Entertainer of the Year Chris Stapleton Stays After ACMs to Clean Up
There’s just something about the guys from Kentucky that makes them built different. We’ve seen this from Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton specifically, and throughout the years. Most every country star participates in charity. It makes for excellent publicity and lucrative tax write offs. But you really find out who actually cares about the commoner when they go the extra mile when the cameras are off and most of the press has gone home.
There are quite a few examples to cite, like the time Chris Stapleton dropped off a check to the Lexington Habitat for Humanity low key and for no apparent reason, or his non-publicized donation to the United Mine Workers of America in 2015. Then there was last year during the devastating floods in Kentucky when Stapleton was photographed at a local Wal-Mart buying supplies for flood victims, and Tyler Childers was out helping neighbors in swamp boots.
Chris Stapleton won the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year award on Thursday night (5-11)—the first Entertainer of the Year award he’s won in his award-winning career. In fact, since 2015 when Stapleton virtually swept the CMAs as a relative unknown and shocked the country music world, Stapleton has been an awards show darling almost to the point of nauseating predictability.
But Entertainer of the Year is a different trophy than the rest. It’s enshrines you in the pantheon of the very topmost class of country entertainers of all time, and it was about time Stapleton got the distinction. He probably deserved it years ago, and from the CMAs too. But now he’s got his, and at a time when that window might be closing since so many new superstars are surging in country.
Chris Stapleton was super humble in his acceptance speech, saying that he didn’t think of himself as Entertainer of the Year material, and that it’s an award for others. “By any imaginable metric, I don’t deserve this. But thank you,” Stapleton said, getting shake voice near the end of his speech when he talked about the sacrifice his kids have gone through so their dad can be an entertainer on the road so many days a year.
But what might be most emblematic about Chris Stapleton’s unlikely position as an Entertainer of the Year—an award that often goes to ego-driven entertainers with an emphasis on their public image—is what happened afterwards. Getty Images photographer John Shearer happened to be milling around well after the ACM Awards had ended, and workers were cleaning up The Star facility in Frisco, TX where the show was held.
It happened to be that Entertainer of the Year Chris Stapleton hadn’t headed to a bar in Dallas to celebrate, and didn’t immediately hop on a bus to head home. Instead, Stapleton picked up a leaf blower and started helping the crew clean up the facility. Similar to the photo of Stapleton in Wal-Mart last year buying supplies for flood victims, it wasn’t supposed to make it to the public, but it did.
The shot really symbolizes the kind of Entertainer of the Year Chris Stapleton is. It also symbolizes the kind of Entertainer of the Year country music should want.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:23 am
gotta love this guy. a friend of mine is the “new” singer is The Steeldrivers, and them’s some big boots to fill. chris is badass. can’t think of another person i’d love to have a few beers with. congrats to him, and well deserved.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:23 am
I personally don’t like awards shows because I believe making music shouldn’t be a competition. But he definitely deserves something for being a good dude.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:24 am
Chris Stapleton might not be the most country in terms of how he expresses himself through his art. At best he pushes the envelope or dabbles in other genres, and at worst he’s another blues rocker doing country adjacent material
But he has the spirit of country music in everything he does, he’s just a great down-to-earth guy, who never got above being a nobody Who’s just out there doing the only job he really knows how to do, and not letting it go to his head.
And I think this just proves that you can represent country music in more than just your music, but with your actions.
But let me tell you: I saw Chris Stapleton open for Hank Williams Junior. And let me tell you, the guy brings a presentation.
He had six or seven guitars on stage, and he was constantly setting down one for the other, the dude can play, there’s no two questions about that.
And let me just say that the Chris Stapleton part of the presentation went off without a hitch, that was a fine oiled machine, where he knew what he was doing, and knocked it out of the park. And then Hank Williams Junior, came along, presumably, already drunk, and just went through the motions. I wanted to say that once in my life I saw Hank Williams Junior, and I did, but I left before he was done.
The difference between these two performers was n and day. Chris Stapleton brought a fire and a hunger to that stage, as if he was afraid that he allowed for even one blunder it would end his whole career. And Hank Williams Junior, came out without a care in the world, as if it didn’t matter how hard he even tried.
Yeah, Chris Stapleton might not be charismatic, he might not be funny, he might not be oozing personality,
But in a world of posers, who take to the stage in predetermined, marketable clothes, bought off by a namebrand advertiser, who wants a living billboard Who take the stage with the newest truck models that the truck companies paid to advertise for, standing there on stage with a beer cans from the highest bidding beer company that wanted that product placement
Sincerity is more precious than showmanship. And I would argue that nobody has taken a stage who deserves to be recognized for what they bring to that stage more than Chris Stapleton.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:56 am
Fuzz,
Good comments.
