John Sturgill Simpson (born June 8, 1978)
is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
singer-songwriter and actor.
As of February 2022, he has released seven albums as a solo artist. His first two albums, ''
High Top Mountain''
and ''
Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'', were independently released in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The latter was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Americana Album
The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...
,
listed 18th on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''s "50 Best Albums of 2014,"
and named among "
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's 50 Favorite Albums of 2014."
His third album, ''
A Sailor's Guide to Earth'', was released in April 2016 on
Atlantic Records and was Simpson's first major-label release,
later earning him
Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors ...
at the
59th Grammy Awards
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...
while also being nominated for
Album of the Year. Simpson's fourth album, ''
Sound & Fury'', was released on September 27, 2019, and was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the
63rd Grammy Awards. He released two albums in 2020 - ''
Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 1'' and ''
Vol. 2'' - which feature
bluegrass interpretations of songs from across his catalog, and marked his return to independent music. His seventh studio album, ''
The Ballad of Dood and Juanita'', was released in August 2021. Simpson's style has been met with critical favor and frequent comparisons to
outlaw country.
Early life
John Sturgill Simpson was born in
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
,
Breathitt County,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
.
His given name, Sturgill, stems from his paternal grandmother's maiden name which originates from the town she was born in,
Wurtland, Kentucky
Wurtland is a home rule-class city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 995 at the 2010 census. Wurtland is a part of the Huntington- Ashland, WV- KY- OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As ...
. His father was a
Kentucky State Police Trooper who formerly worked undercover. Due to his father's work, Simpson's family moved to
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
, outside
Lexington, where Simpson attended
Woodford County High School.
His mother's family were coal miners,
and he is the first male on her side of the family to not work in a strip mine or deep mine.
Simpson says of his educational career that he was "not a great student".
His parents divorced when he was in the seventh grade. He only "barely graduated" from Woodford High, enlisting in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
in his senior year.
[ After three years in the Navy, where he worked in the ]Combat Information Center
A combat information center (CIC) or action information centre (AIC) is a room in a warship or AWACS aircraft that functions as a tactical center and provides processed information for command and control of the near battlespace or area of op ...
of a frigate, Simpson spent some time in Japan. He later lived in Everett and Seattle, Washington, where he waited tables at IHOP, before moving back home to Lexington, Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
.
Career
2004−2013: Early performances and recordings
Simpson formed the Country/Rock band Sunday Valley in 2004,[ which played at the Pickathon festival in ]Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
. He later moved to Nashville, but says he "didn't have the foggiest notion of how to hustle my music ... twas a total bust."[
Setting his musical ambitions aside, Simpson focused on building a career at a ]Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...
railroad freight-shipping yard for Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
, which he eventually ended up managing. He credits his wife and friends with changing what he characterized as a hobbyist focus on songwriting and playing to convincing him to get serious about music as a potential career. After playing local open mic
An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage whether t ...
s and gigs, Simpson returned to Sunday Valley, touring and making an album with the band. He and his wife moved to Nashville when the group disbanded in 2012.
After going solo, Simpson released his debut album '' High Top Mountain'' in 2013, which he self-funded, self-released, and had cut in Nashville. The album was produced by Dave Cobb
Dave Cobb (born July 9, 1974) is an American record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee, best known for producing the work of Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen and Rival Sons .
Cob ...
. Among the session musicians were Hargus "Pig" Robbins
Hargus Melvin Robbins (January 18, 1938 – January 30, 2022), known by his nickname "Pig," was an American session keyboard player. Having played on records for many artists, including John Stewart, Dolly Parton, Connie Smith, Patti Page, Lor ...
on piano and Robby Turner
Robby Turner is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known for his work with Waylon Jennings and his contributions to recordings by many other artists.
Biography Early years
Turner grew up in a musical family; his parents Doyle and Bernice ...
, a former guitarist for Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music.
Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...
, on steel guitar. The record is named after a cemetery near Jackson where many of Simpson's family members are buried. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
rated ''High Top Mountain'' 3 stars out of 5, comparing its sound favorably to Waylon Jennings. The album's style has also been compared to that of Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled a ...
.[ Erik Ernst of the '']Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently o ...
'' also compared it to Jennings, saying that it had "rich vintage sounds, heartbreaking ballads, and juke-joint ramblers".
