Facts about Chris Stapleton's Late Father Herbert Joseph Stapleton Jr

Chris Stapleton rarely talked about his family, let alone his late father, Herbert Joseph Stapleton Jr. However, the musician credited the Stapleton patriarch for influencing his musical style and taste. He paid a touching tribute to his father during a concert in 2015.

Over the years, Chris Stapleton made his mark as a country artist, capturing many hearts and praises for his singer-songwriting prowess. Before going solo in the mid-2010s, he was part of the Grammy-nominated group SteelDrivers between 2008 and 2010.

Speaking about his musical influences and inspirations for his 2015 debut album "Traveller," Chris listed many icons, but the most profound credit went to his late father, Herbert Joseph Stapleton. The artist honored his dad during a concert that year.

Herbert Was a Coal Miner

Herbert sadly died in his home on October 7, 2013, at age 67. Though the cause of his death was not disclosed, Chris's team announced his passing on Twitter, subsequently canceling an upcoming show after receiving the heartbreaking news.

The Jones-Preston Funeral Home handled Herbert's funeral arrangements and released his obituary online. It revealed that Herbert was born on August 6, 1946, in Staffordsville, Kentucky.

He was survived by his mother, Minnie Osborn Stapleton, his wife, and three children, including Chris, his brother Herbert J. Stapleton III, and his sister, Melanie Brooke Stapleton. Herbert also had siblings.

His brother, Thomas Stapleton, was born in Canada, while his sisters, Sue Potter and Janet Mays, were born in Lexington, Kentucky. Herbert's funeral service was held on October 11, 2013, and he was buried in his home community at Highland Memorial Park.

He worked as a coal miner, and while he introduced and influenced his son with music by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin, his death would also serve as inspiration for "Traveller," as Chris explained:

"My dad could hold a tune. He wasn’t necessarily a singer, but he did love music, and he listened to it quite loud in the car. So those were my earliest memories of music, and when he passed away [in 2013], it flipped the switch for me."

Chris started working on "Traveller" in 2013 after his first debut single as a solo artist, "What Are You Listening To," only peaked at number 46 on the country charts. Talking about how Herbert would have enjoyed "Traveller," Chris said:

"He listened to a lot of outlaw country, Merle Haggard and things like that and then old R&B: Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin. Hopefully, some of this record reflects that and I think he would have liked [it]. I like to think he would have anyway."

Herbert also inspired the song "Daddy Doesn't Pray Anymore" from the 2015 record. That year, during a concert, his son brought his memento onstage and placed it on a stool; it was a lump of coal. Speaking without looking at his audience, Chris said:

"It's not really fragile. It's heavy. That sat on my dad's desk for years. It was the first piece of coal he ever mined."

Herbert's Wife Worked in the Health Department

Herbert's wife, Carol Mace Stapleton, worked in the health department, though her specific practice is unclear. Not much else is known about Carol, as Chris has been careful to protect his and his family's privacy.

However, she once attended one of her son's performances at the TODAY plaza in July 2017. Chris's wife, Morgane Stapleton, also joined her in the crowd. Apart from his in-laws and his children, Herbert was also survived by his grandchildren, five of whom were born to Chris and Morgane.

The couple was careful to protect their brood from the Hollywood spotlight, as Chris once explained, maintaining that he was the one who signed up for the fame, and his kids deserved the chance to be children outside of it.