Chris Stapleton Delivers “Brilliant” Cover Of Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground”
The Howard Stern Show / YouTube & David Redfern / Redferns via Getty Images
In a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, country music powerhouse Chris Stapleton delivered a mesmerizing performance that has left fans extremely impressed.
The Kentucky-born singer-songwriter offered a heartfelt rendition of Willie Nelson’s 1981 hit, “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.”
Before ascending to country music stardom, Chris Stapleton honed his craft behind the scenes, writing hits for industry giants like Kenny Chesney and George Strait. His songwriting credits include chart-toppers such as “Never Wanted Nothing More” and “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright.”
During his time on The Howard Stern Show, Chris Stapleton shared more about his friendship with Willie Nelson.
From a child listening to Nelson’s songs during family car rides, to finding himself seated next to Nelson at the legend’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Stapleton has had a long road of being a Nelson fan.
Listen to Chris Stapleton talk more about his experiences with Willie Nelson in the video below.
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And now, with five studio albums under his belt, Stapleton has firmly established himself as a vocal powerhouse in the country music scene. He has proved time and time again that he can sing pretty much anything.
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Stapleton’s recent cover of Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” has once again showcased his versatility as an artist.
Willie Nelson originally wrote “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” for his role in the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose. However, the true inspiration behind the lyrics remains a bit of a mystery. Fans speculate about the song’s inspiration, with some suggesting Nelson wrote it for a Hells Angels biker friend, while others believe he composed it about his ex-wife, Connie Koepke.
Nelson himself has revealed that he intentionally crafted the song to be open to interpretation.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Chris Stapleton’s performance of the song, described as “effortless” and “bluesy,” has already garnered over 130,000 views online. Many comments were left by fans praising Stapleton for his performance:
“Chris combines blues and country better than anyone.”
“His voice pierces through my heart. Just incredible.”
“Absolutely brilliant. Chris is one of the most talented artists of this generation.”
“A legend singing a legend.”
And Howard Stern clearly agreed with them, saying to Stapleton after he finished, “Wow. You did it again, man. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of performances in my studio, [and] that’s going to be on a continual loop for me.”
Check out Chris Stapleton’s fresh take on “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground” below!
