Who is Chris Stapleton? Everything to know about Super Bowl 57 anthem singer’s songs, lyrics & more

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 can be found throughout the music industry. Perhaps that’s why the NFL picked him to perform the national anthem Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

While Stapleton has written his own music in the past, he has also 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, top songs and lyrics, and 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 in Lexington on April 15, 1978 but grew up in Staffordsville). He attended Johnson Central High School, where he played football and was top of his class.

Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee 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, went for the best). He then signed with publisher Sea Gyle Music and in 2007 became the frontman for bluegrass group SteelDrivers.

This group had two hits that peaked at #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 to 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 written over 170 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 have appeared on albums by other artists including Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Taylor Swift and more. But Stapleton also has a notable discography of his own, with four studio albums that peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, 15 singles, six promotional singles and three music videos.

His debut album Traveler (2015) topped the charts at number 1, while his two subsequent albums – From A Room: Vol. 1 and From A Room: Vol. 2, both released in 2017 – reached number 2. His last album “Starting Over”, released in 2020, peaked at #3.

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Nine of his songs as lead artist and three songs as featured artist made the Billboard Hot 100. His most successful song as a lead artist is “Tennessee Whiskey”, which was released as a promotional single in 2015. He finished 20th overall. The most successful song it has been associated with is Justin Timberlake’s 2018 hit “Say Something,” which peaked at #9.

Here’s a look at the lyrics to some of Stapleton’s most notable songs:

Tennessee Whiskey (Traveller, 2015)

I used to spend my nights in a bar

Alcohol was the only love I knew

But you saved me from reaching down

And brought me back because I was too far away

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

You’re as sweet as strawberry wine

You’re as warm as a glass of brandy

And darling, I stay high on your love all the time

I’ve been looking for love in all the same old places

Always found the bottom of a bottle dry

But when you poured your heart out, I didn’t waste it

‘Cause there’s nothing better than your love to get me high

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

You’re as sweet as strawberry wine

You’re as warm as a glass of brandy

And darling, I stay high on your love all the time

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

You’re as sweet as strawberry wine

You’re as warm as a glass of brandy

And darling, I stay high on your love all the time

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

Tennessee whiskey

Tennessee whiskey

You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey

Tennessee whiskey

Tennessee whiskey

Say Something (2018)

Mmm, yeah, alright

Oh yeah)

Everyone knows everything about my direction

And somewhere in my heart I want to go there

I’m not going anyway

Everyone says: ‘Say something’

say something, say something

Then say something, say something, then say something

I don’t want to get caught up in the rhythm

But I can’t help it, no, I can’t help it, no, no

caught in the middle

No, I can’t help it, no, I can’t help it, no, no, no

Caught 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 transgressions

Still somewhere in my heart there is melody and harmony

For you and me tonight (whoa)

I hear them calling my name

Everyone says: ‘Say something’

say something, say something

Then say something, say something, then say something

I don’t want to get caught up in the rhythm

But I can’t help myself, no, I can’t help myself, no, no

caught in the middle

No, I can’t help it, no, I can’t help it, no, no, no

Caught 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 best way to say something is to say nothing at all

Sometimes the best way to say something is to say nothing at all

Sometimes the best way to say something is to say nothing

But I can’t help it, no I can’t help it, no, no

caught in the middle

No, I can’t help it, no, I can’t help it, no, no, no

Caught 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 best way to say something is to say nothing at all

Sometimes the best way to say something is to say nothing at all

Sometimes the best way to say something is to say nothing

Start over (Start over, 2020)

Well, the road rolls out like a welcome mat

To a better place than where we are

And I have no plan

But I’ve got this whole town to take

And I have friends on the coast

We can jump into the water and see what floats

We saved for a rainy day

Let’s beat the storm and get going

And I don’t care

Wherever we are, that’s where I want to be

And darling, once in our lives

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

And I can be your lucky penny

You can be my four leaf clover

Start again

This may not be an easy time

There are rivers to cross and hills to climb

And some days we might fall apart

And some nights might feel cold and dark

But nobody wins afraid of losing

And it’s worth choosing the tough roads

One day we will look back and smile

And know that it was worth every kilometer

And I don’t care

Wherever we are, that’s where I want to be

And darling, once in our lives

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

And I can be your lucky penny

You can be my four leaf clover

Start again

Start again

And I don’t care

Wherever we are, that’s where I want to be

And darling, once in our lives

Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

And I can be your lucky penny

You can be my four leaf clover

Start again

Start again

Oh

Oh

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Chris Stapleton Net Worth

Stapleton’s net worth is estimated at $25 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth, which offers no methodology for his estimates.