STURGILL SIMPSON

Musician & Grammy Award winner – Best Country Album

Sturgill Simpson has left a permanent mark on the fabric of country music through his brutally direct and sometimes somber albums.

Born and raised in Jackson, Kentucky as the son of a coal miner, his family has a long history of working in the mines. As the first man in his family not to pursue that same career path, a significant portion of his music is dedicated to the economic devastation that Eastern Kentuckians have faced since the decline of coal mining.

When he finished high school he joined the military, an opportunity that would send him across the world. As his worldview broadened, he decided to leave the military after witnessing the abject poverty in Southeast Asia. Drifting from the Pacific Northwest and then back to Kentucky, he began to take his musical expression more seriously. Integrating generic elements of bluegrass and outlaw country, he made a name for himself by the early 2010s. 

Even though his first album would not generate as much critical or commercial attention, his second album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music would enter mainstream country circuits and elevate his name. His career has only gained momentum since then, releasing A Sailor’s Guide to Earth in 2016. In 2019, he released the album Sound and Fury, which carried a companion anime film on Netflix.

In 2020, he released two albums: Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions and Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions to critical and commercial success.

Check out our blog Modern Outlaws: Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers Move to the World Stage.