Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Chris Stapleton

January 19, 2026

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  • Chris Stapleton values silence as a necessary space to receive inspiration for songs and thoughts. 
  • Despite his success, Stapleton maintains a humble, 'little brother' mentality, prioritizing learning and knowing his role when collaborating with established figures. 
  • Stapleton prefers things to be 'right' over being done, reflecting a core blind spot rooted in perfectionism and a desire to avoid mistakes, possibly stemming from his stern upbringing. 
  • Chris Stapleton views his songwriting as a means to examine and attach to universal human feelings, aiming to help listeners find themselves in his work. 
  • The success of Chris Stapleton's music stems from its universal appeal, allowing it to unify diverse audiences across different musical tastes, particularly by giving men permission to feel emotion. 
  • Chris Stapleton attributes his ability to handle sudden success to his age and stability, contrasting it with the potential destructive impact such fame would have had earlier in his life, which he describes as 'survivor's guilt' for those less fortunate. 
  • The experience of attending major awards shows and associated parties is likened to a high-stakes, high-pressure social hierarchy reminiscent of high school dynamics. 
  • Dax Shepard recounts several flattering and humbling interactions at the awards event, including compliments from Jacob Elordi and sitting next to Jenna Ortega. 
  • The conversation concludes with a discussion about the intense scrutiny and online toxicity Dax Shepard faces, contrasting it with the positive support from his family regarding his public statements. 

Segments

Podcast Introduction and Guest Promotion
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton’s current endeavors include his All-American Road Show tour and Traveler whiskey.
  • Summary: The episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard introduces Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Stapleton. Listeners are directed to his tour dates via his website and encouraged to try his Traveler whiskey. The introduction highlights Stapleton’s integrity regarding self-promotion.
Stapleton’s Need for Silence
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(00:07:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton actively seeks silence to receive creative input, a practice complicated by having five children.
  • Summary: Stapleton prefers silence over listening to podcasts, viewing quiet as the necessary state to ‘receive some kind of song’ or important thought. He notes that for a parent of five, silence is rare, and when it occurs, it often signals that something is wrong.
Early Life and Father’s Career
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(00:08:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton’s father was an electrical engineer who owned and operated an underground coal mine as an independent operator.
  • Summary: Stapleton grew up in Duluth, Georgia, and his father, an electrical engineer, owned a small coal mining business that ultimately failed due to market control by large energy companies. His father was described as a hard, fair, and unyielding man.
Sibling Dynamics and Little Brother Skills
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(00:09:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Being the younger brother taught Stapleton the skill of knowing his role and how to ‘hang’ around alpha figures without unnecessary conflict.
  • Summary: Stapleton has an older brother, Herb, three years his senior, and a sister 12 years younger. He believes the little brother role develops skills in self-advocacy while understanding social positioning, which he applied when collaborating with established musicians.
Early Career and Nashville Arrival
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(00:17:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton was a high-achieving student, being valedictorian of his 250-person graduating class, and initially pursued academics before music.
  • Summary: Stapleton was valedictorian and sang a song at his high school graduation, though he downplays the achievement. He attended Vanderbilt, hating the intensity of the academics, before transferring to the University of Kentucky, where he eventually connected with a publisher.
Songwriting Career Launch
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(00:24:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton secured a publishing deal in Nashville within seven days of contacting a sound engineer who offered help.
  • Summary: After moving to Nashville with limited funds, Stapleton was introduced to publishing executives who believed in his work, leading to a contract. He prioritized working with people who believed in him over immediate financial gain, adhering to the motto that ’terms are better than money.'
Songwriting Process and Collaboration
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(00:27:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton prefers entering writing sessions with a clean slate, focusing on identifying his valuable role within the collaboration.
  • Summary: Stapleton rarely brings pre-written material to sessions, preferring to see what emerges collaboratively, viewing the process as receiving input from the ‘antenna.’ He notes that many of his major hits were written with collaborators and then recorded by artists without him ever meeting them.
Departure from The SteelDrivers
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(00:40:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton technically left The SteelDrivers after having a differing opinion on the band’s direction compared to the other members.
  • Summary: Stapleton left The SteelDrivers, a bluegrass band he co-founded, after one member developed a fear of flying, which complicated touring. He felt he and the band had different opinions on the necessary course for the group.
Perfectionism and Control
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(00:42:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Stapleton identifies his tendency to overthink and avoid mistakes as a personality trait driven by a desire for control.
  • Summary: Stapleton’s resolution to simplify stems from his tendency to weigh decisions deliberately, which his impulsive wife finds annoying. He admits this stems from a fear of making mistakes, which he finds painful, and he finds safety in the controlled space of a song.
Songwriter’s Job and Temporary Highs
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(00:45:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The high derived from achieving results is temporary, shifting the focus toward valuing the creative process itself.
  • Summary: The songwriter’s job involves examining feelings and attaching to them to help people find themselves in the music. Achieving desired results often proves temporary and unfulfilling over the long term. The ideal transition is realizing the process of creation is the primary source of satisfaction.
