Stapleton, Timberlake Bring the Crowd to Its Feet at the CMAs

In what may seem like an unlikely pairing, Justin Timberlake joined Chris Stapleton to sing Stapleton's "Tennesse Whiskey" and Timberlake's "Drink You Away" at the 2015 CMA Awards.

The pair sang in front of a full band, including saxophones, trumpets, drums and many other instruments. For the performance, the audience was on their feet and singing along to every word.

After "Tennesse Whiskey," Timberlake asked if he could "bring a little Memphis up in here" before breaking into "Drink You Away." Again, the crowd was seen mouthing every word with feeling, and even some aggressive head nodding.

Behind Timberlake, Stapleton and the many people on stage, there were red lights that added a dramatic flair to the songs that everyone seemed to be feeling. Although Timberlake is not a country artist, it is clear the country community in the room welcomed him with open arms and applauded his efforts.

Earlier in the night, Stapleton picked up the award for New Artist of the Year, beating out Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini for the honor.

“I don’t know what to say,” Stapleton said once he got on stage, and he did indeed seem at a loss for words, shaking his head as he looked at the award in his hand. “Thank you very much. There’s a lot of great artists in that category. I’ve worked hard a lot of years for this.”

He thanked his wife, Morgane — “The best parts of me come from her” — and his label before once again seeming speechless.

“This is an absolute thrill,” Stapleton said. “Thank you very much.”

Stapleton’s debut record, Traveller, was released in early May on Mercury Nashville. The 14-track record peaked at No. 2 on the country charts and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.

Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake Bring the Crowd to Its Feet at 2015 CMA Awards [WATCH]