No matter how much success Chris Stapleton enjoyed as a songwriter, he always had this nagging desire to see if he could find fame as a solo artist.
“I’ve had over 170 songs recorded by artists such as Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw and Adele,” smiled 37-year-old Chris.” I also played in bands like The SteelDrivers and The Jompson Brothers. But I always wondered if I could become a major artist in my own right.”
His debut album, Traveller, not only topping the US country music chart but also reaching pole position on the Billboard 200 left no-one in any doubt about the quality of his solo work. Chris had already penned six number ones on the Hot Country Songs chart for other artistes so there seemed no reason why he couldn’t create something similar for himself.
“My solo career didn’t get off to a good start. I signed to Mercury Nashville and recorded an entire album of songs. One of them, What Are You Listening To, was released as a single in October, 2013, but it didn’t do well at all.
“It was a bad time in my life. My father died and radio stations didn’t want to know my single. I decided to scrap the songs I’d recorded and begin the whole process again.”
His new material was inspired by a cross-country drive from Phoenix to Nashville.
“My wife knows what I need before I do. I love old cars and hadn’t had one for a while. She bought me this old Jeep which was in Phoenix. We decided to fly out there and drive it home.
“It could have ended up with me renting a tow truck and towing the Jeep home because these old vehicles do tend to break down. But we got it home without any problems and making that trip was exactly what I needed.”
The title-track for his album was written while driving down Interstate 40 in New Mexico and finished during a stop in Dallas.
“That was the only songwriting I did on the trip. But I’d got the impetus from our journey. I felt refreshed and ready to take a second shot at recording my solo album.”
His wife helped again in choosing the songs which Chris would record.
“She is my in-house sounding board for all things. She assembled the list with some help from our great friend Brian Wright. Brian was the person who really pushed me into doing a solo album. He and my wife even suggested I might do a couple of covers, which hadn’t been my original plan, but I was so happy with the 14 songs we eventually decided to put on the album.”
Traveller was not just appreciated by country music fans. It has achieved recognition within the industry being named Album of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards. Chris also won the awards for Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the Year and Breakout Artist of the Year.
Traveller has also been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the forthcoming Grammy Awards. The title-track has been nominated for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.
“It is special to have my work recognised in this way. I only wish my dad was still alive to enjoy everything with me. He was a coal miner, as were both of my grandfathers. He wanted something better for me and was so proud when I studied engineering at the highly prestigious Vanderbilt University.
“I know my parents were disappointed when I dropped out of Vanderbilt. I did continue my education at Morehead State University back home in Kentucky but I was sure by then that writing songs was what I wanted to do. Dad got to see me become a successful songwriter but I regret so much that he didn’t live to see me become a successful solo artist.”
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David Bowie
It never ceases to amaze how certain artistes become so popular after their death. Michael Jackson had six albums in the UK top ten after his passing in 2009. David Bowie currently has five.
David also has another seven albums in the UK top 40. This total drew him level with the record of 12 albums in the top 40 set by Elvis Presley following his death in 1977.
All of these albums were available before the artists died so why do so many fans feel the need to purchase their back catalogue in the immediate aftermath of their death?
As for David Bowie, it seems his latest LP, Blackstar, will not be the last album of new material we hear from him. Although he kept his illness secret, David obviously knew he had little time to live and embarked upon an 18-month burst of creativity.
Two albums and a New York stage musical are what we already know. But there are apparently quite a few more new songs which fans will hear on future albums.
Zayn
Zayn Malik will be known only as Zayn for his post-One Direction solo career. His debut album, Mind of Mine, is set for release next month. Lead single, Pillowtalk, looks certain to become a smash hit. The video, which is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_3d6GntKbk, attracted 26 million views in the first three days.
Sadly, Zayn has not been slow to distance himself from his time in One Direction. He claims to have never wanted to be in the group and felt embarrassed by some of their songs. While there are those who might admire his honesty, being in One Direction and performing those songs has made him an extremely rich young man. He might at least show a little gratitude.
Birdy
English singer / songwriter Birdy has written or co-written every song on her forthcoming third studio album, Beautiful Lies. She also co-produced six of the tracks.
“I regard this as my coming of age record,” smiled the 19-year-old Hampshire native. “I’ve learned so much during the past few years and have been able to use these good and bad experiences as the inspiration for my new songs. A lot of them deal with finding light in the darkness and overcoming the times when we feel completely lost.”
The album is scheduled for release on March 25. But lead single, Keeping Your Head Up, is available now. The track has received universally positive reviews with most critics acclaiming it as Birdy’s best song to date. Judge for yourself by checking out the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8AXUq5uA0Y
Tellef Raabe
Tellef Raabe’s debut album will be issued later this year. But the Norwegian singer / songwriter recently released his latest single, Flying On The Ground.
“It’s probably the most optimistic song I’ve ever written,” he revealed. “It’s about the exciting rush of falling in love when you’re at that point where the excitement alone is enough.”
Flying On The Ground also features additional vocals from Tellef’s sister, Sigrid Raabe. No video has been made as yet but the song can be heard at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac21-Q9Lcbg
Videos have been made for Tellef’s earlier singles. These can be found on YouTube by typing his name in the website search box.
Fetty Wap
Rapper / singer Fetty Wap and his Zoo Gang associates are offering fans a new free mixtape.
Zoo 16: The Mixtape features 17 songs by Fetty, Monty, PNB Rock, Guwii Kidz, Khaos, Oskama and others. Fetty appears on eight tracks either performing solo or in partnership with other Zoo Gang members.
The mixtape can be heard and downloaded at www.datpiff.com/Fetty-Wap-Zoo-Gang-Zoo-16-The-Mixtape.764004.html
If you enjoy their work, another free five-song mixtape from Fetty and Zoo Gang is at www.datpiff.com/Fetty-Wap-For-My-Fans-mixtape.750537.html
ROAD SHOW: The title-track for his album was written while driving down Interstate 40 in New Mexico and finished during a stop in Dallas.
