Chris Stapleton Gives “Absolutely Brilliant” Performance of Willie Nelson’s Classic “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”

While releasing five studio albums throughout his career, Chris Stapleton solidified himself as a top talent in country music thanks to his amazing voice. No matter the venue, Stapleton never disappoints. Besides helming his own tour, the country singer also received the chance to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl. The performance went down in NFL history as Stapleton seemed the channel the love and sacrifice that comes with freedom. And recently, the star once again showcased his talents but covering Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.”

Appearing on The Howard Stern Show, Stapleton discussed a wide range of topics surrounding his career in music. Before becoming a top performer in the genre, he helped write songs for stars like Kenny Chesney and George Strait. His writing credits included, “Never Wanted Nothing More” and “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright.”

[RELATED: Chris Stapleton Recalls Being Rejected After Traveling to Nashville and the Broken Deal That Fueled His Career]

Chris Stapleton Receives Praise As Willie Nelson Explains Writing Classic Hit

As for his cover of Nelson’s iconic song, the performance gained over 100,000 views as fans wrote, “Absolutely brilliant. Chris is one of the most talented artists of this generation.” One comment insisted, “Awesome I love how it is a blend of this great Willie song with Chris’ signature sound and tone on his jazzmaster. Instant classic.” And one fan recalled his own connection to the song, “This song takes me back to 1982 driving in a burgundy Buick with my dad’s CB installed in the middle console. Willy playing loud as we went to the Dairy Queen.”

Besides Stapleton, the song has been covered by other stars including Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss, and even Cross Canadian Ragweed. Discussing some of his inspiration behind the classic hit, Nelson noted how he wanted it to feel ambiguous. “It’s a pretty general theme that can be taken and applied to a lot of different situations. A lot of people have taken it and applied it to their own situation.”

Writing the song for the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose, Nelson added, “You could relate it to someone who has died, love affairs or whatever… It has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people who have no idea why I wrote that song.”

(Photo by NDZ/Star Max/GC Images)