Overview: Chris Stapleton headlined the third night of the Bourbon & Beyond festival on Sept 26, 2026, in Louisville. During his hour-and-a-half set, the artist altered a signature lyric to honor Kentucky Bourbon. This performance followed a Grammy win for Best Country Solo Performance in 2026.
The Full Story
Born just outside of Lexington, Stapleton later moved to Nashville, becoming a songwriter for artists including Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan and Josh Turner. He also fronted the bluegrass group the SteelDrivers before his big break as a solo artist with his 2015 debut album, “Traveller.” That record won a Grammy for Best Country Album and produced his signature hit, “Tennessee Whiskey.” He has since released albums including “From A Room: Volume 1,” “From A Room: Volume 2” and “Starting Over,” with hits such as “Broken Halos,” “Starting Over” and “You Should Probably Leave.”
Stapleton has won 12 Grammy Awards, along with numerous CMA and ACM Awards. His latest Grammy win came in 2026, when “Bad As I Used To Be” from the “F1” movie soundtrack won best country solo performance, which he sang first to kick off his Bourbon & Beyond set. Rocking his uniform of a button down and cowboy hat, Stapleton led the crowd through his hour-and-a-half set, playing many of his hit songs, including “Millionaire,” “Broken Halos” and “Think I’m in Love with You.” In one of his few addresses to the crowd, Stapleton thanked them for their support regarding buying, sharing, streaming music, and sharing it with friends.
Brand & Industry History
Stapleton introduced his band, many of whom he’s been playing with for years, in the melody of the song before leading the crowd in song. He has since released albums including “From A Room: Volume 1,” “From A Room: Volume 2” and “Starting Over,” with hits such as “Broken Halos,” “Starting Over” and “You Should Probably Leave.”
Consumer Takeaway
Toward the end of his set, Stapleton addressed the band, singing “Is everyone having a good time tonight?” to the tune of “Tennessee Whiskey.” At the very end, Stapleton changed the titular lyric from “smooth as Tennessee Whiskey” in an homage to his home state, singing “not as good as Kentucky Bourbon.” Instead of finishing immediately, he came back on for a quick encore of “Outlaw State of Mind.”
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