Six Pack Playlist — Chris Stapleton Covers Edition

Our love of Stapleton is no secret. We want to hear him sing everything. But what six songs would we want to hear him cover?

Chris Stapleton is an overnight success, decades in the making. He lent his blazing, anguished voice to smaller time bands like The Jompson Brothers and The Steeldrivers. His wild-eyed, whiskey poet’s soul is the reason Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, George Strait and Sheryl Crow added number one hits to their resumes.

When he unleashed his otherworldly gifts, in tandem, on an unsuspecting public, there was no stopping his rise. His undeniable talent, and his unyielding public love for his wife, made him simply too difficult to ignore. In an industry, and an era, of avarice and overproduction, Stapleton is novelty because he is not. To strive for authenticity is cliche, thanks to marketers and politicians. Stapleton does not strive, he simply is.

His howitzer voice, his deft guitar work, and intricate songwriting are at once traditional and refreshing. As Alex Lane wrote, his music is like home cooked dinner, reminiscent of a familiar, familial time in your life.

The impending release of his new album, From a Room: Volume 2, got us thinking: a musician this comforting, this skillful, would breathe new life into our favorite songs. But what songs would we choose? We narrowed it down to six.

Turn the Page

Bob Seger

The most compelling version of Stapleton is the reserved one. In his more hushed tunes, the ones that make you lean in, his voice is akin to an enemy at the gates he is struggling to keep at bay. In Either Way or Whiskey and You, he does everything he can to fit his husky howl in the room, all while knowing that the wick of the cannon has already been lit. The boom is coming.

Seger’s 1973 magnum opus is the preeminent example of a song tailor made for Stapleton’s considerable gifts. A smoldering, imagery-heavy trip through the lonely life of the troubadour, with a climax that will blow the doors off of dive bars and packed arenas just the same.

You can practically hear it…. “here I am……on the ROAD again….”

End of the Road

Boyz II Men

The most compelling version of Stapleton may be the reserved one. But, arguably the most enticing version is the one where he’s howling about the affairs of the heart. A little bit raunchy, and a whole lot of slink.

He does it masterfully on “Your Man” — a song where he croons about how turned on he is by belonging to his lady, and “You Should Probably Leave,” where he’s trying to convince himself, and said lady that they should call it a night. It’s almost too natural to adapt the melodies of the kings of seduction to Stapleton’s imposing, growling, vocals. We went with “End of the Road” because it’s got a little bit of everything that makes Stapleton shine — speak singing, harmonizing parts with Morgane, and plenty of vibrato.

Champagne and Reefer

Muddy Waters

Stapleton has a fascinating relationship with illicit substances. They surface on all of his albums — “Might As Well Get Stoned,” “Them Stems” — but, for lack of a better phrase, there seems to be a cordial, back and forth between singer and vice. Booze and weed aren’t hindrances to him, nor are they amplifiers of his talent. They’re just part of his life.

Enter Muddy Waters.

Bring me champagne when I’m thirsty, and bring me reefer when I want to get high. It doesn’t get more carnal than that. Muddy has an all-time buckshot blast voice. This song is built on the simplest of premises, and his atomic howl sends it to the stratosphere. In theme, in style, and in wheelhouse, this song is for Stapleton.

Give Me One Reason

Tracy Chapman

Tracy’s claim to fame is her ability to blend her baptist roots and revolutionist’s mentality into a sound that is equal parts intense and acoustic.

Sound familiar?

“Give Me One Reason” feels custom made for Stapleton’s aesthetic. An ambling guitar, a yearning lyrical theme, and a simultaneously grounded and ethereal vocal part. “And there ain’t no more to say.”

Use Me

Bill Withers

Stapleton is all-American, classic muscle car. Sometimes, you’ve gotta fill that sumbitch with premium unleaded. Bill Withers’ 1972 tale of heartbreak and unbridled funk is exactly the type of rocket fuel you’d need to get Stapleton to showcase his dazzling vocal acrobatics.

Use Me is a perfect song. Give me a bass line hand delivered by God himself and a voice with pain and suffering at the hands of a woman, and I’ll give you a song that never goes out of style.

One line alone would be worth the price of admission. “I wanna spread the news!”

The Chain

Fleetwood Mac

Stapleton is a powerhouse. He’s got the vocal chops, the instrumental talent, and the creativity and dedication to write songs that mean something. That could be enough, but Stapleton has a little extra magic up his sleeve: his wife Morgane. She’s a badass beauty who acts as his partner on and off stage, allowing her femininity to harmonize perfectly with Stapleton’s gruffness.

For our last pick, we wanted something that would highlight all the elements that make for Stapleton’s signature sound — especially Morgane. Because when it comes down to it, they’re stronger together, and you’ll never break the chain.