2014–2016: ''Metamodern Sounds in Country Music''
In 2014, Simpson released his second album, again produced by Dave Cobb, '' Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'', to positive reviews. The lead single was "Living the Dream". The album has been described as "flesh ngout a deep and unconventional relationship between traditionalism and new ways of thinking," and a departure from Simpson's more traditional hard country debut. Simpson said that "recording and mixing was done in five and a half days for about $4,000. I was pretty proud about that." The album was ranked as one of the ten best of the year by ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' writer Nate Chinen. ''Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'' received a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album
The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...
in 2014.[
Simpson made his US network television debut on July 14, 2014, on the '' Late Show with David Letterman'', playing "Life of Sin".] That year, he would go on to play "Living the Dream" on a September episode of '' Conan'', " Turtles All the Way Down" on an October episode of ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
'', and " The Promise" on a December episode of '' Late Night with Seth Meyers''. In 2015, he returned to ''The Late Show'' and ''Conan'', respectively playing "Long White Line" in February and "Just Let Go" in April. He played the Grand Ole Opry, and he also opened for Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
at Austin City Limits
''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show to ...
. In late 2015, he was the opening act for Merle Haggard.
His cover of "The Promise" by 1980s band When In Rome was featured in the Season 2 Episode 9 of the HBO series '' The Leftovers'' in November 2015. The first track from this album, "Turtles All The Way Down," was featured in the soundtrack for Season 1 Episode 5 of HBO's series ''Watchmen
''Watchmen'' is an American comic book maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 before being collected in a single-vo ...
'' in November 2019. Simpson also wrote and performed "Sugar Daddy", the theme song to the Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
/Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
-produced TV show, ''Vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
.'' As of July 2015, Simpson's songs are represented by Downtown Music Publishing—an agreement that followed his record deal with Atlantic Records in 2015.
2016–2017: ''A Sailor's Guide to Earth''
In March 2016, Simpson released the first track from his third album, '' A Sailor's Guide To Earth'', a song called "Brace For Impact (Live a Little)", with the album itself released in April. The album, which was recorded live, has been described as a "heartfelt" guide to living from Simpson to his infant son, and Simpson produced it himself, replacing Dave Cobb, the producer of his two previous records. It features work by The Dap-Kings
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were an American funk and soul band signed to Daptone Records. They were part of a revival movement of mid-1960s to mid-1970s style funk and soul music. They released their debut album ''Dap Dippin in 2002, the firs ...
from Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
's Daptone Records, as well as a cover of Nirvana's "In Bloom
"In Bloom" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears as the second track on the band's second album, ''Nevermind'', released by DGC Records in September 1991.
The album version is the se ...
." ''Sailor's Guide'', which marked Simpson's major label debut, was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Country Album
The Grammy Award for Best Country Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the country music genre. Honors ...
at the 59th Grammy Awards
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...
. In January 2017, Simpson appeared on the Felicity Jones
Felicity Rose Hadley Jones (born 17 October 1983) is a British actress. She started her professional acting career as a child, appearing in '' The Treasure Seekers'' (1996) at age 12. She went on to play Ethel Hallow for one series of the tel ...
-hosted episode of ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'', playing "Keep It Between the Lines" and "Call to Arms." On November 8, 2017, Simpson livestreamed
Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...
himself busking and meeting fans outside the Bridgestone Arena
Bridgestone Arena (originally Nashville Arena, and formerly Gaylord Entertainment Center and Sommet Center) is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1996, it is the home of the Nashville Predators o ...
in Nashville during the Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
ceremony, as a tongue-in-cheek response to his not being nominated for or invited to that year's awards.
Simpson had planned to take a break from touring for the entirety of 2017 to focus on his family, but reconsidered after his Grammy nominations. He began touring again in May 2017 by playing a show at the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach is a resort city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 8,095.
Geography
Orange Beach is located along the Gulf of Mexico, and is the easternmost community on Alabama's Gulf Coast, wit ...
, with Margo Price
Margo Rae Price (born April 15, 1983) is an American country singer-songwriter and producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. ''The Fader'' has called her "country's next star." Her debut solo album '' Midwest Farmer's Daughter'' was released on T ...
. He also performed as the opening act for three shows during the Guns N' Roses "Not in this Lifetime" tour in the summer of 2017. Simpson later stated that he was "talked into" returning to touring, despite his family commitments and feelings of exhaustion. While on the road in 2017, he suffered from a relapse of substance abuse and depression, though after the tour's conclusion, he reconnected with his wife "in a very profound and intense way" and also devoted more time to his children.
Simpson helped produce fellow Kentucky singer/songwriter Tyler Childers
Timothy Tyler Childers (born June 21, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His music is a mix of neotraditional country, bluegrass, and folk. He released his breakthrough album ''Purgatory'' in August 2017. Childers has released five stu ...
' 2017 album ''Purgatory'' after being introduced to Childers by drummer Miles Miller. Simpson would work with Childers again as producer on his next album, 2019's ''Country Squire
''Country Squire'' is the third studio album by American country musician Tyler Childers. Recorded at the Butcher Shoppe in Nashville, the album was produced by Sturgill Simpson and was released on August 2, 2019, through Childers' own Hickman H ...
''.
