Sturgill Simpson to Release “High Top Mountain” June 11th
Eastern Kentucky’s Sturgill Simpson will be releasing his long-awaited debut solo album High Top Mountain on June 11th, via Thirty Tigers. Comprised of 12 tracks, 10 of which were written by Sturgill, the album’s songs “…range from furious honky-tonk to pre-outlaw country rocking to spellbinding bluegrass pickin’ to emotional balladry, making the album a one-stop guide to everything genuine in country music.”
“I’ve waited so long I don’t even know what to say…” Sturgill conveys to his fans who’ve been waiting since his last band Sunday Valley dissolved to hear new material. “I’d like to say thank you to all the folks that have always been there and always will be for your unconditional support. I love you.”
Sturgill will also be touring in April with Dwight Yoakam and Junior Brown. See dates below.
High Top Mountain is currently available for pre-order in both CD form and limited-edition vinyl. And if you pre-order, you receive an immediate digital copy of the album through Bandcamp. You can also listen to the entire album below.
Pre-Order Sturgill Simpson’s High Top Mountain
Sturgill Simpson – vocals, acoustic guitar, Telecaster
Hargus “Pig” Robbins – piano
Chris Powell – drums
Robby Turner – steel guitar, bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
Brian “Freedom Eagle Bear” Allen – bass (tracks 4, 6, 9, 11, 12)
Bobby “Diamond Bob” Emmett – organ, Mellotron
Leroy Powell – steel guitar (tracks 6, 9), backing vocals (track 6)
Dave Cobb – 12 string electric guitar (track 7)
Produced by Dave Cobb
Engineered by Vance Powell
Assistant Engineered by Jason Mott
Mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound – Nashville, TN
Mastering by Richard Dodd
Songs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 recorded at FALLING ROCK – Nashville, TN
(Songs #6 & #9 recorded at HILLBILLY CENTRAL – Nashville, TN)
March 26, 2013 @ 12:44 pm
Holy shit. I’m floored. I’m 3 songs in, and this is the best damn country record I’ve heard in a very long time.
March 26, 2013 @ 1:07 pm
Wow. Excellent opportunity opening for Dwight Yoakam and then Junior Brown.
I saw hime on the Birchmere calendar (Alexandria, VA in DC area) opening for Junior Brown on 4/26. A Birchmere crowd is typically quite good about giving the opening act a chance.
March 26, 2013 @ 1:34 pm
I have feeling we need to leave a spot on the Greatest Country Albums of All Time List open for this record.
March 26, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
I was just thinking that. It’s still a little fresh on the brain, but damn if this thing isn’t making a huge impact on me already.
March 26, 2013 @ 1:50 pm
This one’s sure to be high on everyone’s albums of the year lists. Awesome!
March 26, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
I’ve been eagerly waiting on new material from Sturgill ever since I found out Sunday Valley broke up last year, and I’ll be damned if he didn’t deliver.
March 26, 2013 @ 3:39 pm
Great ! I was looking for this record since long time, And I’m sure it’s gonna be a great LP.
March 26, 2013 @ 4:59 pm
FUCK. YES.
Really enjoying this, thank you Sturgill Simpson! I like the production as well, not sure about the studios/producers mentioned (& honestly don’t know much about that end of things) but it sounds like it could have been recorded back in the day / using analog equipment maybe? Noticed that with some of the more acoustic / less-rocking Leroy Powell songs on his new album as well (& liked it on there too)
It also could be these shitty computer speakers I’m listening to it on……
Either way it’s badass! Well done kind sir!
March 26, 2013 @ 5:56 pm
This is awesome. The excitement I get when listening to this I haven’t had since I heard the .357 String Band’s Ghost Town album the first time. I remember thinking then, holy crap where have these boys been hiding and I need to hear more. Well that is exactly what I get from Sturgill Simpson’s music man. Music like his is needed and long overdue! My 12 month old son started dancing the minute he heard the music and it never ceases to amaze me how powerful music is when I see it have an effect on a 12 mth old.. Great stuff!
March 26, 2013 @ 8:10 pm
I’ve become a huge Sturgill Simpson fan and have been looking forward to this for awhile, It’s living up to everything I hoped it would be, it’ll still be playing in my car a month from now. But I must say maybe because I played the ever living hell out of the YouTube video of life ain’t fair, but I was kinda bummed to hear the words get changed around my favorite lines got removed, but that being said if I never saw the YouTube video I would love the song it’s still great. Still a great gift to receive today. Thank you Trig for turning me on to Sunday Valley first I owe a lot of great music finds to this site
March 27, 2013 @ 9:29 am
Artists like Sturgill Simpson make my job easy. Just sit back and let the music speak for itself. It may make me look like a genius for being ahead of the curve on him, but the real genius is Sturgill.
March 27, 2013 @ 2:50 am
After few listening I’m not disapointed. I just regret (a little bit) that there no rocky tracks (like the first one even if I know it’s a new band). But overall it’s a quite enjoyable country record.
What a great year for the music ! After Sturgill Simpson and Clutch, I’m waiting for Jayke orvis Bless this mess, the Goddam Gallows and Hank III.
March 27, 2013 @ 9:31 am
I think the lack of rock tracks was on purpose. I think Sturgill wanted to separate himself from the Sunday Valley days to prove this is something completely different. He may get back to that someday. But right now it’s all about doing country the right way.
