Chris Stapleton Drops Optimistic ‘Starting Over,’ Announces New Album

After surprising fans with a cryptic video earlier in the week, country star Chris Stapleton has flipped the switch on a new batch of music. Today (August 27), he’s spotlighting the optimistic single, “Starting Over,” and looking ahead with more.

The title track from the acclaimed vocalist and songwriter’s upcoming Starting Over album (due November 13), it presents a brighter, easy-going sound from the five-time Grammy winner — a hopeful anthem of new beginnings. Taking his blowtorch vocal down a few notches to harmonize tenderly with wife, Morgane, the Kentucky native nods to the tough times we’re in, but ultimately sounds confident that love will prevail.

“And it don’t matter to me / Wherever we are is where I want to be / And honey for once in our lives / Let’s take our chances and roll the dice / And I can be your lucky penny / You can be my four-leaf clover / Starting over,” goes the smiling acoustic chorus.

The single arrives alongside details of Stapleton’s fourth studio album (also titled Starting Over), which follows the two-part From A Room collection of 2017. Produced as usual by longtime collaborator Dave Cobb, the set was completed in February just weeks before COVID-19 swept across the nation, giving tracks that “examine life’s simplest joys and most serious struggles” an eerily of-the-moment feel.

Fourteen tracks will span 11 new originals and three covers — include renditions of songs written by Guy Clark (“Worry B Gone” and “Old Friends”) and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty (“Joy Of My Life”). Meanwhile the album features guest appearances by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell (guitars) and Benmont Tench (piano and organ), as well as the All Voices Choir, who are featured in the “Watch You Burn” teaser clip.

Stapleton is also expected to return to his All-American Road Show touring schedule at the end of the year. He’ll start with a November 21 stadium show at Arlington, Texas’, Globe Life Field, and continue throughout 2021 with high profile stops in Chicago’s Wrigley Field, New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and the University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field (for his “A Concert for Kentucky” fundraiser), and much more.

Starting Over tracklist:

1. “Starting Over”
2. “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice”
3. “Cold”
4. “When I’m With You”
5. “Arkansas”
6. “Joy of My Life”
7. “Hillbilly Blood”
8. “Maggie’s Song”
9. “Whiskey Sunrise”
10. “Worry B Gone”
11. “Old Friends”
12. “Watch You Burn”
13. “You Should Probably Leave”
14. “Nashville, TN”