Sturgill Simpson: “We’ll Definitely Tour with the Bluegrass.”

Sturgill Simpson gave a rare interview on December 1st with Ricky Ross of BBC Scotland, and addressed what many Sturgill fans have been wondering after he dropped his recent Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 album reprising many of his songs in bluegrass form, which is if he’ll tour behind the record once COVID-19 concerns pass, or if he’ll pick up where he left off with his previous record Sound & Fury, whose tour got cut short with the shutdown.
“When you stopped the tour, you were doing ‘Sound & Fury,’ which is a really big noisy beast. And now you’ve got this,” Ricky Ross said. “It’s one of these Neil Young moments. Does he go down the grunge road? Does he go down the acoustic road? What do yo think might happen next when you go out on the road?”
“I’ll go play whatever gig wants me to come and play. We’ll definitely tour with the bluegrass,” Sturgill said, while also assuring, “This isn’t going to be the last time I pick up an electric guitar, I can promise you that. Or just do both, I don’t know. That would be a fun tour to just go out for four hours every night and do a little bit of both, and have two bands. That sounds pretty amazing to me.”
But as of right now, Simpson has no plans to play any socially distanced shows, or any touring plans for 2021 locked in at all.
“Personally I would have a hard time booking a venue and walking out on stage and singing if I thought there was even a remote chance I might kill somebody. So I’m just letting time and people a lot smarter than me come out with ways to possibly make that happen one day … I think it will happen one day. This too shall pass … When we are able to go back, I’ll probably go on tour for about three or four years straight, because I’ll be so ready to play music. I think it would be a beautiful thing.”
Compared to the frame of mind Sturgill appeared to be in at the beginning of the year when he was angry about his contract with Elektra Records and was rattling cages to get them to cut him loose (which they eventually did), he’s in a much more grateful state these days.
“I like being my own boss. After years of not being that, I definitely appreciate working ’cause I want to, or touring because I want to, or recording the records that I want to make because I feel strongly about it as opposed to ‘maybe the fans will like this’ or ‘we’ll get a #1.’ Really, I’m just grateful. One, to be breathing, Two, for my family, and my wife is pretty dope so I’m trying to get better at not complaining about how good I got it. Things are awesome. I’m getting to make awesome music, I get to control it and own it. What else really can you ask for?”
Cuttin Grass Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) was released on Sturgill’s own High Top Mountain Records distributed by Thirty Tigers, just like his first two solo record. He also confirmed in the Ricky Ross interview that The Butcher Shoppe where Sturgill also once shared office space with John Prine is no more. “This record was the last full album recorded there. They packed it out the following week, so it was kind of bittersweet.”
No word if there will be a Vol. 2, but Sturgill did say, “I’ve got plenty of songs,” and talked about his role as a producer on recent releases by Tyler Childers, Margo Price, and Lucette, along with other topics. The interview can be heard in full by CLICKING HERE. The Sturgill interview is in the 2nd hour.
December 6, 2020 @ 11:43 am
Sturgill talking positive. A year ago, who woulda thunk it? Well, I’m happy he is happy.
December 6, 2020 @ 12:02 pm
The notoriously elusive Vol. 2.
I’d be on board if it was an all-bluegrass tour; I don’t care to sit through one second of Sound & Flurry. It’s been since 2016 since I’ve seen Sturgill in concert and that was the split catalog/ Sailor’s Guide tour.
I’m approaching the one year mark since my last concert – Chris Knight December 29, 2019.
December 7, 2020 @ 1:01 pm
Coming up on year for me on February 1 -long weekend in Nashville. Thursday was Dolly at the Ryman, Friday was Taj Mahal at City Winery and back Saturday for Delbert McClinton. Cuttin Grass has been on heavy rotation while I work from home. It gets better with every listening, I’d travel to see him do it live. The Acoustic show he streamed from the Ryman earlier this year was amazing.
December 7, 2020 @ 1:35 pm
Did you happen to catch Delbert McClinton on Steve Earle’s Sirius radio show last month? Fantastic! He’s still slaying it at 80! That’s awesome you recently got to see him in concert. I’ve been slowly going through his recent catalog (since he fell off my radar) since being on Earle’s show.
December 6, 2020 @ 12:21 pm
I prefer he rocks out. I’m probably in the minority here but the bluegrass stuff kind of bores me although I’m sure I’d enjoy it live in a small venue. Still bummed he had to cancel his Austin show with Tyler in the Spring.
