Chris Stapleton has a voice other artists envy and celebrate, having him guest on many of their songs that he wrote, including the No. 1 “Drink a Beer,” as well as two that are on the charts right now – Gary Allan’s “Hangover Tonight” and Thomas Rhett’s “Crash and Burn.” The gravelly, powerful and touching voice has been in Nashville for the last 15 years and tells us he can’t remember a time he didn’t sing.

“I don’t ever remember not singing. I always sang. I sang with my brother. We would sing at home and sing at church and different things. I don’t ever remember not singing. I don’t have any memory of where I didn’t sing,” says the Kentucky native. “I don’t know how you find that out [of my path as an artist]. I found it out, because I didn’t like anything else. I found out a bunch of things that I was not. I sold cars and drove an ice truck and went to college and did different things, not in that order, but you find out who you’re not. And the thought of doing anything else just made me so miserable. I think that really [laughs] kind of steered my path, for better or worse.”

Chris’ solo debut album, Traveller, is available on Tuesday (May 5th).