Country star Chris Stapleton once took on one of Willie Nelson‘s most emotional ballads.
The 48-year-old country star performed his version of Nelson’s ’80s tune “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” during a TV special in 2025, where fans were left utterly amazed by his take on the Nelson classic.
Stapleton took the stage during the” “Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years” special in April 2025 to deliver a raw and stripped-down performance of “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” one of the most enduring and tender ballads from Nelson’s entire catalog.
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“If another man could do it as well as Willie, it would be you, Chris,” one fan commented under a YouTube video of Stapleton’s performance. Another user added, “Mannnn is there anything he can’t do…”
“Perfect song for your voice, you sang it like you owned it,” one commenter wrote to Stapleton, while someone else went as far as saying the “Tennessee Whiskey” crooner “has the best raw, full feeling voice. “
“Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” was written by Nelson for the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose — which he actually starred in opposite Dyan Cannon. In January 1981, Nelson released the track as a single, which soared to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, becoming one of more than 20 No. 1 hits achieved during his legendary career.
By 1980, Nelson had already dominated the country charts with some of his massive ’70s tracks, like “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” “Good Hearted Woman,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Blue Skies.”
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