December 6, 2020 @ 12:40 pm
Ricky Ross with the Neil Young comparison. Wow.
I’d love to see a two-set bluegrass/rock show.
December 6, 2020 @ 1:07 pm
Same, be kind of like Hank 3 in a way. Start with one genre and work your way to something different.
Man I miss Hank 3 shows
December 6, 2020 @ 1:50 pm
I saw Shelton 12x from 05-12 and only once stayed through the metal/rock portion of the show. I always intended to stay, but it got rough and the venues really cleared out after the country portion of the shows.
I miss them shows too and still consider him my favorite.
December 6, 2020 @ 2:34 pm
I’m definitely jealous, I only was able to see him one time and you’re right once the country section was done it cleared out. I stayed because I wanted to meet Hank and thought it was awesome he took the time to meet everyone sign whatever you wanted, took pics, and would exchange a few words. Definitely a heck of an experience .
December 6, 2020 @ 4:23 pm
Yes. I saw him a similar number of times in that period. Most of the decent folks were gone by the end of the country portions and what was left was mostly junkies, and little shit weasel bums. It would get extremely rough, in the sense that little geeks with chain wallets and blue hair get “rough.” More than once I saw a dude in Carhartt’s knock the fuck out of some shit weasel. Its amazing to look back to that time period and think that 80% of the people who were in the crowd at the end of the shows have Od’d since then.
December 6, 2020 @ 3:03 pm
i thought the neil comparison was right on the money . neil has flip-flopped around his whole career . many of the fans he made initially (I know ..perhaps an ‘era ” thing ? ) have given up on him for that fact . no one can artistically speaking , be all things to all people ( as witnessed by the diverse nature of the sturgil comments here and on other posts ) . most musicians in the biz can play most kinds or popular roots-centric music ( blues , country , rock , folk , americana , grunge , singer-songwriter etc.. ) . SS and neil and many others are really doing just that ..flip-flopping around in those pools . then you take a guy like james taylor who maintains an ARTISTIC focus and the difference in the quality of the writing and the production and the performances are night and day . sure ..its fun for an artist easily bored to jump around but I think, musically speaking ,picking a lane and striving to become better within that focus is the mark of a true capital ‘A’ Artist as opposed to a recording ‘artist ‘.
December 6, 2020 @ 5:15 pm
I think Neil’s problem is that he pontificated so much about the way things should be in the US when he’s not even from here. I don’t pretend to understand what is going on in Norway and I’m not going to tell Norwegians what they should or shouldn’t do in their own country.
December 6, 2020 @ 5:56 pm
You do realize Neal Young has lived, worked, owned property and paid taxes in the US since 1966 right? I’m pretty sure after spending well over 2/3rds of his life there he has a pretty good idea of what is going on. And he is an American citizen now with all the rights and obligations that brings. But to bring the discussion back to music I get bored listening to the same music constantly and like to move among certain genres so why wouldn’t a musician feel the need to do the same. Variety is a good thing in all things in life.
December 6, 2020 @ 6:44 pm
That means less than nothing to me. He’s not from the United States. He’s a multimillionaire who acquired citizenship by some means. Am I supposed to care what some Chinese oligarch, who bought his citizenship last week through bribery, thinks about the internal politics of my country? Fuck no. My ancestors have been here since before the Revolution. Greeks and Romans were smart enough to withhold voting rights until the third generation. They knew that new interlopers, and their children, likely held foreign loyalties and couldn’t be trusted with making decisions for the nation.
My grandfather and uncle “owned property” in the Bahamas. They never considered themselves Bahamians, nor condescended to actual Bahamians about what should go on there or how they should manage their own affairs. I don’t hate all of Neil Young’s music, but his interference in the internal affairs of my country is galling and appalling.
December 6, 2020 @ 5:52 pm
I couldn’t disagree more. Taylor, et al, are amazing, iconic artists. They also tend to bore me after 3 songs. The most interesting artists, historically and recently have been those that stepped out on a limb armed with nothing but their inspirations and need to express themselves. No expectations from industry or fans involved. It doesn’t always work but it’s always interesting. Sturgill is one of those artists.
