Chris Stapleton — Tiny Desk Concert, 2015

Recorded on September 14, 2015 at Bob Boilen’s desk in NPR’s Washington studios, this Chris Stapleton live session is part of the Tiny Desk Concerts series. The premise: an intimate, acoustic performance with no PA, in the cramped record-lined nook where the singer-songwriter sits inches from the audience. At the time of this appearance, Stapleton had just released Traveller, his debut solo album from May 2015, after years spent writing hits for other Nashville artists. The record had not yet broken through — that would come two months later at the November 2015 CMA Awards. Joined by his wife Morgane on harmony vocals, he delivers three songs — “More of You,” “When the Stars Come Out” and “Whiskey and You” — carried by his gravelly voice and guitar playing. This NPR live session captures an artist at a turning point, still close to anonymity yet fully in command of his craft. It is a raw testament to the country-soul that would soon make him one of the defining voices of the decade.