Stapleton was a fairly successful Nashville based songwriter for more than a decade before his 2015 debut LP Traveller, as well as fronting a bluegrass band (The Steeldrivers) and a southern rock band (The Jompson Brothers). Ironically his big hit – “Tennessee Whiskey” is a cover of a David Allen Coe song (written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove).

Live from A Room (not just any old room, but Nashville’s RCA Studio A) was his follow up / sophomore album, produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton (as was Traveller). There was a Volume 2 put out in 2017 also on Mercury Nashville with a red cover paired to this one – on my wantlist.

Love his voice and his live act, and these albums back that up. I’m not much for contemporary country but I could listen to Chris Stapleton all day long.

When I was in Nashville for WordCamp US a few years back, I saw a showcase of some local bands, one of whom joked: “They say Nashville is a three year town. Well I’ve only been here six months and I already served Chris Stapleton at the Subway where I work, so I’m ahead of the game.”

My copy—via the Record Exchange in Salem MA—is a Quality Record Pressings issue with lacquers cut by Philip Rodriguez at Infrasonic