Chris Stapleton Records ‘The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy’ For ‘Toy Story 4’

Chris Stapleton is lending his vocals to the much-anticipated new film Toy Story 4. The Grammy-winning singer recorded the end…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 5, 2019

2:23 pm

Chris Stapleton; Photo Courtesy the Artist

Chris Stapleton is lending his vocals to the much-anticipated new film Toy Story 4.

The Grammy-winning singer recorded the end credit version of “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” for the fourth and final installment of the Toy Story saga.

Penned by Academy Award-winning composer and songwriter Randy Newman, the man behind songs like “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” and “Strange Things,” “The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy” was written from the perspective of beloved character Woody.

“Woody feels like he was a lonesome cowboy until someone comes along and changes his world,” Newman shares. “Chris Stapleton did a great job on this song.”

“To me what has made the ‘Toy Story’ films hold up over time has been the strength of the stories and the songs and the writing and the characters,” Stapleton explains. “There’s something for people of all ages to enjoy in the world that is ‘Toy Story.’ It’s a tremendous honor to get to sing a Randy Newman song in what is without question one of the most iconic animated franchises in history.”

Toy Story 4 hits theaters June 20. The official soundtrack drops June 21.

Fans can catch Stapleton on his All-American Road Show Tour throughout the summer and into the fall.

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.