For me, a blues rocker doing country-adjacent material is pretty sweet. I understand there are different perspectives and you nailed a lot of points. Appreciate the good summary.
May 12, 2023 @ 11:08 am
Good shit fuzz! Great comment per usual. “brought a fire and a hunger to that stage, as if he was afraid that he allowed for even one blunder it would end his whole career” got me fired up.
So curious what your thoughts are on jeremy pinnell. My thoughts are that he rips. especially his last album goodbye LA
May 12, 2023 @ 11:16 am
I honestly haven’t been exposed to enough of Jeremy Pinnell to offer much of an informed opinion, and I don’t like opining if I’m not confident in my opinions
May 12, 2023 @ 11:30 am
you’re the coolest. check him out and let me know on my next silly ass comment
he rips
May 12, 2023 @ 2:07 pm
I really like your comment and couldn’t agree more. I was labeled a deranged diehard fan on twitter when I defended his award. We live in a world that values flash over substance. It was heartening to see him win.
May 13, 2023 @ 9:36 am
I had the same experience with Hank Williams, Jr. It was at least 20 years ago. I see he hasn’t changed. Sad. And Chris Stapleton remains a class act all the way. Gifted in songwriting for sure. Give him the blues and country – he is the absolute best.
May 14, 2023 @ 8:34 am
Glad Chris won and it’s about time. I am very proud that one of the fake country male crooners and the Hollywood scantly clad song birds of Nashville were left with their mouths open when award was announced.
May 16, 2023 @ 10:56 am
I’ve seen Hank numerous times. His best shows to me were in the eighties. He would play wide open for 2 to 3 hours. He was Badass.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:33 am
I saw him perform twice last year. Once with King George and once as a main act. My only complaint with the main act show was that I was sitting stage right and we was standing stage right for full show with back to us. He turned around once or twice for a guitar solo, but that was the only time we saw his face. Anyway, something the improve on to increase the entertainment for all in the crowd. My fault for selecting those tickets. Glad to see him cleaning up his mess 🙂
May 12, 2023 @ 10:34 am
yeah, what fuzzy said. great stuff.
May 12, 2023 @ 11:07 am
Big thumbs up for Chris. I am a huge fan and just goes to show you what a stand up guy he is, I wish more artists would take the time and give a little extra like he does.
May 12, 2023 @ 12:44 pm
One could think this was a “Garth Brooks” photo-op. Ha ha.
But seriously, I think he is genuine. And that is his greatest appeal.
May 12, 2023 @ 1:25 pm
I am no fan of leaf blowers, but I can appreciate how it may drown out all the mainstream country nonsense noise. There’s that old Chris Stapleton following his own path and keepin it real.
May 13, 2023 @ 3:46 am
Leaf blowers are a clean up crew’s best friend after a huge, messy show. You can get all the trash in one place.
May 12, 2023 @ 3:49 pm
Hello Trigger,been a long time reader but this is my first time commenting.Would like to let yourself and any other Margo Cilker fans out there know she has new music on the way.According to Bandcamp the digital and cd versions will be available Aug 6 and vinyl on Sep 15.I appreciate all your hard work, I’ve found lots of great music by reading this site.Thank you.
May 12, 2023 @ 4:13 pm
Thanks Larry, I added Margo’s new album to the release radar, and may post a news item about it at some point.
May 12, 2023 @ 10:06 pm
Ok guys is it me or does the ladies of country music need to get some clothes on. Look at years past cma say from 1984 to 1990. Women looked good with without taking it off. Just sayin
May 13, 2023 @ 6:59 pm
Agreed Frog hair. Many more things I could say about your statement, but I will leave it at that.
May 14, 2023 @ 12:15 am
The difference in time between 84 and now is 39 years, that would be like comparing female acts in 1984 to 1945. Times change.
May 15, 2023 @ 11:36 pm
Women of country music don’t need to do anything except to keep making quality, meaningful music. Women look good doing whatever they feel comfortable with in their clothes.
This was an article about a good man, and good musician, cleaning up after himself when no one was watching. Would love to see some female artists doing that (I’m sure some do but who knows). But for fuck’s sake, keep your judgements about their clothes to yourself. Patsy Cline would’ve sounded the same in a skimpy bikini as she did wearing a fringed vest or long floral dress. Stick to the music.
May 16, 2023 @ 12:24 am
Women of country music don’t need to do anything except to keep making quality, meaningful music. Women look good doing whatever they feel comfortable with in their clothes.
This was an article about a good man, and good musician, cleaning up after himself when no one was watching. Would love to see some female artists doing that (I’m sure some do but who knows). But for fuck’s sake, keep your judgements about their clothes to yourself. Patsy Cline would’ve sounded the same in a skimpy bikini as she did wearing a fringed vest or long floral dress. Stick to the music and acts of kindness. Nothing else matters.
