Sturgill Simpson Cancels Shows Due to Voice, Tyler Childers Fills In

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***UPDATE: Sturgill Simpson Cancels Webster Hall and Ryman Residencies
Many Sturgill Simpson fans in Charlotte, North Carolina and beyond are still disappointed after it was announced last minute and right before his set time that Sturgill Simpson would not be appearing. Simpson was scheduled to perform on September 19th at the PNC Music Pavilion as part of the Willie Nelson-led Outlaw Festival, but his appearance was cancelled due to a vocal issue.
Simpson had performed the three consecutive nights before also on Outlaw Fest dates, with fans in Raleigh, North Carolina reporting no problems. Many attendees of the Charlotte event were there to see Sturgill Simpson specifically or especially, but since it was a package show and the other artists performed, there was no opportunity for a refund. And since the cancellation was so abrupt, there was no opportunity to find a fill-in act.
That will not be the case Wednesday night (9-22) in Alpharetta, GA at Ameris Bank Amphitheater. It was announced late Tuesday night that Sturgill Simpson would not be performing again, but Tyler Childers has been tapped last minute for fill-in duty, which should satisfy many fans. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Kathleen Edwards will also perform along with Willie Nelson.
UPDATE: Late Wednesday evening (9-22), Sturgill Simpson announced on Instagram that he will also not be performing Friday, September 24th Outlaw Festival date in Columbia, MD at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, or at Farm Aid September 25th in Hartford, Connecticut. His residency at Webster Hall in New York from September 28th to October 2nd is still on for the moment.
Tyler Childers will also fill in for Sturgill Simpson in Maryland on Friday, September 24th as part of the Outlaw Festival.
“Been four days still no better..hoping just viral laryngitis or inhaling treated wood from backstage campfire at Merlefest or something equally stupid and not actual injury to vocal chords for playing too many shows in a row after not singing much for over 18 months,” Sturgill said.
“Everything went to shit in Charlotte. Woke up completely hoarse. Tried all day make it work but 7:30pm clear it wasn’t happening. Not sure why it took an hour to announce..I guess the venue wanted to sell more beer. Woulda walked out in Charlotte and told ya myself but sorta couldn’t talk. Either way, Very sorry Charlotte. Very sorry Atlanta. Very sorry Maryland. Very sorry Farm Aid. Thank you Tyler for stepping up. I’ll get my money back from you in a poker game.”
During recent dates, Sturgill Simpson has been performing in an acoustic bluegrass setup, reprising tracks from his recent Cuttin’ Grass series of records, as well as the acoustic album The Ballad of Dood and Juanita released on August 20th.
In other vocal rest news, Mike Harmeier of Mike and the Moonpies has also been placed on vocal rest, and the band will missed their scheduled AmericanaFest appearances this week. The plan to resume touring October 2nd at Gruene Hall.
September 22, 2021 @ 5:44 pm
That festival just got a little better.
September 24, 2021 @ 11:30 am
How predictable.
September 22, 2021 @ 5:47 pm
I saw Mike and the Moonpies last Thursday in Hendersonville NC and his voice was sounding about gone then. He said touring for the new record was taking its toll on his vocal cords. He still sounded great. It was my first time seeing them and they blew me away. 2nd best live show I’ve ever been to and turned me into an instant fan. And to top it off it was a free show. And I got my picture with Omar! Can’t beat it
September 22, 2021 @ 5:53 pm
We saw Sturgill in Va Beach and Raleigh on the Outlaw Fest tour last weekend. The Va Beach show he was super chatty and the most comfortable I’ve ever seen him (almost playful with the crowd). He told stories about being station there and joked with the crowd. In Raleigh he seemed irritated, even asking the crowd if they were “still with him.” He skipped the Willie encore at Raleigh after being a participant in Va Beach.
Va Beach was a much rowdier, louder, bigger crowd.
A fit and trim Tyler Childers was part of the Va Beach show. I’m excited about this new incarnation of Childers (even if I never hear Whitehouse Road or Feathered Indians again). His voice was strong and he worked the stage like a fire and brimstone preacher and although at times he was visibly favoring his shoulder, he was dancing! He closed with an acoustic, “Nose on the Grindstone” that sent chills.
I’m also ok if Sturgill stays in the bluegrass genre forever.
Willie sitting down is also a good thing. If it’s his lungs or his inability to hold Trigger, sitting added a few more songs to the playlist and enhanced his guitar playing.
We were originally doing Raleigh and Charolette, then added the Va Beach show when Tyler was added to it. We didn’t make it to Charolette and I swear we weren’t partying with Sturgill after those shows sidelining him.
September 22, 2021 @ 7:30 pm
Thanks for the field report!