Kentucky Roots and Insecurity
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(00:46:23)
  • Key Takeaway: A genetic component tied to Kentucky upbringing fosters an innate expectation that good fortune will inevitably be followed by something bad.
  • Summary: The feeling that ’the shoe’s always going to drop’ is attributed to a genetic component from Kentucky roots, manifesting as a need to ‘make hay while the sun’s shining.’ Chris Stapleton’s grandparents were from Hazard, Kentucky, a region associated with intense family history. This background contributes to an inability to fully accept good moments without anticipating a downturn.
Universal Appeal and Masculinity
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(00:47:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton’s music uniquely allows traditionally masculine figures to openly experience and emote feelings, bridging cultural divides.
  • Summary: Stapleton unifies listeners from both LA and Georgia circles, a rare feat in music. His writing provides a space for masculine men, like football players or coaches, to feel and emote openly, which is seen as a unique gift to that demographic. His appeal spans from outlaw country fans to those who appreciate the emotional depth he channels.
Intentionality in Universal Connection
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(00:49:04)
  • Key Takeaway: A song gains meaning only after it enters the world and listeners attach their own life experiences to it.
  • Summary: Stapleton does not intentionally write for specific demographics; his focus is connecting to the music itself before releasing it. Music is described as a ‘magic’ sense, distinct from the five primary senses, serving the pointless yet vital purpose of communal connection. This communal aspect allows listeners to feel understood and less alone in their emotions.
Wife’s Gifts and ‘Traveler’ Origin
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(00:52:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Morgan Stapleton gifted Chris a 1979 Jeep Cherokee, which directly inspired the writing of his breakthrough song, ‘Traveler.’
  • Summary: Morgan Stapleton, who also had a record deal on RCA, bought Chris a specific 1979 Jeep Cherokee after he missed out on buying a similar vehicle following his father’s passing. The trip taken in that Jeep from Phoenix across the desert was the impetus for writing the entire song ‘Traveler’ before reaching Gallup, New Mexico. This vehicle choice significantly influenced the direction of his first record.
Outlaw Country and Chemical Space
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(00:53:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The outlaw country era, exemplified by Waylon Jennings, was characterized by a dangerous rock-and-roll spirit often kept out of the public eye.
  • Summary: The outlaw country era musicians were significantly more rock and roll than their contemporaries, though many stories of their wildness remain private. Stapleton believes in musicians maintaining the same ‘chemical space’ while performing to ensure they are on the same musical spectrum. He rates his natural addiction level as a nine, contrasting with Dax Shepard’s five, though his own obsessions are channeled into collecting guitars.
Whiskey Heritage and Cultural Pillars
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(00:58:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Kentucky whiskey production, alongside hip-hop and country music, represents one of America’s most significant cultural heritages.
  • Summary: Traveler Whiskey shares the same master distiller as highly sought-after bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle, connecting it to Kentucky’s deep heritage. The Pappy Van Winkle line is so valuable that barrels have been stolen in high-profile heists, highlighting the seriousness of the craft. American culture is defined by a handful of pillars, including whiskey, hip-hop, country, jazz, and blues.
CMA Performance and Justin Timberlake
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(00:59:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The successful performance of ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ with Justin Timberlake at the CMAs was secured by leveraging a pre-existing friendship and a rare eight-and-a-half-minute TV slot.
  • Summary: The performance with Justin Timberlake was initiated because Morgan Stapleton insisted Chris ask him for the favor, which he usually hates doing. Timberlake granted an unusually long eight-and-a-half-minute slot on television, which would have been an immediate ’no’ without his personal involvement. Timberlake is recognized as an extreme professional who takes every performance, even on SNL, with intense preparation.
Luke Combs Turning Point and Career Trajectory
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(01:05:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The performance with Tracy Chapman was a professional light switch moment that rapidly escalated Stapleton’s career from building momentum to explosive success.
  • Summary: While Stapleton had a substantial writing career and incremental success, the Luke Combs/Tracy Chapman performance acted as a match thrown onto a long-built fire. This moment caused his booked shows in thousand-seat theaters on the West Coast to sell out almost instantly. Despite the sudden external view of success, Stapleton was already 38 and stable, preventing him from mishandling the massive influx of attention.
Fame Aversion and Beard as Shield
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(01:07:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton actively dislikes the fame aspect of his career, viewing his signature beard and hair as a potential shield for anonymity.
  • Summary: Stapleton does not enjoy the fame aspect of his career and finds the attention, like tour buses showing up at his house, difficult. His retirement plan involves shaving his beard to return to anonymity, suggesting the current look serves as a protective barrier. He once lost a significant portion of his beard hair in a barbecue grill explosion, which temporarily created a gap.
Creative Fuel and Future Dreams
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(01:26:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton is currently in a crossroads regarding creativity, prioritizing finding new ‘fuel’ and making thoughtful decisions about his remaining time over external industry demands.
  • Summary: Stapleton is currently not in the mood to write new music, which is acceptable to him but likely not to his management. His past dream of selling out the Ryman Auditorium was achieved, forcing him to find a new dream. His current fuel is the search for what he wants to hunt for next, acknowledging he owes his audience 100% commitment when he does perform.
