On Wednesday (October 19), some of country music’s greatest artists were honored by CMT during its annual Artists of the Year ceremony. The show aired on television the following day (October 20), and fans got the first chance to see these talented artists prove why they were being honored at the event.
Some of this year’s recipients included Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and one artist who has taken country music by storm over the past year, Chris Stapleton. Ever since he performed “Drink You Away” and “Tennessee Whiskey” with Justin Timberlake at the 2015 CMA Awards, Stapleton has been at the forefront of the country music scene.
Because of his widespread popularity, Stapleton’s performances are always highly-anticipated. Such was the case for the CMT Artists of the Year ceremony, and he didn’t disappoint.
Stapleton performed an acoustic version of a song that you likely know well. Called “Whiskey and You,” Stapleton co-wrote the song, and it was recorded by multiple other country stars, including Tim McGraw and Aaron Lewis.
With his performance, Stapleton proved the exact reason why he was being honored as an “Artist of the Year.” All he needed to put on a powerful performance was an acoustic guitar and his amazing vocal talent. The rest all fell into place, resulting in a performance that brought down the house.
This is hands down, one of Stapleton’s best performances ever. If you missed the Artists of the Year special when it aired on CMT, be sure you watch Stapleton sing “Whiskey and You” by clicking this link.
Stapleton’s in the running for Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards this year, and based on this performance alone, we’d say he’s got a good shot at it!