Chris Stapleton Joked That Someone Used His NPR Tiny Desk Guitar ‘as a Canoe Paddle’
Chris Stapleton is known for his beard and floppy hats, sometimes playing the guitar during live performances. This country artist even brought a guitar that was over 12 years old to his NPR Tiny Desk Concert, joking that someone before him used it as a canoe paddle.
What instrument does Chris Stapleton play?
Stapleton is known for his vocals — writing and producing original songs. He has over a dozen Grammy nominations under his belt This artist plays electric and acoustic guitars, favoring specific instruments for live performances.
According to Instrument Guys, “his electric guitar of choice is a 1962 Fender Jazzmaster, and he often uses an amp named ‘1962 Fender Princeton’ from the same company. For acoustic guitars, Chris prefers a Gibson J-45 to enhance his vocal performances.”
For his Tiny Desk Concert, this artist brought along an acoustic guitar that was over 12 years old (and loved by the musician).
Chris Stapleton played an over 12-year-old guitar on his NPR Tiny Desk Concert
In 2015, this artist hosted his own NPR Tiny Desk Concert, accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar. He opened the set with “More Of You,” an original featuring the vocals of his wife Morgane Stapleton.
After playing Traveller’s “When the Stars Come Out,” Chris Stapleton was asked about his instrument, which had noticeable accidental damage.
“It’s been with me a while, you know I got it maybe 12 years ago, something like that. I didn’t do all this to it,” Stapleton said, gesturing to the wear from strumming. “Somebody else did that. It certainly has some kind of history. I think somebody used it as a canoe paddle at some point.”
The artist added that there was mud in the instrument, with the audience laughing in response. His wife mentioned the vocalist has plenty of guitars at home, even if she wasn’t supposed to mention his collection.
“I have other guitars but this is the one that sticks with me quite a bit,” Stapleton said. He joked that he might have an addiction to guitars. That was a fitting transition to his next song, “Whiskey And You.”
What songs did Chris Stapleton play during his NPR Tiny Desk concert?
During his 2015 Tiny Desk Concert, Stapleton highlighted three original songs — “More Of You,” “When The Stars Come Out,” and “Whiskey And You.” He was joined by his wife Morgane on harmony vocals.
Years later, Stapleton earned praise for other hits. One of the most popular is the recipient of the Academy of Country Music Award for Song of the Year, “Tennesse Whiskey,” released in 2015.
He partnered with Taylor Swift for “I Bet You Think About Me.” In 2022, the bearded country singer released his single “I’m a Ram,” earning over 2 million Spotify plays. Now, music by Stapleton is available on most major streaming platforms.