March 27, 2013 @ 6:14 am
This record is awesome front to back! just one complaint, is it just me or is the youtube video from music fog for life aint fair a whole lot better than this version? maybe before the cd comes out he will put both versions on it
March 27, 2013 @ 9:36 am
I made a similar observation when reviewing the song a while back.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/sturgill-simpsons-life-aint-fair-the-world-is-mean
I was concerned this was a bell weather about the direction of this entire album, that maybe they would shave the edges off the music to try to make it more palatable to a wider audience. After listening to this a few times, I think those concerns were unwarranted. I think it’s pretty common when your brain gets used to a song one way to hear a different version, especially when it is still very similar and from the same artist. To a fresh brain, it will probably sound like the original version did to the rest of us the first time.
March 27, 2013 @ 11:06 am
Don’t get me wrong it’s not bad, and I like it in a different way as well, it’s such a strong song he could have a screaming baby in the background and I’d still probably enjoy it, guess I just liked it slower with the smoother riffs.
March 27, 2013 @ 6:26 am
I have been pumped for this album to come out! Ever since you brought this guy to my attention I have been following his work. I swear everything this guy touches is gold so far. He has such an awesome soulful voice for the ballads and the slick guitar work for the toe tappin’ barn burners. I recommend everyone to get this album and his last one with Sunday Valley!
March 27, 2013 @ 6:28 am
No doubt! I did the preorder/download yesterday, and I’l already listened to the album several times all the way through. It is outstanding, start to finish. Great songs, great musicianship, great arrangements, and Sturgill’s vocals are spectacularly soulful. This is exactly the kind of music that country needs- strong roots, but completely fresh sounding. EXCELLENT!
March 27, 2013 @ 7:26 am
“strong roots, but completely fresh sounding. ”
I couldn’t have said it better..
March 27, 2013 @ 8:03 am
I have to be honest, I’d been fired up about this record coming out until I saw the YouTube video for Poor Rambler late last year. I know it was a cell phone video so a few notes may have been lost but there were a few times it sounded like the tele player was disconnected from the rest of the band. After listening to this 100 times since yesterday afternoon I’m fired up again. With this record, having Dwight’s manager, and warming up for Dwight and Junior…he’s about to get big. If Mumford was the new millenium’s equivalent of Nirvana’s Nevermind, this is Pearl Jam’s Ten…minus the douche bag whiny singer.
March 27, 2013 @ 8:35 am
Thank you again Trigger for introducing to me yet another country artist I have never heard of but must own his album soon. Since discovering your website I think I have spent way too much money on albums than I should have but it’s hard not to spend the money when the music is so damn good. Thank you again.
March 27, 2013 @ 11:25 am
I have been looking forward to this album for a long time. I downloaded it and twice gave it a listen. So far, it has not disappointed. I really like the guitar sound. Reminds me of classic honky tonk…
March 27, 2013 @ 6:07 pm
I get paid on Friday and this is one of 2 albums I’m preordering. Sturgill Simpson is amazing. And Life Ain’t Fair is one of my favorite songs ever.
March 28, 2013 @ 2:20 am
Strurgill Simpson really is the dude…
March 28, 2013 @ 10:37 am
Heard about him through friends and ordered/downloaded last night. Really good stuff…
March 28, 2013 @ 11:22 am
Hell yeah! Another East Kentucky boy, right there in the same vein as Whitley, Yoakam, Skaggs, Stapleton………shall I go on?
March 28, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
I have to thank you Trigger for so many great recommendations over the past couple of years. This is another great one. I jumped all over the vinyl pre-order after hearing a few tracks…just awesome. 2013 just may be shaping up as the year country makes a comeback from pop-rap country hell. Probably not, but I am sure finding a bunch of great releases so far this year from Holly Williams to Emmylou and Rodney to Fifth on the Floor and now Strugill Simpson. Lots of damn fine albums already!
March 28, 2013 @ 8:49 pm
What an awesome album. I’ve been waiting on this thing to be released for a while now. Not a bad tune on this thing. I agree with most of y’all about life ain’t fair, I like the music fog version better, but its still an awesome tune. Track 5 sounds to me so much like a Waylon song, sounds like ol’ hoss himself on the tele. I can’t thank you enough trigger for introducing me to Sturgill Simpson. Definitely one of my favorites.
March 29, 2013 @ 2:28 am
on the tour dates the 4/7 show with Dwight Yoakam is Springfield IL not OH i have the day off and plan on going to go see Dwight this makes me want to go more knowing how great the opening act is going to be
March 29, 2013 @ 7:57 am
So fucking pissed. Been on the road all week and won’t be able to get my download until I get home tomorrow.
March 29, 2013 @ 3:06 pm
Not much to say here that hasn’t already been said…..pre ordered and downloaded it last night, listened to it 3 times through at work today and in all honesty Trig you might as well just name it album of the year for 2013……no way in hell this one can be topped.
and just a side note…I (and I imagine along with many of your readers) was turned onto Sturgill through your site here. THANK YOU for doing what you do my man!!!!!!
March 30, 2013 @ 11:09 am
My album of the year! Dang!!
March 30, 2013 @ 8:12 pm
I think I’ll buy the album just to support Sturgill in his quest to write another song as great as “you can have the crown”.
March 31, 2013 @ 9:04 am
He will still be “trying to figure what the hell rhymes with bronco”- hell yes!
April 1, 2013 @ 2:06 pm
Discovering new music like this is the reason I read this site three times a week. Where the hell else am I going to hear about guys like Sturgill Simpson? Sure as hell not the radio.
April 5, 2013 @ 1:04 pm
I checked him out and liked what I heard
April 7, 2013 @ 8:50 am
I just pre-ordered it and got the download now ! one of the best cds of the year. Thanks again Trig for introducing me to another great artist 😀