September 23, 2021 @ 1:15 am
I didn’t get that vibe in Raleigh from Sturgill, but then if you saw him back to back I could see it seeming that way. He joked some in Raleigh as well with asking people in the lawn if they were out there circle jerking on the blankets and I think the statement you said was in jest. But then again if he was super chatty the night before and not as much in Raleigh I get it.
September 23, 2021 @ 7:10 am
In retrospect and with today’s news that Sturgill dropped out of Farm Aid, he more than likely woke up Saturday with issues and was preserving his voice for singing and less talking. I couldn’t tell any difference in the quality of his singing voice from Friday to Saturday though.
I wondered if many people from Raleigh went to the Va Beach show when Tyler Childers was added and made a weekend of it up there. Because the difference in the crowd – size and rowdiness – was very noticeable.
September 23, 2021 @ 6:45 am
As someone who bought tickets and went to the Charlotte show specifically to see strugill (skipped Margo price entirely and only saw half of govt mules set) yeah this was really disappointing. Would have been great to get Tyler Childers that night but so it goes.
It was cool though that willie Nelson performed a longer set than usual to make up for it. Which is a pretty neat considering both that he’s willie Nelson and so obviously limited at 88. That he gave extra effort for us was really neat when that was clearly a big ask for him. Plus I’m sure that’s the last time I will ever get to see him perform.
I do hope I get to see sturgill at some point.
September 23, 2021 @ 7:04 am
I’m going 9/24 in Columbia. Do we know if Tyler Childers will continue to fill in? I can be as happy with that lineup as the original. Love both guys.
September 23, 2021 @ 7:43 am
I THINK Tyler is going to fill in, but still waiting for bulletproof confirmation.
September 23, 2021 @ 11:21 am
It’s just been made official … Columbia getting Childers!
September 23, 2021 @ 7:11 am
Any word on a fill-in for Friday in Maryland?
September 23, 2021 @ 7:43 am
I THINK Tyler is going to fill in, but still waiting for bulletproof confirmation.
September 23, 2021 @ 11:42 am
With all these fill ins, that’s going to be one hell of a poker game
September 23, 2021 @ 11:33 am
The story now is Childers’ Healing Appalachia 2-day benefit concert has been canceled due to the soaring COVID cases in WV. Also, WV Bridge Days was just canceled for the same reasons. There aren’t enough hospital beds vacant to help anyone with broken bones or other illnesses or accidents associated with large gatherings.
Childers is able to fill-in for Sturgill at Columbia’s Outlaw Fest and Farm Aid due to the cancellation of Healing Appalachia.
September 23, 2021 @ 11:36 am
https://healingappalachia.org/
A similar statement was issued this morning for WV Bridge Days.
COVID is still real and wrecking plans and lives.
September 23, 2021 @ 11:47 am
Feel bad for Healing Appalachia, but it’s probably the best move. Almost pointed my nose there as an alternative to AmericanaFest. Hopefully they can reschedule. They had a killer lineup.
September 23, 2021 @ 12:13 pm
One correction: Tyler was always part of the Farm Aid lineup. That’s why he was closing down Healing Appalachia Friday night, not Saturday.
Columbia, MD benefits from the spiking COVID cases in WV.
If you come to Healing Appalachia next year, let me know. We live 3 hours from the fairgrounds, so we can’t put you up, but I’ll buy your meals both nights!
September 23, 2021 @ 12:17 pm
When can we expect the inaugural Saving Country Music Festival? I can only assume it’d be a solid line up.
September 30, 2021 @ 7:06 am
You know what wrecks lives and plans?
Daily death.
Yet every day people still live and work. At least, before we let the pandemic terrify us.
September 30, 2021 @ 7:56 am
And we have a scientifically proven vaccination to help prevent one kind of death. So what’s your damn point? The issue with the virus is its very contagious. Nothing else is so easily contagious that causes death.
September 30, 2021 @ 8:01 am
People like you talk a tuff game until you contract COVID. Then you are on a respirator crying “why didn’t I get vaccinated?” We see it every damn day.
September 24, 2021 @ 11:33 am
I hope Sturgill gets this bluegrass out of his system and gets back to rockin’ out soon.
September 24, 2021 @ 3:01 pm
Whole tour cancelled. I wish him recovery from what ever is ailing him. Must be serious.
September 24, 2021 @ 7:28 pm
As someone who was at the Charlotte show and bought the tickets to mostly see Warren and Sturgill, it was a huge disappointment. Glad these other towns get to see Tyler, I would have lost my mind in excitement to have Tyler, but paying hundreds of dollars for good seats, we feel like we got screwed with no replacement. It’s been almost two years since we saw good music…just bummed.