2018–2020: ''Sound & Fury'' and ''Cuttin' Grass''
In a March 5, 2018, interview on ''The Joe Rogan Experience
''The Joe Rogan Experience'' is a podcast hosted by American comedian, presenter, and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. It launched on December 24, 2009, on YouTube by Rogan and comedian Brian Redban, who was its sole co-host and producer unti ...
'' podcast, Simpson revealed that he was working on his fourth studio album, and hinted that it would be a double album, though this was ultimately not the case. The title, '' Sound & Fury'', was announced on July 21, 2019, at the San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
, with Simpson describing it as a "sleazy, steamy rock'n'roll record". A companion anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
film bearing the same name was also released on Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
. The album was officially made available for pre-order on August 20, 2019, with the track "Sing Along" being released the same day. The album itself was released to positive reviews on September 27. It was released under the Elektra Records label, which Simpson was transferred to in 2018 following his time at Atlantic Records. Breaking with Simpson's established country style, it featured a fuzzy hard rock sound augmented by extensive use of synthesizers, influenced by psychedelia, funk, and electronic rock. The tracks "Sing Along" and "A Good Look" both featured music videos which included clips from the anime. Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
praised the album as "synth-rock at its scuzziest".
In a 2020 interview, Simpson described ''Sound & Fury'' as a record born from "burnout," especially in reaction to his 2017 tours, as well as the realization that he had become disillusioned with the music industry. He cut off contact with Elektra and refused to give them any material after the release of ''Sound & Fury''. Simpson claimed that Elektra " id notknow what the fuck to do" with him, as he created ''Sound & Fury'' to be difficult to market, and left Elektra with a "giant un-recouped debt" upwards of a million dollars from costs relating to the album's companion film, which was similarly hard to promote. In the same interview, Simpson heavily criticized record labels, calling them overly controlling yet noncontributory, and claimed that he was manipulated into signing a record contract by people who were no longer in his life. He also claimed that his Grammy nominations for ''A Sailor's Guide To Earth'' were a scheme for the record labels to get a return on their investment, and had nothing to do with him or his music, referencing frequent criticisms of bias and "secret committees" within the Grammys.
Simpson was originally going to perform at the Woodstock 50 music festival in August 2019, before the festival's cancellation.
On October 16, 2020, Simpson released his first bluegrass album, titled ''Cuttin' Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions''. The album features 20 songs, including bluegrass renditions of tracks culled from his first three albums, as well as songs dating back to his mid-2000s band Sunday Valley. The album was Simpson's first collaboration with Thirty Tigers
Thirty Tigers is an American entertainment company which offers music marketing, distribution, and management services to independent artists. It is based in Nashville.
History
The company was founded in 2002 by David Macias and Deb Markland ...
(a distribution label for independent artists), whom he began to work with after ending his contract with Elektra. The album was officially released through High Top Mountain Records, a label that Simpson owns, and it was marketed and distributed by Thirty Tigers. On December 11, 2020, Simpson released ''Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 2'', consisting of 12 more bluegrass recordings that Simpson was "too afraid to do on volume 1." The ''Cuttin' Grass'' series marked a return to independent music for Simpson, who stated "I'm realizing more and more every day what I already knew, which is that I was always supposed to be an independent artist."
2021–present: ''The Ballad of Dood and Juanita''
Simpson released the concept album '' The Ballad of Dood and Juanita'' on August 20, 2021. He described the album as "traditional country, bluegrass and mountain music, including gospel and ''a cappella''." It was written and recorded in less than one week, alongside the same musicians Simpson worked with for the ''Cuttin' Grass'' series.
In an interview with ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' released upon the album's debut, Simpson stated that ''The Ballad of Dood and Juanita'' would be the last record he wished to release under his own name, claiming "this is the last Sturgill record." ''The Ballad of Dood and Juanita'' concluded a five-album "arc" he had envisioned and previously committed to, consisting of his five main albums and minus the ''Cuttin' Grass'' series. However, Simpson also expressed a desire to form a proper band with several musicians he respects, believing that it would be more "democratic" in terms of creativity. In September 2021, Simpson cancelled his remaining tour dates for the rest of the year after suffering a vocal cord hemorrhage Vocal cord hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the vocal cords ruptures, which results in leakage of blood into the superficial lamina propria and dysphonia
A hoarse voice, also known as dysphonia or hoarseness, is when the voice involuntari ...
.