Sentimental Objects and Control
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(01:19:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton maintains strong habits, like using a specific chair and guitar, as a way to control elements in his life that are otherwise unpredictable.
  • Summary: Stapleton brings a specific, chrome-framed chair with a multicolored tweed seat to every studio session, having carried it since moving to Nashville. This behavior, along with playing a $400 Gibson guitar, is less about superstition and more about establishing a controlled environment amid uncontrollable external factors. He even built a massive, patented sound diffuser for the stage to control the sonic environment, as he dislikes using in-ear monitors.
Post-Show Wrap-up and Whiskey Plug
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(01:30:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Dax encourages listeners to purchase Chris Stapleton’s Traveler Whiskey as a humorous remedy for quitting.
  • Summary: The hosts conclude the main interview, with Dax humorously suggesting listeners buy Traveler Whiskey if they are considering quitting something. Chris Stapleton confirms he is not hungover from the awards show. Stapleton reveals his preference for a specific, complex martini preparation, noting he only took one sip of the pre-batched version offered at a party.
Martini Preferences and Pre-Batching
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(01:31:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton’s preferred martini is a ‘Hendrix martini’ made with no vermouth and extra bruised (shaken for ice shards).
  • Summary: Stapleton details his particular martini order: no vermouth, lemon twist, and ’extra bruised’ (shaken until icy shards form). He explains that pre-batched cocktails, where drinks are made ahead of time in bulk, are not acceptable to him. This leads to a brief, nostalgic tangent about childhood memories involving hot, pre-made meals in thermoses.
Awards Show Aftermath and Social Anxiety
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(01:36:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Dax finds large, crowded industry parties overwhelming, preferring smaller gatherings with known people.
  • Summary: Dax describes attending the Amazon/Vanity Fair party as flattering but ultimately too loud and crowded, leading him to seek out people he knows. The conversation transitions to the Golden Globes, where Dax was happy with his dress designer, Brandon Maxwell. Dax recounts being recognized by Dakota Johnson due to listening to the podcast.
Flattering Celebrity Encounters
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(01:37:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Jacob Elordi flattered Dax by claiming to have been a fan since childhood, despite Elordi being born after Dax’s career began.
  • Summary: Dax shares that Jacob Elordi told him he had been a huge fan his whole life, which Dax found both flattering and humbling given his longer career span. Dax also enjoyed sitting next to Jenna Ortega and getting to know her mother. They briefly discuss the confusion surrounding the actual winner announcement, comparing it to the ‘Moonlight’ envelope mix-up.
Awards Show Logistics and Ego Hits
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(01:40:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Navigating the awards show red carpet involved tedious press obligations and strict arrival time slots, creating anticipatory stress.
  • Summary: Dax felt fatigued from extensive press and constantly having to answer questions about the shared social media post. The arrival process was highly structured, requiring nominees to arrive within specific time slots to access the carpet, which felt like a high-school-level social sorting mechanism. Dax experienced an ego hit when he was nearly diverted from the main carpet to a separate photo opportunity area.
Go-Karting and Competitive Spirit
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(01:47:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Dax’s daughter, Lincoln, displayed intense competitive drive and fearlessness while go-karting, improving her lap times significantly.
  • Summary: Lincoln requested a return to go-karting, where she showed aggressive driving, colliding with others without hesitation. She improved her lap times in every session, eventually beating Dax’s previous best time. Dax lost his top spot to a track employee who raced Formula 4, providing him a new competitive goal.
The Honor of Nomination and Personal Flaws
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(01:50:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Being nominated is genuinely an honor, and losing alongside other high achievers like Leonardo DiCaprio puts the experience in perspective.
  • Summary: Dax concludes that the phrase ‘it’s an honor to be nominated’ is very real, especially seeing other accomplished people who did not win. He then confesses to having dandruff, which he finds mortifying given his dark hair, and mentions biting his lip, leading to spitting while talking. He humorously questions his dating prospects due to these perceived flaws.
Internet Toxicity and Parental Pride
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(01:52:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Dax experienced direct, toxic confrontation from paparazzi/internet trolls outside an event, who referenced a false rumor about freezing his daughter’s eggs.
  • Summary: Dax recounts being aggressively confronted by people screaming about signing autographs and asking if he was still planning to freeze his 11-year-old daughter’s eggs. His mother later called, proud of him for what she perceived as a feminist move regarding his daughter’s timeline, revealing the actual context of the rumor. Dax feels lucky he dodged taking his daughter on the motorcycle that day to avoid exposing her to such shameless behavior.
Acceptance of Scrutiny and Facts
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(01:58:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Increased success brings increased scrutiny, but Dax has found peace in accepting this as a byproduct of his good fortune.
  • Summary: Dax states that the more successful one becomes, the more negative attention will follow, but he is grateful for his current peace regarding this scrutiny. The hosts transition to the ‘Facts, Jack’ segment, noting that they had very few facts for the Chris Stapleton interview. They look up the population of Stapleton’s hometown and the name of the Pirelli cable division his father worked for (Prismian).