Chris Stapleton picked up the ACM Award for Album of the Year for Starting Over. The collection features his recent chart-topping hit of the same title, as well as “Maggie’s Song,” which he performed with special guest Miranda Lambert during the show. Miranda filled in for Chris’ wife Morgane, who was on “baby watch” as Chris’ sister-in-law was in labor.
“It’s always very special, and I missed (Morgane) very much tonight, but I was so happy that Miranda agreed to fill in kind of last minute. I think my sister-in-law is in labor right now. She might be on the way to the hospital, I’m not sure. My wife is kind of on baby watch, and for once, not her own baby. It’s been an interesting night tonight, so lots to celebrate and the awards are just part of it.”
"Starting Over" is the ACM Album Of The Year! Congratulations to @ChrisStapleton! ✨ #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/XPUsrimLgg
— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) April 19, 2021
When he released the album, he said, “If there’s a theme it’s hopefully there’s a theme of truth somewhere in it. And what I mean by that is hopefully we’re conveying in the songs some experiences that feel real and hopefully people can find themselves in those songs and in the album. And for me if I’m looking for a theme it’s that kind of, I don’t know, that thing that binds us all together as humans.”
After performing “Maggie’s Song,” Chris posted on his socials a photo of his dog, Maggie, who he and wife Morgane rescued as a puppy.
Maggie. pic.twitter.com/djRcR8tLCt
— Chris Stapleton (@ChrisStapleton) April 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/mirandalambert/status/1383941271971000326
Audio / Backstage during the virtual ACM pressroom after winning Album of the Year, Chris Stapleton said there are a lot of reasons to celebrate.
DownloadChris Stapleton (reasons to celebrate) OC: …part of it. :19
“Well, it’s always very special, and I missed (Morgane) very much tonight, but I was so happy that Miranda agreed to fill in kind of last minute. I think my sister-in-law is in labor right now. She might be on the way to the hospital, I’m not sure. My wife is kind of on baby watch, and for once, not her own baby. It’s been an interesting night tonight, so lots to celebrate and the awards are just part of it.”
Audio / CHRIS STAPLETON RESPONDS TO A QUESTION ABOUT A THEME IN HIS NEW ALBUM, STARTING OVER."
DownloadChris Stapleton (theme of Starting Over album) OC: …as humans. :54
“I’ve never really looked at records necessarily as having a theme. I’ve never made a record in that kind of a constraint necessarily. And there are a lot of great records that have this theme and this overlying thread that kind of runs through them. Maybe the thread for me is just I’m singing. I wrote a bulk of the songs. It’s the same guys playing all the songs. If there’s a theme – if there’s a theme it’s hopefully there’s a theme of truth somewhere in it. And what I mean by that is hopefully we’re conveying in the songs some experiences that feel real and hopefully people can find themselves in those songs and in the album. And for me if I’m looking for a theme it’s that kind of, I don’t know, that thing that binds us all together as humans.”