as an unimpressive and nasty party trick. Though, down under, it is seemingly a rite of passage, a rite of passage Stapleton has no intention to endure, admirably.

Chris Stapleton Will Be Drinking From No Shoe Anytime Soon

In the recent past, country musicians to have gone down under and indulged in the ceremony include Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Zach Bryan, Ernest, and Lainey Wilson. Though, Stapleton marches to the beat of his own drum and will not succumb to peer pressure in this instance. Hence, when he spoke with news.com.au, he politely refused to do any “shoeys.”

Stapleton told the publication, “I’ve heard about this. I asked somebody before I went on for the first night, ‘Is there anything that I should be prepared for?’” “And then they’re like, ‘Yes, a shoey. They’ll want you to drink beer out of a shoe.’ And I said, ‘I will graciously decline to do that,’” concluded Chris Stapleton.

The tradition of the shoey is a long drawn out history that derives back to Germany. Regardless of Stapleton’s refusal, the man has and will continue to indulge and pleasure his Australian fans. And it shows, as every single one of his Australian dates has been sold out. So shoey or not, Stapleton still has the ability to capture Australia’s attention, and the numbers don’t lie. Plus, who wants to drink out of an old shoe anyway?

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for iHeartMedia