Country Music 411

Chris Stapleton Has a Few Recording Studio Superstitions

Chris Stapleton just released his fourth album, 'Starting Over' a project recorded in some of the most hallowed studios that Music City (and beyond) has to offer.


The song "Cold," was recorded in the hit-making town of Muscle Shoals, Ala., where everyone from Aretha Franklin and Etta James to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Shenandoah have recorded.


Stapleton also cut part of his album at Compass Sound Studio (a.k.a., Hillbilly Central), a famous recording hangout of Waylon Jennings and the haunting RCA Studio A in Nashville. 


If if the pressure of recording where legends have wasn't enough, some artist claim you can feel the weight of the musical ghosts in the walls at one Nashville studio.


Supergroup Pistol Annies swear they were haunted by the ghost of Guy Clark, and Dillon Carmichael remembers tales of Jennings' spirit slamming doors from his time recording in RCA Studio A.


Stapleton swears he's not superstitious about it -- well, not that superstitious, anyway.
"If not shaving or combing your hair is superstitious, then I've been superstitious for years." 
Stapleton acknowledges a few superstitions that do find their way into his recording process: He's got a lucky guitar -- a Fender Jazzmaster -- and a pocket knife he always carries with him, which belonged to his late father. Also there's an old dining room chair from his parents' house, which he likes to sit in when he records.