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Sturgill Simpson

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Sturgill Simpson
Sturgill Simpson
Background information
Birth nameJohn Sturgill Simpson
Born (1978-06-08) June 8, 1978 (age 46)
Jackson, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2004–present
Labels
Websitesturgillsimpson.com

John Sturgill Simpson[1] (born June 8, 1978)[2][3] is an American country music and roots rock singer-songwriter.[4] To date, he has released three albums as a solo artist. He released two albums independently, High Top Mountain in 2013[5] and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music in 2014.[6] His second album is notable for being nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album,[7] being listed 18th on Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2014,"[8] and also being named among "NPR's 50 Favorite Albums of 2014."[9] His third studio album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, released on April 15, 2016 by Atlantic Records,[10] was Simpson's first major-label release.

Early life

Simpson was born in Jackson, Kentucky a small town in Breathitt County in southeast Kentucky. He is the son of a secretary and a state policeman who formerly worked undercover narcotics.[3][11] Due to his father's work, Simpson's family moved to Versailles, outside Lexington, where Simpson graduated from Woodford County High School.[11] Simpson's mother's family were coal miners.[12] Simpson is the first male on his mother's side of the family to not work in a strip mine or deep mine.[13]

After three years in the United States Navy, Simpson spent time in Japan, then lived in Everett, Washington,[14] and then moved back home to Lexington.[15]

Career

Simpson formed the bluegrass band Sunday Valley in 2004, which played at the Pickathon festival in Portland, Oregon.[16]

Simpson took a break from music, focusing on building a career at a Salt Lake City railroad freight-shipping yard for Union Pacific Railroad, which he eventually ended up managing. He credits his wife and friends with supporting what he characterized as a hobbyist focus on songwriting and playing to convincing him to actually focus on getting serious and trying to make music for a living.[13] After playing local open mics and gigs, Simpson returned to Sunday Valley. The band toured and made an album. He and his wife moved to Nashville when the group disbanded in 2012.[17]

After going solo, Simpson released his debut album High Top Mountain in 2013, which he self-funded, self-released, and had cut in Nashville [16][18][19] before signing to British independent label Loose,[20] who released the album in Europe in 2014.[21] The album was produced by Dave Cobb. Among the session musicians were Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano and Robby Turner, a former guitarist for Waylon Jennings, on steel guitar.[15] The record is named after a cemetery near Jackson where many of Simpson's family members are buried.[22] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated High Top Mountain 3 and half stars out of 5, comparing its sound favorably to Waylon Jennings.[23] The album's style has also been compared to Merle Haggard's.[19] Erik Ernst of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also compared it to Jennings, saying that it had "rich vintage sounds, heartbreaking ballads and juke-joint ramblers".[24]

In 2014, Simpson released his second album produced by Dave Cobb, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music to positive reviews.[25][26][27][28] The album's lead single is "Living the Dream".[29] The record is described as a "deep and unconventional relationship between traditionalism and new ways of thinking," and deviates from Simpson's more traditional hard country debut.[30] Simpson said that "recording and mixing was done in five and a half days for about $4,000. I was pretty proud about that."[31] The album made two separate "Top Albums of 2014" lists in The New York Times (ranking 4th[32] and 8th[33]) and was also called the best album of the year by American Songwriter.[34]

Simpson made his US network television debut on July 14, 2014, on the Late Show with David Letterman, playing "Life of Sin".[35] That year, he would go on to play "Living the Dream" on a September episode of Conan,[36] "Turtles All the Way Down" on an October episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,[37] and "The Promise" on a December episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers.[38] In 2015, he returned to The Late Show and Conan playing "Long White Line" in February and "Let It Go" in April (respectively).[39][40] He has also played the Grand Ole Opry[12] and at Austin City Limits. He has opened for artists like Dwight Yoakam, Willie Nelson,[41] Merle Haggard,[42] and the Zac Brown Band.[43]

