Chris Stapleton Shares Details On Upcoming Debut Solo Album

Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton’s highly anticipated solo debut album, Traveller, will be released May 5 on Mercury Records Nashville.

Recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (with additional production at The Castle and Blackbird Studio), Traveller was produced by Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell) and recorded by Vance Powell (Jack White). In addition to renditions of Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove’s “Tennessee Whiskey” and Don Sampson’s “Was It 26,” the album features 12 original songs, including fan-favorite “Sometimes I Cry.”

Last night (Jan. 22), during a special album reveal party, Stapleton returned to RCA Studio A to record a new version of “Sometimes I Cry” live-to-tape in front of an audience of media and industry members—allowing a unique, once-in-a-lifetime glimpse inside the making of the album. The track is currently being mastered and will be added to the final track-listing shortly. The walls of RCA Studio A were donned with black and white photos of Stapleton as guests entered and were treated to cocktails and noshes while the album played.

For those wanting a more intimate listening experience, head phone listening stations were available, giving opportunists an option to mute the party, completely getting lost into the music. Stapleton greeted guests expressing his joy that RCA Studio A had been saved from demolition and was please his album would not be the last recording in the iconic Music Row studio. Of his inspiration behind the album, Stapleton commented, “This record was made standing on the shoulders of friends, family, and heroes. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as I’ve enjoyed making it.”

Chris Stapleton records new version of “Sometimes I Cry” live-to-tape in front of guests at RCA Studio A on Jan. 22, 2015.

Stapleton has enjoyed five No. 1 hits as a songwriter including the five-week No. 1 “Never Wanted Nothing More” recorded by Kenny Chesney, George Strait’s “Love’s Gonna Make it Alright” and Luke Bryan‘s “Drink A Beer,” which Stapleton recently performed with Lady Antebellum at the CMT “Artists of the Year” show. He has penned over 170 album cuts, including songs recorded by Adele, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, and has such notable co-writers as Vince Gill, Peter Frampton and Sheryl Crow, among others. Additionally, Stapleton has shared the stage with such respected artists as Gill, Alison Krauss, Marty Stuart, Emmylou Harris and more. As lead vocalist for critically acclaimed bluegrass band The SteelDrivers, Stapleton earned three Grammy nominations including “Best Bluegrass Album,” as well as an International Bluegrass Music Association Award for “Emerging Artist of the Year.” He’s also won eight ASCAP Awards and has contributed to the soundtracks of several feature films including Cars 2 and Valentine’s Day.

Stapleton will join Little Big Town on their Pain Killer Tour in March followed by a series of The Outsiders World Tour shows with Eric Church in May.

Traveller Album Tracklist:
1. Traveller (Chris Stapleton)
2. Fire Away (Chris Stapleton and Danny Green)
3. Tennessee Whiskey (Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove)
4. Parachute (Chris Stapleton and Jim Beavers)
5. Whiskey And You (Chris Stapleton and Lee Thomas Miller)
6. Nobody To Blame (Chris Stapleton, Barry Bales and Ronnie Bowman)
7. More Of You (Chris Stapleton and Ronnie Bowman)
8. When The Stars Come Out (Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson)
9. Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore (Chris Stapleton)
10. Might As Well Get Stoned (Chris Stapleton and Jimmy Stewart)
11. Was It 26 (Don Sampson)
12. The Devil Named Music (Chris Stapleton)
13. Outlaw State Of Mind (Chris Stapleton, Ronnie Bowman and Jerry Salley)
TBD Sometimes I Cry (Chris Stapleton and Clint Ingersoll)