Grand Forks' Alerus Center preps for country star Chris Stapleton's return
Mar. 29—GRAND FORKS — Chris Stapleton returns to Grand Forks — this time as part of his All-American Road Show — on Thursday, April 4, at the Alerus Center. His special guests will be Allen Stone and The War and Treaty band. The show begins at 7 p.m.
Singer-songwriter Stapleton, 45, received awards for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song, both for "White Horse," penned with Dan Wilson, during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony on Feb. 4 in Los Angeles. He was also nominated for Best Country Duo or Group Performance for "We Don't Fight Anymore" with Carly Pearce.
The Lexington, Kentucky, native was named Male Vocalist of the Year during this year's 57th Annual Country Music Association's awards ceremony in November in Nashville. He was also nominated for Entertainer of the Year and Musical Event of the Year.
"We are so excited to welcome Chris Stapleton back to Alerus Center and Grand Forks," said Anna Rosburg, district general manager. "We look forward to an amazing show and a full house."
Rosburg expects the concert to draw a crowd "consistent with that of a major concert in Grand Forks," she said.
Stapleton,
who last performed at the Alerus Center in October 2022
, is known for his electric live performances. The Herald estimated attendance at his 2022 concert to be somewhere around 15,000.
The winner of eight Grammy awards, 16 Country Music Association awards and 15 Academy of Country Music awards plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar and slide electric guitar. He recently released his highly anticipated album, "Higher," featuring his new song, "It Takes a Woman." The album showcases his "supernatural voice and musical versatility across 14 songs that defy genre," according to the singer's website.
The War and Treaty band, founded in 2014, is led by husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount Trotter, based in Maryland. Emerging as one of the most electrifying new acts in American music, the duo recently earned their first Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best American Roots Song for "Blank Page."
This year, they received their first Duo of the Year nomination from the Country Music Association and Vocal Duo of the Year nomination from the Academy of Country Music. They have also received the American Music Association's award Duo/Group of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Allen Stone is noted for his soulful, rhythm-and-blues sound and powerful, emotive vocal performances. He is often compared to classic soul and R&B artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.
His music has been featured on shows including "American Idol" and "The Voice" a number of times. In 2018, he appeared on "Idol" to perform a duet of Gaye's "What's Going On" with contestant Marcio Donaldson. He also performed a duet of his song "Unaware" with contestant Dennis Lorenzo that season.
Stone's other popular songs include "Sleep," "What I've Seen" and "Brown Eyed Lover."
Stapleton recently announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with master distiller Harlen Wheatley of Buffalo Trace Distillery, introducing Traveller Whiskey, the result of meticulous craftsmanship and a shared commitment to uncompromising quality, according to the singer's website.
Partnering with the distillery "feels like a bucket list scenario for me," he said. "Bottles from barrels that Harlen has cared for have been with us for every note we've ever recorded, backstage before shows, and in all the moments we've celebrated along the way."
Tickets for Stapleton's show Thursday at the Alerus Center range from $56.75 to $136.75; in the pit next to the stage, tickets are $379. Tickets are available for purchase online at
or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Transystems Box Office at the Alerus Center, 1200 S. 42nd Ave.