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Chris Stapleton spoke about the emotional connections people make through music during an in-depth conversation on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.
The Grammy-winning megastar spoke about his songs taking on new meaning when listeners find their stories in them, and the “magic” of music. Stapleton said “people like sad songs so they don’t feel alone, and I think maybe all songs are that way and that we want to feel those emotions together. There’s a communal thing in that. Even if you’re driving in the car by yourself listening to a song and it’s hitting you in a certain way, it’s still that communal thing. You’re like, ‘oh, there’s somebody else in the world that understands this other thing that I’m going through, and so I’m not alone all of a sudden.’
“And I think that is the magic of music,” he continued. “It’s not some mysterious thing. That is the magic of music, is it helps us all be connected in ways that maybe even a conversation or a look or a touch doesn’t provide.”
Throughout the conversation, the Traveller hitmaker spoke about why he values silence, reminisced on his brief time at Vanderbilt University, and “ wanting to make a record his father would like after his passing.” Stapleton also spotlighted “the formative folks that gave him a shot as a young, no-name songwriter, following the motto that ‘terms are better than money,’ and the potential blindspots that can exist when you’re very competent in one thing. Chris explains why there’s no such thing as a country music emergency, his preference for something being right over being done, and the safety he feels in the space of a song,” per Armchair Expert. Find the full episode on iHeartRadio here (warning: language).
Stapleton announced a list of new “All-American Road Show” stops earlier this month. The star-studded lineup includes reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson, and with reigning CMA New Artist of the Year Zach Top, plus Allen Stone, Ashley McBryde, Carter Faith, Grace Potter, Maggie Rose, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Molly Tuttle, Nikki Lane and The Teskey Brothers on select dates. See Stapleton’s upcoming tour dates below.
CHRIS STAPLETON CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
January 10—Hollywood, FL—Hard Rock Live (SOLD OUT)
January 11—Hollywood, FL—Hard Rock Live (SOLD OUT)
February 4—Las Vegas, NV—Dolby Live at Park MGM (SOLD OUT)
February 5—Las Vegas, NV—Dolby Live at Park MGM (SOLD OUT)
February 7—San Francisco, CA—Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
February 20—Thackerville, OK—WinStar Lukas Oil Live (SOLD OUT)
February 21—Thackerville, OK—WinStar Lukas Oil Live (SOLD OUT)
February 27—Uncasville, CT—Mohegan Sun Casino (SOLD OUT)
February 28—Uncasville, CT—Mohegan Sun Casino (SOLD OUT)
April 19—Georgetown, TX—Two Step Inn
May 23—Nashville, TN—Nissan Stadium*
May 29—Panama City, FL—Gulf Coast Jam
June 11—Jacksonville, FL—Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena†
June 13—Tampa, FL—Raymond James Stadium*
June 17—Burgettstown, PA—The Pavilion at Star Lake†
June 20—Charlotte, NC—Bank of America Stadium*
June 24—Hershey, PA—Hersheypark Stadium#
June 26—North Charleston, SC—North Charleston Coliseum#
July 8—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre‡
July 10—Chula Vista, CA—North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre‡
July 14—Paso Robles, CA—California Mid-State Fair‡
July 17—Portland, OR—Providence Park#
July 19—Whitefish, MT—Under The Big Sky Festival
July 22—Vancouver, BC—Rogers Arena%
July 24—George, WA—The Gorge#
July 29—Shakopee, MN—Mystic Lake Amphitheater†
August 1—Cincinnati, OH—Paycor Stadium*
August 6—Toronto, ON—Rogers Stadium+
August 8—Detroit, MI—Ford Field*
August 14—Boston, MA—Fenway Park+
August 18—Virginia Beach, VA—Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach~
August 21—Atlanta, GA—Mercedes-Benz Stadium^
August 26—Wantagh, NY—Northwell at Jones Beach Theater**
August 28—Philadelphia, PA—Freedom Mortgage Pavilion**
October 2—Bristow, VA—Jiffy Lube Live††
October 7—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena‡‡
October 9—Kansas City, MO—Morton Amphitheater‡‡
*with special guests Lainey Wilson and Allen Stone
†with special guest Allen Stone
‡with special guest Molly Tuttle
#with special guest Grace Potter
+with special guests Zach Top and Allen Stone
%with special guest The Teskey Brothers
~with special guest Maggie Rose
^with special guests Lainey Wilson and Ashley McBryde
**with special guest Carter Faith
††with special guest Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
‡‡with special guest Nikki Lane