His cover of "The Promise" by 80's band When In Rome was featured in the Season 2 Episode 9 of the HBO series The Leftovers in November 2015.[44] Simpson also wrote and performed the theme song to the Martin Scorsese/Mick Jagger-produced TV show, Vinyl. The song is called "Sugar Daddy."[45] As of July 2015, Simpson's songs are represented by Downtown Music Publishing — an agreement that followed his record deal with Atlantic Records.[46]

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)."[47] The record is a commemoration of the birth of Simpson's son, and features work by The Dap-Kings from Brooklyn's Daptone Records,[48] as well as a cover of Nirvana's, "In Bloom." Simpson self-produced the record – Dave Cobb, who produced his prior records, did not work on this record, marking a departure from prior efforts.[45] Simpson also created the record with a focus on sequencing, and recorded tracks live.[47] The record marks his major label debut.[14]

Current band members

  • Laur Joamets[49] – electric & slide guitar
  • Chuck Bartels[50] – bass guitar
  • Bobby Emmett – keyboards
  • Miles Miller – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Scott Frock – trumpet
  • Brad Walker – saxophone
  • Jon Ramm – trombone

Musical style

Simpson is often compared to Waylon Jennings[51] and the Outlaw Country genre of country music.[52] Shooter Jennings 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."[53] Simpson himself counts Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Keith Whitley, and Marty Robbins as much bigger influences on his sound than Waylon Jennings.[54] Indeed, Country Music Television noted that Simpson had "a voice that recalls Merle Haggard [and] guitar licks that bring Buck Owens to mind."[55] His overall sound was described by Indiewire as "a mesmerizing and sometimes bewildering mix of traditional country sounds, contemporary philosophy, and psychedelic recording-studio wizardry."[56]

Personal life

Simpson is married and has lived with his wife in Nashville, Tennessee, since 2010.[11] They have a son who was born in June 2014.[17][57] Simpson has talked about his struggles with alcohol; he has been sober since he was 28.[12]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[58] 		US Country
[59] 		US Heat
[60] 		US Indie
[61] 		CAN
[62] 		NOR
[63] 		UK
[64]
High Top Mountain
  • Release date: June 11, 2013
  • Labels: High Top Mountain, Loose
  • Format: CD, LP, digital
 — 31 11 — — — —
Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
  • Release date: May 13, 2014
  • Labels: High Top Mountain, Loose
  • Format: CD, LP, digital
 59 8 — 6 — — —
A Sailor's Guide to Earth 3 1 — — 31 34 43
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US Country
[68] 		US AAA
[69] 		US
Rock
[70]
2012 "Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean" — — — High Top Mountain
2014 "Living the Dream" — — — Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
"Turtles All the Way Down" — — —
"The Promise"[71] — — —
2016 "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)"[48] — 23 44 A Sailor's Guide to Earth
"In Bloom"[72] 48 — 37
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year Video Director
2013 "Railroad of Sin" Yosuke Torii and Shunsuke Ochiai[73]
2014 "Turtles All the Way Down"[74] Graham Uhelski
"The Promise"
2016 "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)"[75] Matt Mahurin
"In Bloom"
"Breakers Roar"

