Randy Rogers: Chris Stapleton ‘Changed the Game’ of Country Music

The country music community gave a universal cheer when Chris Stapleton won three trophies at the 2015 CMA Awards. But perhaps no one was cheering louder than the Randy Rogers Band: Like Stapleton, they lean toward a more traditional country sound, and lead singer Randy Rogers was thrilled to see that style of music recognized.

"I feel like Chris is more deserving of that than even the fame and money that he gets, and I hope he gets every f--king dime," Rogers tells The Boot. "That’s how I feel about it."

Stapleton and Justin Timberlake easily outshone the CMAs' other performers with their renditions of Stapleton's "Tennesee Whiskey" and Timberlake's "Drink You Away." "Tennessee Whiskey" was written by Dean Dillon -- whom Rogers texted after Stapleton and Timberlake's performance -- and Linda Hargrove and previously recorded by David Allan Coe and George Jones

"[Dillon] mentioned that they’re saying that that just changed the game," Rogers recalls. "So if it changes the game, and if the stars align, I think our band’s gonna be okay, and that’s a really positive thing. After being on a label and not having radio success, being frustrated with that, if in fact it changes, that’s an amazing, amazing thing to happen."

Rogers also credits Tennessee native Timberlake with noticing Stapleton's star power and taking a stand for him.

"I will say that Justin Timberlake being involved in that whole thing and befriending Chris years ago, it speaks also volumes to JT’s power in this world that we live in. That’s pretty amazing. And the fact that he’s a fan of Chris’ is really cool," Rogers adds. "You can’t say enough about that whole situation. That’s pretty phenomenal."

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