Colter Wall Bass Player, Revered Musician Jason Simpson Has Died

He was the heartbeat of Colter Wall’s backing band The Scary Prairie Boys for over a decade. He was the first member of the band and one of the original people to see Colter Wall’s potential, helping to build Colter into an improbable modern Western music star. He played on numerous Colter Wall records, along with touring and working as one of Colter’s right hand men. As the older guy in the band with gray in his hair and beard, he brought legitimacy to young Colter’s stage presence when he first started out.

But beyond all of this, Jason Simpson was a valued member of the music community in Kentucky. Due to his good standing, he was recently named a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Andy Beshear.

Jason Simpson died on March 23rd according to Colter Wall and Colter’s record label, La Honda Records. “Stood beside me for 10 years, on stage and off. Rest in peace my good friend. You are missed,” Colter stated on social media Tuesday afternoon (3-24).

Jason Simpson started playing bass for Colter Wall in July of 2015, but his music career goes much farther back than that. A native of Kentucky, Simpson graduated from Western Hills High School in Frankfort in 1993, and was playing bass in bars in Lexington and Louisville before he was 18. One of the earliest bands Simpson played in was called Grimmace Peace.

Then Jason Simpson became a founding member of The Mertons with his brother Steve on guitar in 1996. The Frankfort-based alt-country band released multiple albums over their tenure, including Girandole on Blackdog Records in 1999.

Simpson played in other bands and projects over the years, but it was the band John King and the Mud Revival where Jason Simpson was performing when the Colter Wall camp came calling.

Simpson played on the Dave Cobb-produced album Songs of the Plains (2018), as well as when Colter started producing his own albums with Patrick Lyons, including Western Swings & Waltzes (2020), Little Songs (2023), and Colter’s most recent Memories and Empties (2025).

In between Colter Wall gigs, Jason Simpson was also the bass player in the band behind Alyssa & Wayne Brewer since 2023.

Some other members of the Scary Prairie Boys have rotated in and out over the years, but Jason Simpson was the mainstay. On March 11th, Colter Wall released a statement saying,

Myself and the band and the crew are very grateful for the privilege to play music together for you. We thank you for it. The truth is that I am mentally unwell. Despite this, I have pushed myself to continue with touring. As a result my mental health has only further declined.

After discussions with my team, we have decided to cancel the remaining shows and take an indefinite hiatus from live music. Thank you for your understanding and support. Tickets will be refunded automatically from original point of purchase.

Upon the death of Jason Simpson, La Honda Records released a statement, saying,

“Jason Simpson was local to us at La Honda Records. A fellow Kentuckian with a bass guitar and long hair who we knew from around the way. For the last decade he was a part of our crew. We swapped stories, travelled the world together, and saw him keep rhythm on both small and grand stages all over this country. We are deeply saddened to have lost him. Our hearts are with the community of people who lost him too.”

Jason Simpson embodied the selfless side player who doesn’t crave the spotlight, but is essential for bringing the music to life both in the studio, and on the stage. He’s also being remembered as a loving, humble friend.

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No cause of death for Jason Simpson has been revealed. Saving Country Music has reached out to numerous individuals to attempt to confirm Simpson’s age and other details. When this information is available, it will be updated here.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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