May 13, 2023 @ 12:51 am
Yoooo Entertainer,
Ya Missed a Spot
May 13, 2023 @ 8:20 am
What Fuzzy said.
May 13, 2023 @ 9:20 am
I remember when country stars had jobs while they were trying to make it. Some of them blue collar, some highly skilled. Travis Tritt worked in heating and air conditioning, George Strait worked on someone else’s ranch even when he was playing big shows in Texas and even after Unwound hit the airwaves, Sammy Kershaw was a carpenter, so was Wade Hayes. Now these younger guys they just declare themselves an artist and “poof” with or without income that’s what they “do.” I don’t know what Stapleton did or didn’t do before he wrote hit songs. I think it’s cool that he helps out and does manual labor still. Those of us who do it know the benefits it has on body, mind, and soul. During the pandemic there were businesses offering to put musicians to work til they could get back to touring. I was disappointed to see the crying online. “I’m a musician, that’s what I do. I can’t do anything else. Send me money while I sing in the camera”. Plugs.
Garth drives around paying off people’s mortgages.
May 13, 2023 @ 4:56 pm
I don’t know bud. I’m a working musician with a day job, and let me tell you, those of us who are hard wired To be musicians, don’t always have it easy doing the people skills of another job.
I have to be real careful with my hands, if I get careless and banging my hands up, who knows how long I will be doing subpar, or even worse, no practicing. That would definitely have an effect on the music I’m doing. If I can’t impress each crowd I get in front of, I can’t be guaranteed future bookings, or further content interaction.
And people are just mean. There’s a reason so many people don’t want to do customer service jobs anymore. Those of us who are musicians, many of us are already just a little different. And the problem with people who are different, is that they are the first targets for the worst people in society. I have been threatened by people while I was cashiering, even so far as people heckling me on the bus while I wasn’t even on the clock.
And I have a business degree, but the number of complaints I’ve gotten, many of which seemed completely baseless, except there was apparently something that got peoples attention about me, just trying to do my job and get all the customers attended to, to the point that I don’t even want to work in the field, I got my education in, because people are so horrible
To the brilliant musicians, who have the temperament for a day job, and the people skills to not get dragged through the mud by the worst members of society, good for you. Hold your head high.
But at the risk of perpetuating, a stereotype about misunderstood artistry, day jobs can be the hardest thing an artist can do. Especially when you have to work with people who will try to cause you problems for no real reason except you seem a little different.
If I did a 40 hour week at my day job, I would have to spend two forty hour weeks practicing just to get where I was before I took that week away from my practice.
It’s one thing for singers, but those of us who don’t have a voice to sell records and have to rely on our instrumental skills, doing a day job, no matter how necessary, can take away from the job We are actually trying to apply ourselves towards.
May 13, 2023 @ 6:25 pm
Good for you Fuzzy, for sticking with your music that you are hard wired to play.
And, also working during the day, so you can afford to play your music, in the evenings/on weekends.
May 13, 2023 @ 7:51 pm
Thanks for explaining that very heartfelt and clearly. One of the best guitar players no one has ever heard is a friend of mine. He felt the same way that you describe here. He started a lawn service so he wouldn’t have to deal with people, and could set his own schedule, be off in time to make gigs. By the time he was offered a job with a pretty solid touring headliner his business had grown so much, it didn’t make sense to go out on the road. He actually tried it for a week and was miserable.
The horrible people you mention are upset with their own lives, don’t let the bastards get you down.
There are plenty of ways to keep cash in your pocket without having to deal with the public, and I don’t know you but I truly hope that you’re able to find a way to make a living doing what you want to do.
May 14, 2023 @ 5:37 am
Can’t help but think of Danny Gatton when reading your comments. One of the greatest guitarists ever worked as a sheetmetal fabricator.
It jives with Fuzz’s comments as well. A misunderstood genius took his own life. He had to suffer and finally die for the music world to really pay attention.
May 13, 2023 @ 11:23 am
Funny how these things that aren’t supposed to be made public are. Hmmm.
May 13, 2023 @ 11:50 am
Josh Shearer is a well-known photographer for Getty. He posted it on his personal Instagram account and it went viral. I had half a dozen readers reach out to me about it, but no press releases were sent out or anything like that. When you’re press, you’re the very last to leave these events aside from the workers because you have to upload/edit all your stuff and get it posted the night of.
May 14, 2023 @ 7:06 pm
I love Chris Stapleton he is a very good man and I hope and pray I get to go see him one day I love all of his music keep up the good work Chris and may God bless you and your family.
May 26, 2023 @ 8:42 am
so morality means nothing in this Country, First of all we are talking about Country Music. Well they need to Sing Country Music, not scream, leave the drag show, be a hooker or Sing