Chris Stapleton Debuts at No.1 With ‘Starting Over’

Chris Stapleton’s long-awaited new album, Starting Over, debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart this week. The…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

November 24, 2020

11:41 am

Chris Stapleton; Photo by John Russell/CMA

Chris Stapleton’s long-awaited new album, Starting Over, debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart this week.

The project moved over 102,733 units and also secured the No.3 spot on the Billboard 200 and the No.1 spot on both the Billboard Americana/Folk Albums and Digital Albums charts.

Available to stream and purchase now, Starting Over includes 14 tracks. The chart-topping album was completed in late February just before the lockdown began. Starting Over was produced by Stapleton’s longtime collaborator Dave Cobb and recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (with additional work done at Muscle Shoals Sound and Compass Sound Studio). The record features Cobb on acoustic guitar, vocals and tambourine from his beloved wife Morgane, as well as his bandmates J.T. Cure (bass) and Derek Mixon (drums). Mike Campbell (electric guitar), Benmont Tench (Hammond B3 organ) and Paul Franklin (pedal steel), as well as the All Voices Choir also appear on the record.

Among the album’s 14 tracks are three covers, John Fogerty’s “Joy Of My Life” and Guy Clark’s “Worry B Gone” and “Old Friends,” as well as 11 tracks co-written by Stapleton with several of his longtime friends and collaborators.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.