Chris Stapleton is continuing his reign as the Male Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards. The 46-year-old won the trophy again for seventh time, a category he has won in every year since 2021.
Stapleton already won CMA Awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year, both for “White Horse,” from his 2023 Higher album.
“I’m out of things to say,” Stapleton said when accepting the trophy. “I love all of y’all so much. Thank you CMAs for giving me this award. Thank you to everybody that voted for me. I’m honored to be in the category with all the other guys in the category. I love my wife. Thank you, baby, for everything. I can’t do this without you, and I probably wouldn’t even be here without you. All my kids at home, thank you. I love you guys. If you’re watching, go to bed now. I’m really honored for this. Thank you very much.”
Stapleton also honored Morgane, whom he wed in 2007, when accepting the CMA Award for Song of the Year, after he failed to do so when accepting the Single of the Year trophy.
“I owe my wife an apology,” Stapleton said of Morgane, who produced the song with her husband and Dave Cobb, when winning the Single of the Year. “That last award belonged to her too, but she didn’t want to come up here. It all happened so quick … All of my music, I owe a lot to her, so thank you to her for all of the support.”
Stapleton was also part of an all-star tribute honoring George Strait, who received this year’s Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Stapleton joined Strait in 2023 and 2024 as part of Strait’s stadium tour.
“I love doing these shows with George about as much as I like doing anything,” Stapleton said. “There’s nothing to compare it to. So many of his songs are in the ethos of what country music is. Playing these shows together is a great experience all the way around.”
It was Stapleton who had the idea to continue their stadium tour this year, after he had so much fun in 2023.
“I think I halfway talked him into working more, but I really enjoyed doing that,” Stapleton said last fall. “I think it’s a good show to come to because George has ten million number ones, and people can watch all that, and what a great thing to get to watch. I love to be the opener for that. I love to walk out on stage and sing a few with George.
“It’s just a really fun show with me, and Little Big Town is usually on those shows, and they’re all friends, and it’s fun,” he added. “And so, I want to keep doing that as much as we can, and I keep talking George into it, so it’s good.”
Find all of Stapleton’s music and upcoming shows at ChrisStapleton.com.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of the CMA