Just before his performance with Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson at the 2023 Grammys, country music superstar Chris Stapleton opens up about singing alongside the music icons.
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While speaking to Taste of Country, Stapleton talks about joining Wonder as they perform the 1973 single Higher Ground. He describes Wonder as not only a person but an entity. “It almost feels like you’re meeting – I don’t know what the comparison even is,” the country music hitmaker explained. “It’s an other-worldly kind of person that exists and has so much influence over what music is and has been. You can feel threads of him through everything.”
Chris then explained that he can’t think about the award show’s performance too much or he’ll get nervous. He also can’t help but show his appreciation for Wonder as well as attempt to perform like the music icon. “I can’t tell you how many times people say, ‘Let’s do something like Stevie Wonder can do,’” Stapleton said. “And none of us can do it but we would try to do it. To get to be up there and feel Stevie kicking that one off is something else.”
During his time on stage, Wonder performed three classic hits. The songs were the Temptation’s The Way You Do the Things You Do featuring WanMore; Smokey Robinson’s Tears of a Clown with Robinson; and his own track Higher Ground.
Chris Stapleton and Rodney Crowell’s I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die was nominated for Best Country Song at the 2023 Grammys. Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis won the award with their single Til You Can’t. Stapleton currently has eight Grammy awards over the years and has been nominated close to 20 times.
Chris Stapleton to Perform the National Anthem at Super Bowl SBLVII
As previously reported, Chris Stapleton will be taking the stage at the Super Bowl SBLVII to perform the national anthem.
Stapleton’s team took to his social media accounts to make the official announcement in late January. “Watch Chris Stapleton perform the National Anthem at Super Bowl LVII on FOX,” the post declares. The event will take place this Sunday (January 12th).
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Babyface will be performing America the Beautiful and Sheryl Lee Ralph will sing Lift Every Voice and Sing at the event. The U.S. Navy will also be conducting a flyover of Phoenix, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium during the national anthem. The flyover is to commemorate 50 years of women flying in the service. Rihanna is set to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show this year.