December 6, 2020 @ 7:06 pm
”then you take a guy like james taylor who maintains an ARTISTIC focus and the difference in the quality of the writing and the production and the performances are night and day ”
this was the ‘nut ‘ of my point above. like james or not , the man has devoted his artistic life to refining a vision .he almost IS a genre unto himself because of it .he’s the reference point , the mentor , the inspiration for so many writers/artists because he’s devoted to what he does . this is what I , personnaly , appreciate about an artist . they have a vision … a mission . over his career james has also recorded lyrics by the best songwriters who’ve ever lived so that their work isn’t forgotten . in doing so , he’s often cited how inspirational THOSE writers have been to his art . Lord knows how many young singer/songwriters have been inspired by james.
I do appreciate , though , that some singers may get bored and want to stretch out .
December 6, 2020 @ 9:32 pm
I hate the cliche and obviousness of saying this on the Internet, but it was just my opinion. No judgement intended for those that enjoy JT. He was an example.
December 9, 2020 @ 7:44 am
Nicely put, Albert. To your point about JT recording the songs of some of the great songwriters, I’d note that he recorded John Anderson’s Seminole Wind, a genius song if there ever was one, and a song many in JT’s fan base may have never heard. Also note that he wrote a song for George Jones, Bartender’s Blues, which the Possum recorded, and it fits him like a glove.
December 10, 2020 @ 1:17 am
and , of course , james’ latest is a collection of songs from the great american songbook done with reverence and care . listening to the craft lyrically and musically in these recordings really drives home the fact that most newer country and pop lyrics are pretty dreadful
December 6, 2020 @ 1:21 pm
Don’t mean to nitpick too much but I was wondering who the “we” is in the title of this article, since my favorite players are no longer with him and in that sense he’s not really in a ‘band”…and it seems that’s not what he said.
December 6, 2020 @ 1:31 pm
Well, to my ears, what Sturgill said was, “We’ll definitely tour with the bluegrass.” I guess listening back, someone could hear the first word differently. But I think he was just speaking extemporaneously. I wouldn’t say he’s committing to any specific players in any specific band. If he did tour with bluegrass, my guess is he’d try to field the best band he could, with hopefully some of the players on the record, though it may be hard to get all of them.
December 6, 2020 @ 1:49 pm
I haven’t listened to the interview. In the article you quote “I” and in the title you quote “we” for the same sentence. Not a huge issue but they can’t both be right.
December 6, 2020 @ 1:56 pm
Okay then it’s a typo. What Sturgill said was, “We’ll definitely tour with the bluegrass.” At least that’s what I heard.
December 6, 2020 @ 2:07 pm
Don’t forget about Miles. He’ll still be around no matter what.
The rest of the cast probably does change though.
Not sure how much legal tape would be around touring with Bobby and Chuck in 2021, but I really hope he can find a way to take Sierra Hull on the road with him if he does do a Bluegrass tour.
December 6, 2020 @ 2:39 pm
No disrespect to miles, he’s great.
December 6, 2020 @ 1:49 pm
“When we are able to go back, I’ll probably go on tour for about three or four years straight, because I’ll be so ready to play music. I think it would be a beautiful thing.”
Well, as long as Margo shows up to corroborate with him now & then.
The Neil Young reference.
Ugh.
People need to get a life already.
December 7, 2020 @ 7:09 am
“The Neil Young reference. Ugh. People need to get a life already.”
what does that even mean? people can’t reference other people without having a life?
December 7, 2020 @ 1:04 pm
Relax.
December 7, 2020 @ 2:44 pm
a frankie goes to hollywood reference.
ugh.
people need to get a life already.
December 7, 2020 @ 3:11 pm
You lost me on that one.
Why are you so upset?
Seriously, relax. Find something to be happy about.
Trig has all these great reviews. Pick some music that you enjoy listening to.
If Neil trips your trigger, by all means, put him on, & kick back
December 7, 2020 @ 3:19 pm
i am genuinely trying to figure out why someone referencing neil young’s career and making a comparison elicited an ‘ugh, people need to get a life’ response from you. do you think people that like neil young’s music are losers? tbh i’m usually a little tripped up by the free form, stream of consciousness prose you post (see your list to santa below), but this one is baffling.
December 7, 2020 @ 4:30 pm
Let it go
December 6, 2020 @ 1:57 pm
I’m not sure what going on with Sturgill playing live gigs but he’s scheduled for Floyd Fest
https://www.sturgillsimpson.com/tour
That’s currently on his page …Either way I’d go see him Anytime, Anywhere. Rock & Roll or Bluegrass pickin ,whatever makes him happy play it All.
