WHAT IT IS: Already a widely respected and celebrated songwriter and singer, Chris Stapleton will release his highly anticipated solo debut album Traveller this spring. The Fader praises the album as “easily, and naturally, the year’s strongest country debut… It’s got the best parts of the genre: softness within toughness.” Rolling Stone Country hails Stapleton as “the biggest, baddest country voice you’ve ever heard. No, really.” Recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A and co-produced by Stapleton and Dave Cobb, the album features 12 originals plus renditions of Dean Dillon & Linda Hargrove’s “Tennessee Whiskey” and Don Sampson’s “Was It 26.”

ALBUM: Traveller

RELEASE DATE: 5/5

SINGLE: “Traveller”

TV: Letterman, The View

LIVE: Several tour dates with Eric Church; special headlining dates this spring including album release shows at N.Y.’s Mercury Lounge (5/5) and Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom (5/8 & 5/9); New Orleans’ Jazz Fest, N.Y.’s Farmborough Festival, Delaware’s Big Barrel Country Music Festival, Louisville’s Forecastle Festival

INTERNET: Vevo DSCVR artist, Rdio Nashville Rising Artist Selection for May

RADIO: 23 first-week Country stations; Top 10 Most Added

PRESS: NPR First Listen, NYT spring preview, The Fader, L.A. Times, Rolling Stone/Rolling Stone Country, Country Weekly, more

BOOKING: Jay Williams, Kevin Meads/WME

PUBLISHING: Warner/Chappell

MANAGEMENT: Coran Capshaw, Zach Peters/Red Light Mgmt.