Chris Stapleton’s career has earned a distinction “as sweet as strawberry wine.”
Stapleton reached a historic milestone once his hit “Tennessee Whiskey” became the first country song to be certified double diamond by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the association announced Monday.
At 20 million units sold, Stapleton’s track joins two others that have received the same honor. Bruno Mars’ earned this title with his 2010 hit single “Just The Way You Are” while Post Malone and Swae Lee did the same with “Sunflower” in 2018, Rolling Stone reported.
“Chris Stapleton’s undeniable vocal grit and storytelling have connected deeply — driving chart successes, earning major awards and most importantly, resonating with fans,” RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier said in a statement sent to Rolling Stone.
“RIAA is proud to celebrate him alongside MCA as ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ today makes history, becoming the first country single ever to earn a Double Diamond certification with 20 million units in the U.S. alone,” he continued. “It’s a remarkable achievement and another defining moment in Stapleton’s career.”
Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” is a cover of the original song that was written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.
The song eventually found its way to country singer David Allan Coe, who recorded and released it on his 1981 self-titled album. Coe’s version became a modest country hit, peaking at No. 77 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Country music legend George Jones also recorded his own version of “Tennessee Whiskey” a few years later, and included it on his 1983 album “Shine On.”
However, it was Stapleton’s rendition that achieved astronomical success and critical acclaim.
After performing the song with his wife, Morgane, and Justin Timberlake at the 2015 CMA Awards, the song catapulted to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Tennessee Whiskey” has earned more than 1 billion Spotify streams and 880 million views on YouTube to date.
Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” also landed at No. 90 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking in 2024.
“One of the great country-soul performances of the 21st century, Chris Stapleton’s breakout single from ‘Traveler’ is an object lesson in how R&B and country music swap sounds and spirit,” Rolling Stone wrote of the song. “It became Stapleton’s signature; his creaky, pained, acrobatic vocals — and honeyed electric guitar — branding him perhaps the greatest country soul man of his generation.”
Stapleton will kick off his “All-American Road Show” tour next month. The tour includes a stop at Fenway Park in Boston on Aug. 14.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.masslive.com ’
