An Old Country Song Makes A Comeback
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, we’re sure you’ve heard Chris Stapleton‘s version of “Tennessee Whiskey.”
Although it was never released as a single, Stapleton’s recording of the song reached the top spot on the Hot Country Songs chart just two days after he performed it on the CMA Awards with Justin Timberlake.
By now, Stapleton’s version of “Tennessee Whiskey” has sold countless copies in the U.S. alone. These sales numbers resulted in his version going 6x Platinum.
A Little History Behind The Success
Since Stapleton’s version of the song has been so successful, some have forgotten about the artists who recorded it before him. It was originally recorded by David Allan Coe and released as a single in 1981, but his recording failed to climb into the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgsQ97PEpOo
Before Stapleton came along, the most well-known version of “Tennessee Whiskey” was recorded by George Jones. His recording of the song was released as a single in 1983, and reached the second spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and topped the country chart in Canada.
For those used to hearing Stapleton’s recording, Coe and Jones’ versions of “Tennessee Whiskey” sound drastically different. But even Stapleton himself has issued a rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey” that is unlike anything you’ve heard before.
This Is Something Spectacular
During a show in Hershey, Pennsylvania in 2017, Stapleton entertained the crowd with a performance of “Tennessee Whiskey” that lasted for nearly 12 minutes. We know you’re probably wondering…how in the world did he manage to stretch the song out for that long?
He did so by comically introducing his band to the tune of the song, by singing sweet nothings to his wife, Morgane, and by throwing in some rockin’ guitar parts. There’s a wealth of quality music in those 12 minutes, that’s for sure!
Head down to the video below to catch Stapleton’s 12-minute rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey.” If it doesn’t impress you, we don’t know what will!
