Inject this into my veins.
It’s hard to understate just how much of a force to be reckoned with Chris Stapleton has become throughout his music career. With 12 Grammys, 19 CMA Awards, 11 ACM Awards and a plethora of other hardware from the likes of Billboard, the Americana Music Association, ASCAP and more, the Kentucky native is arguably the biggest and most critically-acclaimed country artist this century.
Of course, there’s so much to talk about when discussing Stapleton’s career as a whole. From his iconic breakout during the 2015 CMA Awards that signaled the death of bro-country, to his laundry list of hits, to his long history as a songwriter in Nashville before his fame as a solo artist, the Chris Stapleton lore runs incredibly deep.
Because of this, it’s hard to really understate his importance in the genre. At this point, it’s pretty undeniable that he’s the most important artist to debut in country music this century, arguably more important than key players such as Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Turnpike Troubadours, Zach Bryan and more. There’s still a good chance that we’re still stuck in the throes of bro-country, along with pop (at least in some fashion), without the “Tennessee Whiskey” singer rising to fame in such a manner back in 2015.
Because of his rise and further influence on country music expanding in different, much healthier directions, we’ve seen some stellar acts, namely Zach Top, carry the genre towards a much more traditional sound. In particular, Top’s rise has been highlighted on a national scale over the past year when he not only took home Best New Artist at the CMA Awards in November, which he accepted with a Coors Banquet in hand, but also when he scored his first-career Grammy back in February. In turn, Top became the first-ever winner of the brand-new Best Traditional Country Album category, winning it with his sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health.
Given how popular Top and Stapleeton have become over the past few years, it’s been a bit of a bucket list item to see these two share the stage together. And with the “I Never Lie” singer opening up for Stapleton on multiple dates during his All-American Road Show Tour, they finally made that dream a reality.
During their stop in Toronto last night at Rogers Stadium, Top would join Stapleton midway through his set to deliver a killer cover of “I Ain’t Living Long Like This.”
In case you’re somehow unfamiliar with the track, “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” was written by Rodney Crowell and first performed by Gary Stewart in 1977. A year later, Emmylou Harris would also record the song. It wasn’t until 1979, however, that the song truly became a hit. Of course, this was thanks to none other than Waylon Jennings including it on What Goes Around Comes Around, which quickly shot up the charts and became his 11th #1 hit in 1980.
Unsurprisingly, the two stars deliver what can only be described as a generational performance of the track. Taking the lead, Stapleton showcased his severely underrated guitar playing, with Top effortlessly rivaling it with his patented twang. In case their guitarwork wasn’t already sounding heavenly together, their harmonies on the chorus were equally as impressive, sounding like a match made in heaven.
The world deserves a full version of this duet on streaming ASAP.
Watch here:
@brianna.nie @Chris Stapleton @Zach Top obsessed w these two together #chrisstapleton #chrisstapletonmusic #chrisstapletonconcert #chrisstapletontour #rogersstadium ♬ original sound – bri :)
All-American Road Show Tour Dates
August 8 – Detroit, Michigan – Ford Field with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone
August 14 – Boston, Massachusetts – Fenway Park with Zach Top & Allen Stone
August 18 – Virginia Beach, Virginia – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater with Maggie Rose
August 21 – Atlanta, Georgia – Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Ashley McBryde
August 26 – Wantagh, New York – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater with Carter Faith
August 28 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion with Carter Faith
October 2 – Bristow, Virginia – Jiffy Lube Live with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
October 7 – Lincoln, Nebraska – Pinnacle Bank Arena with Nikki Lane
October 9 – Kansas City, Missouri – Morton Amphitheater with Nikki Lane
