Chris Stapleton, born in Kentucky, moved to Nashville in 2001 to pursue music after briefly studying engineering. He fronted the bluegrass band The SteelDrivers, releasing albums in 2008 and 2010, and the Southern rock group The Jompson Brothers in 2010 before launching his solo career. Initially a songwriter for other country artists, Stapleton signed with Mercury Nashville in 2013. His 2015 debut solo album Traveller topped the Billboard 200, earned quadruple platinum certification, and won Album of the Year at the CMA and ACM Awards plus a Grammy for Best Country Album. Follow-up releases include From A Room: Volume 1 (2017), From A Room: Volume 2 (2017), Starting Over (2020), and Higher (2023). He has received 11 Grammy Awards, 19 CMA Awards, and 21 ACM Awards, including a record eight CMA Male Vocalist of the Year wins. Stapleton's live performances feature on his All-American Road Show tours, noted for their energy, and collaborations with artists like Justin Timberlake and Slash.