Chris Stapleton, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Queen Latifah

...with as many foot-stomping songs as mournful tales of sorrow.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Stapleton would later move to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a degree in engineering. Instead of finishing his degree, he decided to drop out and focus on his true love — music. While Stapleton is known today for his own hit albums, he began as a contracted songwriter. Even after achieving fame as a musician in his own right, his way with words keeps top talent asking for him by name By 2018, Stapleton had written and co-written over 170 songs, including numerous number-one country hits.

Songs attributed to Stapleton’s genius writing skills include Kenny Chesney’s number-one “Never Wanted Nothing More,” Luke Bryan’s “Drink a Beer,” and Josh Turner’s “Your Man.” In addition to working with many of the top names in the country music industry, Stapleton has also written songs for Adele, Taylor Swift, and Kelly Clarkson.

Before taking center stage as a solo artist, Chris Stapleton was the frontman for two different bands. His first band was a bluegrass ensemble called The SteelDrivers, which he performed with from 2008 to 2010. The band won numerous accolades, including Emerging Artist of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association and Best Bluegrass Album. Stapleton went on to lead a second band, The Jompson Brothers, before recording his own solo record.

In 2015, Chris Stapleton broke onto the scene with his debut solo studio album Traveller. This album topped the US Billboard 200 charts and earned a number of CMA nominations. With the release of this album, Chris also earned Best Male Vocalist, New Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year.

Next, Chris would go on to release two more studio albums in 2017: From a Room: Volume 1 and Volume 2. These albums would earn him a slew of additional awards, including his second CMA Award for Album of the Year.

Immediately after this dual release, Stapleton began his All-American Road Show tour. Then, in August 2020, he released his most recent award-winning album Starting Over. This album features the soulful and haunting country-meets-folk music for which the artist is known.

In 2021, Stapleton won Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “Starting Over” at the Country Music Awards. He also won album of the year for Starting Over, as well as additional awards for his work as a producer on the album. In 2022, he took home three awards at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, earning an award for every category in which he was nominated. He also performed at the event, showcasing his incredible on-stage presence.

For those lucky enough to catch one of Stapleton’s tour dates, the artist delivers a memorable experience. Stapleton’s wife Morgane often accompanies him onstage, adding beautiful, harmonious vocals to his soulful sets. It’s not just Stapleton’s musical talent that draws fans to his shows; it’s the sense of community he creates. The southern-born and raised artist is known for personally checking in on his fans, even going as far as offering water to those dancing along to his tunes.

Stapleton continues to tour in 2023, with shows spanning the US, including tour dates in Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Arizona.

Following the break-up of his gothic rock band The Marked, frontman Billy Corgan departed his home in St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. and returned to his native city Chicago, U.S. Before long Corgan met rhythm guitarist James Iha and the two practiced and made their debut performance as a duo at the Polish Bar Chicago 21. The pair named themselves The Smashing Pumpkins and shortly after met bassist D’arcy Wretzky who was invited to join along with jazz drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.

The Smashing Pumpkins made their recording debut on a Chicago alternative rock compilation CD entitled “Light Into Dark”, which was followed by their sell-out debut single “I Am One” released in 1990 through Limited Potential Records. The band’s full-length debut arrived after signing with Caroline Records in 1991, “Gish”, produced by Butch Vig, fused alternative rock with heavy metal, psychedelia and dream pop, drawing comparisons with Jane’s Addiction. After subsequently releasing the EP “Lull” in October 1991, The Smashing Pumpkins signed with Virgin Records and supported their album with opening slots for bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction and Guns N’ Roses.

In an attempt to move drummer Chamberlin away from his narcotic supply, the band moved to Marietta, Georgia in 1992 to record their sophomore album. With the help of producer Butch Vig again, “Siamese Dream” came about amidst a sea of turbulence within the band. Corgan, as with the first album, thought it was best for him alone to play all the guitar and bass parts, drawing some resentment from Wretzky and Iha. Chamberlin quickly found new drug connections and was absent for days at a time and Corgan was responding to his depression by spending all of his time in the studio.

Followed by a relentless touring schedule with appearances at 1994’s Lollapalooza tour and Reading Festival in 1995, Virgin issued a B-sides and rarities compilation titled “Pisces Iscariot” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

For the follow-up album frontman Corgan wrote fifty-six songs which ultimately got narrowed down to twenty-eight for 1995’s “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, became double platinum selling, earned the band seven Grammy nominations and spawned the hits “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” and “1979”. Around this time The Smashing Pumpkins were considered one of the biggest bands in the world, with considerable airplay on MTV and an appearance on the Simpsons.

In 1996 touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin and Chamberlin overdosed on heroin in a hotel room in New York City, Melvoin died and Chamberlin fortunately escaped the same fate. Chamberlin was subsequently fired and Corgan named “Mellon Collie…” the band’s last conventional rock album. True to his word the album’s follow-up “Adore” arrived in 1998 and represented a huge shift towards electronica and gothic influences. The album sold around 830,000 copies which was considered a failure by the record label. The band supported the release with a 17-date North American tour funded entirely out of the band’s pocket, of which they donated $2.8 million in total to charity over the course of.

After a short lived reunion with rehabilitated Chamberlin and the departure of Wretzky, who was replaced by Melissa Auf der Maur, The Smashing Pumpkins released their fifth full-length “Machina/The Machines of God” in 2000. The album performed poorly compared to its predecessors, however was argued to be one of their strongest. In 2000 the band announced they were disbanding after independently releasing “Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music” in September.

In 2005 Corgan took out a full-page ad in The Chicago Tribune to announce The Smashing Pumpkins were returning. Chamberlin was the only original other member to actually return, but alongside new guitarist Jeff Schroder and bassist Ginger Reyes they released the album “Zeitgiest” in 2007. From 2009 Corgan released a scattered selection of songs from a 44-track concept titled “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope” and followed by the full-length “Oceana” in 2010. The announcement of two new albums came in 2014 to tie up “Teargarden” concept, with the names “Monuments to an Elegy” and “Day for Night”.