Post Malone and Chris Stapleton united to open the 2024 CMA Awards with a performance of “California Sober.”

The artists tapped into their love for traditional country music with their cowboy boots and cowboy hats while strumming their guitars and belting out the clever tune that shows off their unique storytelling skills. The country acts co-wrote the song with Louis Bell and Mark Holman.

While dominating the stage of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the “Tennessee Whiskey” singer’s Kentucky drawl seamlessly intertwines with Malone’s Texas-bred vocals as they illustrate the story of a man who confesses to being “California Sober,” meaning he doesn’t drink any alcohol, but he does partake in the usage of marijuana. 

As the character makes his way along the East Coast, the man encounters a woman hitchhiking on the side of the road. He offers her a ride and they end up getting high together. At the end of their emotional rollercoaster of a journey, the woman drinks all his whiskey, smokes his cigarettes and steals his wallet. 

The rugged southern rock tune appears on Malone’s debut country album, F-1 Trillion, which was released in August night via Mercury Records/REPUBLIC in collaboration with Big Loud. This project offers 18 tracks, 16 of which find Malone accompanied by country music royalty such as Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Jr., and Tim McGraw as well as several of the genre’s newest generation of stars like Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Stapleton, and more. 

The pair of artists are competing against each other for wins in several categories this year.  Post Malone has earned nominations in the categories of Single of the Year and Song of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Musical Event of the Year all with “I Had Some Help.” Meanwhile, Stapleton is up for Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (“Higher”), Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year (“White Horse”).

Hosted by Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, “Country Music’s Biggest Night” aired live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

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