Chris Stapleton’s Whiskey and You cut so deep you’d want to whisk your heartache away with a glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-year-old whiskey. While this song was not his first inspired by whiskey, this was definitely the most popular and one that really made a statement.
Chris originally penned the song with American songwriter and occasional producer Lee Thomas Miller but was first recorded by Tim McGraw in 2007 for his album Let It Go. Although the song did not gain much traction since it was never released as a single. In 2015, Chris Stapleton decided to include it on his 2015 album Traveller. A year later, Aaron Lewis recorded it for his 2016 album Sinner, which helped the song gain more popularity.
According to Chris, he had always thought that Whiskey and You was one of the better songs that he had been part of, so he decided to play it out. They recorded the song several times in different versions. But ultimately, they decided that it was best to sing and perform it with just him, his guitar, and his microphone. And that really worked out for Chris as the song attracted the limelight with his version. With his powerful and emotional vocals, it will really hit you in just the right parts with a raw touch.
The song earned a nomination from the Academy of Country Music Award for Song of the Year. He also performed a chilling rendition of Whiskey and You at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center in 2016 as a celebration of his selection as one of CMT’s Artists of the Year. His solo-acoustic performance garnered more than just claps but a standing ovation as well. He was awarded alongside Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Thomas Rhett that night.
Chris Stapleton has performed the song so many times, but this unplugged version with just him and his guitar in a library-like room will definitely make a fan out of everyone who heard him. There were no embellishments, just a voice full of soul. Catch his NPR Tiny Desk Concert in the video below where you can listen to 14 minutes of him singing with his wife Morgane in a 3-song setlist. But you can jump right to 10:20 and be drunk with Chris Stapleton’s Whiskey and You.
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chris stapleton