Acting career
Simpson made his acting debut with a cameo in the 2011 indie film ''Orca Park''. In 2018, he also had a role in the short film ''Black Hog Gut''. He secured his first substantial role the same year, appearing in several episodes of the CBS All Access
Paramount+ is an American subscription video on-demand service owned by Paramount Global. The service's content is drawn primarily from the libraries of CBS Media Ventures (including CBS Studios), Paramount Media Networks (formerly Viacom Media ...
television series '' One Dollar'', in which he plays the part of Ken Fry, a laid-off steel mill worker who sells stolen goods. In 2019, he wrote and performed the theme song for Jim Jarmusch's horror-comedy movie '' The Dead Don't Die'', in which he also appeared as "Sturgill Zombie".[ A short time later, he appeared as a police officer who is killed in a struggle with one of the protagonists in the movie '']Queen & Slim
''Queen & Slim'' is a 2019 American romantic road crime drama film directed by Melina Matsoukas (in her feature directorial debut) and with a screenplay by Lena Waithe from a story by James Frey and Waithe. The film's story centers on a young c ...
'',[ and in 2020, he appeared in the horror movie '' The Hunt''.][ That same year, Simpson had a supporting role in the drama film ''Materna''.]
In 2021, Simpson was cast in the upcoming Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
film ''Killers of the Flower Moon
''Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI'' is the third non-fiction book by the American journalist David Grann. The book was released on April 18, 2017 by Doubleday. ''Time'' magazine listed ''Killers of the Fl ...
'' as bootlegger Henry Grammer, who was involved in the Osage Indian murders
The Osage Indian murders were a series of murders of Osage Native Americans in Osage County, Oklahoma, during the 1910s–1930s; newspapers described the increasing number of unsolved murders as the Reign of Terror, lasting from 1921 to 1926. S ...
. Simpson's role in the film was announced on April 6, 2021; fellow country singer Jason Isbell
Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...
was also announced as being part of the cast.
Simpson has also expressed an interest in screenwriting
Screenwriting or scriptwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, television productions or video games. It is often a freelance profession.
Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story, de ...
; during a 2020 interview, he stated that he was working on a "punk rock" reboot
In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
of the 1981 film '' An American Werewolf in London'', as well as a script based on his experiences in the Navy. Speaking on his acting career, Simpson said he did not consider himself an actor, "just a creative person seeking expression wherever that may come from."
Musical style
Simpson's overall sound was described by Indiewire
IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...
as "a mesmerizing and sometimes bewildering mix of traditional country sounds, contemporary philosophy, and psychedelic recording-studio wizardry." Simpson cites Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled a ...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
, Keith Whitley, and Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and succ ...
as large influences on his music. However, Simpson is also frequently compared to Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music.
Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...
, and his style to the outlaw country genre of country music. Waylon Jennings' son Shooter Jennings
Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings (born May 19, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He is the only son of country singers Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. In a career spanning over two decades, Shooter Jenn ...
says, "Sturgill isn't imitating at all, and he sounds like my favorite era of my dad, the Seventies, when he would sing quieter and more conversational. That's what struck me about Sturgill from Day One. And still does." Country Music Television suggested that Simpson has "a voice that recalls Merle Haggard ndguitar licks that bring Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. (August 12, 1929 – March 25, 2006), known professionally as Buck Owens, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and band leader. He was the lead singer for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, which had 21 No. 1 hits on ...
to mind."
Personal life
Simpson's song "Oh Sarah", from his album ''A Sailor's Guide to Earth'', is dedicated to his wife, and the record as a whole is dedicated to his first son. The couple has three sons.
Simpson is a Kentucky Colonel
Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is the most well-known of a number of honorary colonelcies conferred by United States governors. A Kentucky Colonel Commission (the certificate) i ...
, having been honoured at the Kentucky State Capitol
The Kentucky State Capitol is located in Frankfort and is the house of the three branches (executive, legislative, judicial) of the state government of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic P ...
on March 20, 2018. Rep. James Kay described Simpson as "independent" and "very proud to be from our great Commonwealth," calling ''Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'' "one of the best albums of all time ... pure Kentucky and ... pure Sturgill Simpson."
Simpson has been open about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. In a 2020 interview, he said that he had been pursuing his own forms of self-care, including cutting sugar from his diet, racing rally cars
Rally or rallye may refer to:
Gatherings
* Demonstration (political), a political rally, a political demonstration of support or protest, march, or parade
* Pep rally, an event held at a United States school or college sporting event
Sports ...
, participating in shooting ranges, and ignoring news regarding the 2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
. In the same interview, he described his political views as not leaning "one way or the other" and classified himself as an anarchist. Simpson also took up horseback riding
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
before filming his role in ''Killers of the Flower Moon''.
In 2015, Simpson denied media speculation that he was an atheist, replying that he has a tattoo of Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
' name.
Discography
Albums
Singles
As lead artist
as featured artist
Other charted songs
Music videos
Filmography
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Sturgill
1978 births
Living people
American country singer-songwriters
American male singer-songwriters
Grammy Award winners
People from Jackson, Kentucky
United States Navy sailors
Country musicians from Kentucky
Singer-songwriters from Kentucky
Atlantic Records artists
21st-century American singers
21st-century American male singers
Loose Music artists
Elektra Records artists
Thirty Tigers artists