Recognition and awards

Year Association Category Result
2014 Americana Music Awards Emerging Artist of the Year[76] Won
2015 Artist of the Year[77]
Song of the Year ("Turtles All the Way Down")[77]
Grammy Awards Best Americana Album[7] Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Songwriter/Composer: Simpson, John Sturgill". BMI. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  2. ^ "John Sturgill Simpson - Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes". FamilySearch. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b "J Sturgill Simpson, United States Public Records, 1970–2009". FamilySearch. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  4. ^ Welch, Will (7 January 2016). "Meet Three Country Badasses Who Are Shaking Up the Nashville Establishment". GQ. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. ^ Freeman, Jon (16 October 2013). "On the Edge: Sturgill Simpson". Country Weekly. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  6. ^ Welch, Will (7 January 2016). "The GQ&A: Sturgill Simpson, Country Music's Psychedelic Warrior-Philosopher". GQ. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b "57th Grammy Awards: Final Nominations List" (PDF). Grammys. National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  8. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2014. 18: Sturgill Simpson, 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'". Rolling Stone. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  9. ^ Hilton, Robin (8 December 2014). "NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2014". NPR. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  10. ^ Strauss, Matthew (4 March 2016). "Sturgill Simpson Announces New Album A Sailor's Guide to Earth, Shares "Brace for Impact (Live a Little)"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  11. ^ a b c Cooper, Duncan (15 July 2014). "Another Country: A Freewheeling Hour with Sturgill Simpson". The Fader. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  12. ^ a b c Martin, Rachel (25 May 2014). "'I Wanna Make Art': Sturgill Simpson's Twisting Path To Nashville". Weekend Edition Sunday. NPR. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  13. ^ a b Rose, Charlie (13 October 2016). "Sturgill Simpson - Charlie Rose". Charlie Rose.
  14. ^ a b Maron, Marc (12 May 2016). "Episode 706 - Sturgill Simpson / John C. Reilly". WTF with Marc Maron Podcast. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  15. ^ a b Tunis, Walter (30 May 2013). "Kentucky native Sturgill Simpson took long road, and railroad, to Nashville". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  16. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sturgill Simpson biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  17. ^ a b Dougherty, Steve (6 May 2014). "Sturgill Simpson Sings Country Metaphysics". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  18. ^ Hughes, Rob (March 2014). ""Sturgill Simpson"". Uncut (202): 83.
  19. ^ a b Cooper, Duncan (12 May 2014). "GEN F: Sturgill Simpson, the Cosmic Cowboy of the Digital Age Read". The Fader. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  20. ^ "Loose | New Loose Signing: Sturgill Simpson!". loosemusic.com. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  21. ^ "Loose | Sturgill Simpson's High Top Mountain, out today!". loosemusic.com. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  22. ^ Inman, Davis (26 April 2013). "Sturgill Simpson: Man Of The Hour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  23. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "High Top Mountain". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  24. ^ Ernst, Erik (11 June 2013). "CD reviews: Jason Isbell, Alison Moyet, Walter Trout, Sturgill Simpson". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  25. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (16 May 2014). "Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  26. ^ Caramanica, Jon (14 May 2014). "A Country Lament Sinks Into Despair: Sturgill Simpson's 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music'". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  27. ^ Keohane, Joe (1 May 2014). "The Best, Darkest, Weirdest Country Record of the Year". Esquire. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  28. ^ Dauphin, Chuck (16 May 2014). "Sturgill Simpson Shuns 'Tailgating and Spring Breaks' on New Album". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  29. ^ Rowland, Sarah (20 February 2014). "Song Premiere: Sturgill Simpson – "Living The Dream"". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  30. ^ Powers, Ann (17 April 2014). "God, Drugs And Lizard Aliens: Yep, It's Country Music". NPR.
  31. ^ Trageser, Stephen (23 July 2014). "Mystic Mind: A Q&A with Sturgill Simpson". American Songwriter. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  32. ^ Caramanica, Jon (11 December 2014). "Jon Caramanica's Top 10 Albums of 2014". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  33. ^ Chinen, Nate (11 December 2014). "Nate Chinen's Top Albums of 2014, With Beyoncé, Fred Hersch Trio and More". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  34. ^ "American Songwriter's Top 50 Albums of 2014: Presented by D'Addario". American Songwriter. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  35. ^ Hudak, Joseph (15 July 2014). "Sturgill Simpson Makes 'Letterman' Debut: Kentucky singer-songwriter wows Dave with "Life of Sin"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  36. ^ "Watch Sturgill Simpson Live the 'Dream' With Conan O'Brien". Rolling Stone. