What can’t Chris and Morgane sing?
I never thought a song you sang as a child could be worked into an outlaw anthem, but here, Chris Stapleton and his bride have proven my thoughts wrong. Back in 2016, the couple brought the state song of Louisiana to the Ryman Auditorium stage for a soulful rendition.
This performance answers the requests of those wanting more of Morgane taking lead vocals (although I would be willing to take a LOT more of her at the forefront). She confidently takes the microphone, belting out the lyrics, while Stapleton lets out some gnarly guitar rips, giving an outlaw twang to the song. And when the two come together, their voices fit together perfectly, as always, during the harmonies.
Stapleton lets loose on the guitar during the bridge, aggressively firing off an insane guitar solo. The addition of his shredding gives the cover his signature Chris Stapleton sound that combines country, blues, and elements of rock for an addictive sound. Throughout the solo, you get a heavy pedal steel guitar from the band, genuinely giving the traditional lullaby their own sound.
They wrap up the song by bringing the volume down a notch to let Morgane’s vocals shine once again as she sings the last lines before they join together again for a harmonious chorus. After the ditty, the crowd goes wild, cheering for the couple.
An old song of unknown origin, “You Are My Sunshine” was first recorded and released (at least we think) in 1940 by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell, and has since been recorded by hundreds of artists including Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, Doris Day, Norman Blake, Ray Charles, Zach Bryan, and of course, Chris and Morgane Stapleton.
Chris and Morgane recorded it back in 2016 for a collaborative album produced by Dave Cobb called Southern Family. The album featured various songs by Zac Brown, Anderson East, Jason Isbell, Shooter Jennings, Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, and more.
Go behind the scenes in the studio:
Here’s their studio version:
