Chris Stapleton Pays Tribute To His “Musical Hero” Don Williams With “Amanda” & “Tulsa Time”
on Sep 12, 2017 • Updated Apr 09, 2020
Friday, September 8, 2017 was a very tough day in country music. Two wonderful country singers lost their lives, Troy Gentry and Don Williams. In the days following, it seemed as though every country singer was paying their respects to both musicians.
Chris Stapleton was included in that group. At his Cincinnati concert the night of September 8, he payed his respects to Williams, whom he called a “musical hero.”
He began playing Williams’ iconic song “Amanda,” which was also recorded by Waylon Jennings, and the crowd erupted in applause upon finding out which song was being played.
Stapleton revealed that he hadn’t performed “Amanda” in a while, but longtime fans know that his cover is life-changing. He and his wife Morgane, who sings backup for him, delivered chill-inducing harmonies during the chorus and really brought the emotion of the song to the forefront.
He also performed Williams’ signature song “Tulsa Time” for the crowd, who was loving every second of it.
Williams was a true country legend, winning Male Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards five times and six times at the CMA Awards. “Tulsa Time” won the ACM Award for Single of the Year in 1978, and has been covered by Reba McEntire, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Eric Clapton, just to name a few.
While he may not be with us anymore, his music will live on forever. Watch Stapleton’s performance of “Amanda” below.
And take a look at his rendition of “Tulsa Time” in the video below.