December 6, 2020 @ 4:01 pm
If Sturgill needs any sort of guidance (and he doesn’t), he can consult with Tim O’brien whose Hot Rize band would also plug in for a set under the name “Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers”.
December 6, 2020 @ 4:03 pm
I have said this Im 75 years old and been a Bluegrass fan for years and I am Very impressed with the Cuttin Grass album some of the best Bluegrass drive I have beard in a long time Just keep up the good work Sturgill mabye I will get to see and meet you before I check out ! Great Job ????
December 6, 2020 @ 4:07 pm
Where can I get one of those nifty “Look at me! I can drive a stick!” patches?
December 6, 2020 @ 4:29 pm
It’s a Toyota shifter knob from the 70s / 80s. Cool patch.
https://cruisergear.co/collections/patches
December 6, 2020 @ 7:28 pm
Dear Santa,
I want an
a) Charger, (stick/manual) in lime green, or metallic purple.
b) Mustang, red of course.
c) Audi Sport, in black.
Any of the above will do.
Have been pretty good this year
December 6, 2020 @ 4:14 pm
I’m down for an electrified (rock/country) followed by acoustic set (bluegrass) for Simpson; or vice versa. Now we just need Hank 3 to get back to it and we can have a 10-hr show with two artists bringing their different styles.
December 6, 2020 @ 7:08 pm
…“Personally I would have a hard time booking a venue and walking out on stage and singing if I thought there was even a remote chance I might kill somebody.“….
????Okay, sounds like a good idea. You’re doing the right thing, Sturgy.
December 6, 2020 @ 8:08 pm
Rudy Fooliani was maskless and loving it too about a day ago. Now he’s tits-up in a hospital gown. Keep on being you, Honky. It’s highly entertaining for the rest of us.
December 6, 2020 @ 8:24 pm
Really? I never saw that he was incapacitated. He’s in his mid 70’s, so the Chinese flu could lay him out, just like any other elderly person. Maybe he doesn’t pull through, but the odds are in his favor.
December 6, 2020 @ 11:54 pm
I assume he is laying down with his foot in his mouth. Didn’t mean to imply he is incapacitated just yet, or that he will die. And if this “hoax” of a virus is bad for 70 something year olds, maybe he should have been at home the past month, instead of galavanting around the country, maskless, with his pants around his knees and hair dye oozing down his face? …..All while he embarrasses himself and people who align with him by peddling conspiracy theories.
I wonder if we could get honky to wear a mask if his favorite boy band M(m)idland sold masks with their logo on them? That’s the real question.
December 7, 2020 @ 7:18 am
recently rudy has:
– been duped by borat
– booked four seasons total landscaping
– farted in court
– butt dialed reporters, left voicemails
– wiped boogers all over face on live tv
– lost every fraud court case
– leaked hair dye
– shouted objection at a non-court case
– hired a drunk conspiracy theorist who is now charged with obstruction
– got covid
don the con only hires the best people. the best!
December 6, 2020 @ 8:50 pm
Since we’re not so close to fully safe autonomous cars, or vaccines for all the other shit that goes around every year….I guess he won’t be leaving Sturgshire anytime soon?
December 7, 2020 @ 7:56 am
An average of 90 people die a day in a car accident and we are at 2000+ deaths a day from Covid. Yet you guys still don’t take this seriously.
Don’t you have anything more ridiculous to add on safety hazards; maybe something about pools or maybe you can mention how people drink at shows and alcohol can eventually kill someone. I’m sure your level of stupidity doesn’t stop at what you noted above. There are plenty of other non-logical arguments and false equivalencies you can throw out.
December 7, 2020 @ 7:12 am
i bet you don’t wipe either.
December 7, 2020 @ 8:17 am
Folks, once again I would ask everyone to respect this is a country music website, and please keep their comments off of divisive political subjects that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.
December 7, 2020 @ 8:50 am
I feel of late the comments have actually been constructive again with a lot of good followup and value to your articles. But, Miranda and Strurgill bring the worst out of everyone.
December 7, 2020 @ 9:47 am
A “Miranda Lambert has affair with Sturgill Simpson, leaked text messages reveal they talked shit about Trump” article would be the Wayne Gretzky of comment sections.
