Between Rihanna and Chris Stapleton, the NFL has it all covered when it comes to music at Super Bowl 57.
The latter may not be as well-known as the international pop star from Barbados, but he is a talented and prolific artist whose fingerprints are all over the music industry. Perhaps that's why the NFL chose him to perform the national anthem Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
While Stapleton has a history of writing his own music, he also has written songs for other artists, many of which have become hits. Not bad for someone who dropped out of college to pursue a career in music.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about Stapleton's origin story, his top songs and lyrics, and his net worth:
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Who is Chris Stapleton?
Stapleton — full name Christopher Alvin Stapleton — is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer from Kentucky (he was born April 15, 1978, in Lexington but was raised in Staffordsville). He attended Johnson Central High School, where he played football and was class valedictorian.
Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tenn., in 2001 to pursue an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University but dropped out after a year to pursue a career in music (which, of course, worked out for the best). He subsequently signed with publishing house Sea Gyle Music and in 2007 became the frontman for bluegrass group the SteelDrivers.
That group had two hit records that peaked at No. 2 on the bluegrass charts before Stapleton left in 2010 to form Southern rock band the Jompson Brothers (where Stapleton was on vocals). In 2013, Stapleton signed with Mercury Nashville as a solo artist.
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Stapleton's music has been described as outlaw country, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll, blues, country, classic rock and Southern soul. He is a nine-time Grammy Award winner who also has 10 Academy of Country Music awards, 14 Country Music Association awards, five Billboard Music awards and two iHeartRadio Music awards.
Chris Stapleton songs, lyrics
As of 2018, Stapleton had writing credits on 170-plus songs. He also co-wrote six No. 1 country songs, including Josh Turner's "Your Man" (2005); Kenny Chesney's "Never Wanted Nothing More" (2007); George Strait's "Love's Gonna Make it Alright" (2011); and Luke Bryan's "Drink a Beer" (2013).
He has also written songs that appeared on other artists' albums, including Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Taylor Swift and more. But Stapleton also has a noted discography of his own, with four studio albums that fared no worse than No. 3 on the Billboard 200, 15 singles, six promotional singles and three music videos.
His debut album, "Traveller" (2015), topped the charts at No. 1, while his two ensuing albums — "From A Room: Vol. 1" and "From A Room: Vol. 2," both released in 2017 — topped out at No. 2. His most recent album, "Starting Over," released in 2020, reached at No. 3.
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Nine of his songs as lead artist and three songs as a featured artist have charted in the Billboard Hot 100. His most successful song as the led artist is "Tennessee Whiskey," released as a promotional single in 2015. It charted at No 20 overall. The most successful song with which he has been associated is Justin Timberlake's 2018 hit "Say Something," which peaked at No. 9.
Here's a look at the lyrics to some of Stapleton's most notable songs:
Tennessee Whiskey (Traveller, 2015)
Used to spend my nights out in a barroomLiquor was the only love I've knownBut you rescued me from reachin' for the bottomAnd brought me back from being too far gone
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskeyYou're as sweet as strawberry wineYou're as warm as a glass of brandyAnd honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
I've looked for love in all the same old placesFound the bottom of a bottle's always dryBut when you poured out your heart I didn't waste it'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskeyYou're as sweet as strawberry wineYou're as warm as a glass of brandyAnd honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskeyYou're as sweet as strawberry wineYou're as warm as a glass of brandyAnd honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskeyTennessee whiskeyTennessee whiskey
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskeyTennessee whiskeyTennessee whiskey
Say Something (2018)
Mmm, yeah, alrightOoh (yeah)
Everyone knows all about my directionAnd in my heart somewhere, I wanna go thereStill I don't go there
Everybody says, 'Say something'Say something, say somethingThen say something, say something, then say something
I don't wanna get caught up in the rhythm of itBut I can't help myself, no, I can't help myself, no, noCaught up in the middle of itNo, I can't help myself, no, I can't help myself, no, no, noCaught up in the rhythm of it
Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have
Everyone knows all about my transgressionsStill in my heart somewhere, there's melody and harmonyFor you and me, tonight (whoa)
I hear them call my nameEverybody says, 'Say something'Say something, say somethingThen say something, say something, then say something
I don't want to get caught up in the rhythm of itBut I can't get help myself, no, I can't help myself, no, noCaught up in the middle of itNo, I can't help myself, no, I can't help myself, no, no, noCaught up in the rhythm of it
Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)
Sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at allSometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at allSometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing
But I can't help myself, no I can't help myself, no, noCaught up in the middle of itNo I can't help myself, no I can't help myself, no, no, noCaught up in the rhythm of it
Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)Maybe I'm looking for something I can't have (maybe I'm looking for something I can't have)
Sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at allSometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at allSometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing
Starting Over (Starting Over, 2020)
Well the road rolls out like a welcome matTo a better place than the one we're atAnd I ain't got no kinda planBut I've had all of this town I can standAnd I got friends out on the coastWe can jump in the water and see what floatsWe've been saving for a rainy dayLet's beat the storm and be on our way
And it don't matter to meWherever we are is where I wanna beAnd honey, for once in our lifeLet's take our chances and roll the diceAnd I can be your lucky pennyYou can be my four leaf cloverStarting over
This might not be an easy timeThere's rivers to cross and hills to climbAnd some days we might fall apartAnd some nights might feel cold and darkBut nobody wins afraid of losingAnd the hard roads are the ones worth choosingSome day we'll look back and smileAnd know it was worth every mile
And it don't matter to meWherever we are is where I wanna beAnd honey, for once in our lifeLet's take our chances and roll the diceAnd I can be your lucky pennyYou can be my four leaf cloverStarting overStarting over
And it don't matter to meWherever we are is where I wanna beAnd honey, for once in our lifeLet's take our chances and roll the diceAnd I can be your lucky pennyYou can be my four leaf cloverStarting overStarting over
OohOoh
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Chris Stapleton net worth
Stapleton's net worth is valued at $25 million, per CelebrityNetWorth, which does not provide a methodology for its estimates.