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Chris Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, joined forces with Patty Loveless for a powerful performance of “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” at the 56th annual CMA Awards on Wednesday night (November 9).
The highly-anticipated, soulful collaboration captivated fans and fellow singer-songwriters in the audience, including fellow Kentucky native Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Zac Brown Band members, Luke Combs and many others who gazed on and clapped along during the performance. Loveless included “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” on her 14-track 2001 album, Mountain Soul.
“Where the sun comes up about ten in the mornin’/ And the sun goes down about three in the day/ And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkin’/ And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away/ No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains/ Till a man from the northeast arrived/ Wavin' hundred dollar bills, said, ‘I’ll pay you for your minerals’/ But he never left Harlan alive”
Stapleton, who won the Male Vocalist of the Year award after the performance, includes a nod to Loveless in his exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which unveiled earlier this year. Among his personal items is a song book that includes songwriting notes that Stapleton wrote as early as 2001, including Loveless’ “Higher Than The Wall.” Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young credited Stapleton with maintaining “his own unique perspective by staying true to his authentic self and artistic vision, and he continues to open the door to country music for new fans across generations and genres.”