December 7, 2020 @ 12:47 pm
Trigger,
I hate Simpson. I always have. You know that.
I believe him to be an imbecile and a detriment to C(c)ountry music. I hate him and his music so much that I actually enjoy mocking him and trolling his fans.
My comment had nothing to do with Giuliani or Trump. Your lefty readers are the ones who veered away from the topic of the article.
December 7, 2020 @ 2:47 pm
you know exactly what you are doing with the parenthetical addition to your handle and you know you did it first. classic projection.
December 7, 2020 @ 5:49 pm
thegenital,
I’ve had that addendum on my handle for weeks, because it’s true, and I’m proud.
You folks, for some reason, are ranting about the President and/or his lawyer.
Instead, why don’t you just change your handle to thegenital (Mask on for safety) ?
Wouldn’t that make more sense than ranting about politicians, if indeed your goal is to get even with me? (Which I might add, is a very strange goal).
December 7, 2020 @ 8:52 am
I love the bluegrass album and would love to hear it live, but I have to admit I would be disappointed to never see the Sound & Fury show. As someone who had tickets before the rest of the show was cancelled, I would love if he resumed the tour and I could see the boys together at one show. But that seems like a long shot for sure.
December 10, 2020 @ 6:32 pm
Was fortunate to see this tour the first week of March. Sturgill absolutely killed it live. I’m not even a particularly big fan of Sound & Fury but it his electric guitar completely blew me away. My wife does not like country music in the slightest and left the show raving.
December 7, 2020 @ 9:01 am
Trigger, some day I would like you to share a brief on how the music business works. It seems so many artist sign a contract when they are a nobody and then when they hit it big they hate the record company that they signed the contract with. I’m not bad mouthing Sturgill but this happens so often. Is it like Robert Johnson at the crossroads, they sell their soul but when it comes time to pay up they realize what they did? Are the contract really that bad for the artist, doesn’t the label do something that helps make them a hit.
December 7, 2020 @ 9:43 am
basically a small band has almost no leverage when signing a record contract because they are so unproven and record labels know this so the deals are almost always completely one-sided. but it’s the best shot for a band being able to “make it” because it is a very industry, so many take the chance. as they progress in their careers it becomes more clear that the label has a lot more control and say in their careers than they thought and that often times there is some creative accounting going on, so they are making less money than they thought. steve albini famously penned this essay which spells a lot of it out: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-problem-with-music
December 7, 2020 @ 11:23 am
Thanks for the reply, I will read the link
December 7, 2020 @ 12:04 pm
An oldie but goodie.
Interesting also to think about this along the lines of Pareto Distribution.
Though I think they’re shit, the labels face that reality and “bank” on the minority of success while the bands are often duped by legal things they don’t understand…they themselves also use a lot of wishful thinking that they’ll be part of that small minority that rakes in the overwhelming majority of the distribution.
Thankfully recent examples prove that business model doesn’t have to have the monopoly much longer, but I’m curious if it will be replaced by anything better. I had wishfully hoped that the internet would bring the price of (sold – not streamed) music down, while paying artists a greater share, and we know how that’s going so far.
December 7, 2020 @ 11:49 am
If an artist comes to Nashville with no clout behind them like Taylor Swift for example, then the record label has the advantage. The artist needs the label to help forge their career. If you have an artist like Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, etc., they can sign major label deals with more leverage because they already have an established fan base and can make demands like better royalties, or owning their own masters.
However, what apparently happened with Sturgill is he had the leverage, and still signed a deal that had him signing away his masters. Nonetheless, the dude got a huge chunk of money to sign which basically set him for life, so he shouldn’t complain too loud. Now he’s back on Thirty Tigers, which allows artists to own their own masters. Why some of these artists leave Thirty Tigers in the first place is beyond me. There’s just an allure to signing with a major.
All that said, I frankly have little sympathy for Sturgill or artists like Taylor Swift. They launched massive careers in music with the help of the industry. They are success stories while 99 out of 100 musicians never get to the point of being able to make a living with it.
December 8, 2020 @ 8:06 pm
I’ve been making the Neil Young comparison for awhile with Sturgill and feel it’s the highest compliment for a musician you could make. Not afraid to take chances and follow their instincts. I like artists who are consistent as well like Cody Jinks or James Taylor as well. It’s all good and we are lucky to have these gems making music for us.