Country titan Chris Stapleton brought Stagecoach sass, soulful barnburners to ACL Fest

As ACL headliners dueled across Zilker Friday night, the park self-sorted into thirds.

One one end, the bratty sneering of Blink-182’s throwback Warped Tour energy. In between, parents horrified by Blink’s relentless onstage cursing. And at the American Express stage, the classy, Stagecoach sass of cowboy boots and hats swaying to American superstar Chris Stapleton.

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I didn’t hear crossover, phones-up, super single “Tennessee Whiskey” until a Motown cover band performed it on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Assumed it was canon. Here it was grandiose, lived-in for ages and fearlessly earnest.

On wax, Stapleton’s recordings seem canned, dry, too polished. They give mountainous car commercial energy. Live, there’s technical wizardry and sternly plucked Fenders that cry. And best of all his wife Morgane Stapleton, powerhouse singer, at his side harmonizing.

The country titan performed a series a barnburners that ran on his husky, soulful voice. One perfect for blues rock, R&B balladry, bluegrass, and one forlorn love banger after another.

He’ll put bend and meaning onto direct wordplay like, “I’m in love with you,” or “What am I gonna do when I get over you?” Then it rings in your ears all night.

A sign in the crowd read, “Please play the national anthem.” He sang it at the Super Bowl. He politely declined but admitted, “I love America, too.”

Stapleton plays his politics close to the vest, and it’s made him a universal adapter. One with deeply American roots.“It’s a big show. You know, there’s dancers and explosions, all those things, but at the core of it, it’s just her singing her [expletive] off,” Stapleton told GQ last year, in admiration of Beyoncé’s live show . He grew up with a dad who spun “outlaw country and old R&B.”Hence the Kentucky-born, Nashville-made performer’s on-field product—mined from the consciousness of blue and red America.

“They say love is more precious than gold,” he sang early into a 90-minute set on “Millionaire.” It was the first of several acoustic singalongs he had in his back pocket.

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“Got any truck drivers tonight?” he asked, half-serious, playing with genre expectations. “Got anybody related to truck drivers? This song’s a truck-driving song.”

Save for a flurry of fireworks across the way, spewing from Blink’s competing Honda stage during “Cold,” Stapleton held a sea of patron's attention with the consistency of a rooster. (Who isn’t going to turn around and just watch the fireworks?)

And then there’s Stapleton’s deft touch for southern album rock. He covered Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” Plucked jukebox grooves a la “Beast of Burden” on “You Should Probably Leave” that made everyone dance.

Warm as a glass of brandy.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Country titan Chris Stapleton brought Stagecoach sass, soulful barnburners to ACL Fest