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  37. ^ Hudak, Joseph (29 October 2014). "Sturgill Simpson Explores Space and Time with 'Turtles' Performance on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  38. ^ Moss, Marissa R. (11 December 2014). "Watch Sturgill Simpson Perform a Lost Eighties Hit on 'Seth Meyers'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  39. ^ Moss, Marissa R. (13 February 2015). "Watch Sturgill Simpson Reincarnate 'Long White Line' on 'Letterman'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  40. ^ "Watch Sturgill Simpson 'Just Let Go' With Super-Sized Band on 'Conan'". Rolling Stone. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  41. ^ "Willie Nelson 2014 - 12/30". Austin City Limits Live. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  42. ^ Vinson, Christina (4 September 2015). "Merle Haggard Praises Sturgill Simpson, Calls Modern Country Music 'Crap'". The Boot. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  43. ^ Trigger (16 May 2014). "Where Does Sturgill Simpson Go From Here?". Saving Country Music. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  44. ^ "Sturgill Simpson Featured on HBO's "The Leftovers"". Saving Country Music. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  45. ^ a b McCarthy, Amy (9 March 2016). "Sturgill Simpson Hasn't Betrayed Country Music Because He Never Was A Country Artist". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  46. ^ Allers, Hannahlee (6 July 2015). "Sturgill Simpson Signs With Downtown Music Publishing". The Boot. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  47. ^ a b Hudak, Joseph (21 March 2016). "Sturgill Simpson on Staying Country, Covering Nirvana on New Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  48. ^ a b Boilen, Bob (4 March 2016). "Hear Thrilling New Music From Sturgill Simpson". NPR All Songs Considered. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  49. ^ Cooper, Duncan (18 September 2014). "Another Country: An Estonian Guitarist Sets Country Music Ablaze". Fader. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  50. ^ "Who is Sturgill Simpson's new Bass Player". theGearPage.net. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  51. ^ Lore, Mark (21 May 2014). "Sturgill Simpson: Metamodern Sounds In Country Music Review". Paste. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  52. ^ Hyden, Steven (30 April 2014). "The New-Age Outlaw Country of Lydia Loveless and Sturgill Simpson". Grantland. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  53. ^ Hudak, Joseph (3 June 2014). "Is Sturgill Simpson Country Music's Savior? Not If He Can Help It". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  54. ^ Leahey, Andrew (31 July 2015). "5 Things We Learned From Sturgill Simpson's Interview With Foos Guitarist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  55. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (16 May 2014). "Sturgill Simpson Puts a Metamodern Spin on Country Music". Country Music Television. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  56. ^ Abramson, Seth (14 August 2014). "METAMERICANA: Outlaw Country Goes Psychedelic: An Interview with Sturgill Simpson on His Music Videos". Indiewire. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  57. ^ Barker, Brian (July 2014). "Simpson gets metamodern". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  58. ^ "Sturgill Simpson & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  59. ^ "Sturgill Simpson Album & Song Chart History – Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  60. ^ "High Top Mountain charts and awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  61. ^ "Sturgill Simpson & Song Chart History – Independent Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  62. ^ "Sturgill Simpson & Song Chart History – Canadian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  63. ^ "Discography Sturgill Simpson". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  64. ^ "Sturgill Simpson" (select "Albums" tab). Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  65. ^ Bjorke, Matt (23 July 2014). "Country Album Sales Report: July 23, 2014". Roughstock. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  66. ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 24, 2016). "Sturgill Simpson and Santana Debut in Top 10 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2016. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  67. ^ Bjorke, Matt (September 27, 2016). "Country Album Sales Chart: September 22, 2016". Roughstock.
  68. ^ "Sturgill Simpson & Song Chart History – Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
  69. ^ "Billboard: Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  70. ^ "Billboard: Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  71. ^ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014.
  72. ^ Larson, Jeremy D. (13 April 2016). "REview: Sturgill Simpson Preps a Son of a Sailor on 'A Sailor's Guide to Earth'". Spin. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  73. ^ "Video--Railroad of Sin". Indiewire. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  74. ^ "Sturgill Simpson's Interdimensional 'Turtles All the Way Down' Is Psychedelic as Hell [Fresh Vid]". Nashville Scene. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  75. ^ Leahey, Andrew (10 March 2016). "Watch Sturgill Simpson's Surreal 'Brace for Impact' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  76. ^ "Jason Isbell Sweeps, Sturgill Simpson Wins Big at Americana Awards". Billboard. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2016. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  77. ^ a b Stefano, Angela (17 September 2015). "Lucinda Williams, Sturgill Simpson Earn Major Honors at 2015 Americana Music Awards". The Boot. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
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