Chris Stapleton’s 2015 solo debut Traveller was a breath of fresh air in country music. Released at the peak of bro country’s popularity, the album was a welcome return to craft-based musicianship and harkened back to a more traditional country sound, something fans then found only on the fringes of the genre.
And then, of course, there was that voice. While Stapleton developed a cult following as part of the bluegrass group the SteelDrivers, new fans quickly hopped aboard the bandwagon after hearing his soulful take on the country classic “Tennessee Whiskey,” or the smoldering ballad “Fire Away.” Since then, Stapleton has become a juggernaut of the genre, winning dozens of awards and paving the way for younger like-minded artists like Luke Combs and Jelly Roll.
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On his fifth album, Higher, which is out on Nov. 10, Stapleton takes something of an “if it ain’t broke,…
