Here’s a pretty incredible statistic about a song most country fans have probably heard hundreds of times.
Chris Stapleton‘s version of “Tennessee Whiskey” has now sold the equivalent of more than 20 million units in the United States.
That makes it the first country song in history to earn Double Diamond certification from the RIAA.
And the story behind the song makes that accomplishment even better.
Because “Tennessee Whiskey” isn’t technically a Chris Stapleton song at all.
Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove wrote it in 1981.
David Allan Coe recorded the first version that year, taking it to No. 77 on the country chart.
Two years later, George Jones recorded his own version.
George did considerably better.
His recording reached No. 2.
And for decades, that was essentially the story of “Tennessee Whiskey.”
A great country song.
A George Jones favorite.
Then Chris Stapleton got hold of it.
Stapleton recorded the song for his 2015 debut album Traveller, slowing it down and blending traditional country with the blues and soul influences that had always been part of his sound.
Then came one of those rare television performances that actually changes somebody’s career.
At the 2015 CMA Awards, Stapleton teamed up with Justin Timberlake for a performance that included “Tennessee Whiskey.”
The reaction was immediate.
People who had never heard of Chris Stapleton suddenly wanted to know who the bearded guy with the cowboy hat was.
Traveller exploded.
And a song that had already been around for more than 30 years suddenly became new again.
More than a decade later, people still haven’t stopped listening.
The RIAA officially certified Stapleton’s version Double Diamond earlier this year after it crossed the 20-million-unit mark.
At the time, it was only the third song of any genre to reach that level.
Think about that for a second.
A song written in 1981.
Recorded by David Allan Coe.
Made famous in country circles by George Jones.
Reinvented 34 years later by a Kentucky songwriter who had spent years writing hits for other people.
And now it’s the best-selling country single ever measured by the RIAA.
There’s probably a lesson in there for Nashville.
Sometimes the biggest hit isn’t the song somebody just wrote.
Sometimes it’s the great song that’s been sitting there all along, waiting for the right singer.
