Sunday Valley Becomes ‘Sturgill Simpson & High Top Mountain Boys’
There’s been a lot of flux in the independent country world over the last few days. The first bombshell was that bass player, de-facto manager, and right hand man of Whitey Morgan for years, Jeremy Mackinder was leaving Whitey’s band The 78’s.
Now Sturgill Simpson, the dynamic force behind the band Sunday Valley, who is on the tail end of completing what Sturgill hopes to be his breakthrough album, has decided to go with a name change to “Sturgill Simpson & The High Top Mountain Boys” out of respect to the side players who are no longer with the band. From Sunday Valley’s Facebook Page:
Welp kids,…Lord knows it’s been a long road with a great many tears of joy and sadness and some very hard lessons learned but I know I speak for all four original members of Sunday Valley when I say we gave it everything we had and then some. Out of respect and honor for Billy, Gerald, & Eddie and the sacrifices we all have made for this thing over the years, I could never under any circumstances feel good about continuing my musical journey under the Sunday Valley name.
There are no words I can think of that would possibly express our love and appreciation for you all and your support over the last 8 years…it means more than you could ever know. New band, new sound, new album coming very soon…as they say, the next chapter is always better, that’s why we turn the page.
“To the wind and on to heaven…”
I would not characterize this as a breakup. The side men of Sunday Valley have been in a state of flux over the last few years. It is always difficult to run under a band name instead of the individual’s name when a band is really one person’s musical vision instead of a collaboration between a group of people like in the traditional band setup. This new name allows the spotlight to be on Sturgill Simpson where it belongs, while also preserving the legacy of the side players that have made up “Sunday Valley” over the years.
The only potential drama here is that all the burgeoning momentum that was building behind the name “Sunday Valley” has to now traverse the sometimes shaky ground of a name change. At the same time, it is better to make the change now instead of after the new album comes out and even more momentum builds behind a doomed band name.
“I am attempting to make what I believe to be the purest, most uncompromising Hard Country album anyone has heard in 30 years,” Sturgill tells Saving Country Music, “And it will be an effort to revitalize the neo-traditional movement spearheaded by two of my idols and fellow Kentuckians (Skaggs & Whitley) back in the 80’s. This record is coming straight from my heart and it is both an effort to pay homage to my family and the music they raised me on as well as my own attempt to return in my heart to a home that no longer exists.”
“High Top Mountain is located near the Kentucky River on Stray Branch in Breathitt County, Kentucky and is home to High Top Cemetery, the final resting place of many past generations of my family.”
Sunday Valley may be gone, but the constant is still Sturgill’s singular talent as a songwriter, performer, and guitar player, and as long as that remains in place, the music will sound great under any name.
April 27, 2012 @ 10:22 am
Well as long as Sturgill is still making music, I’m happy. Sunday Valley became on of my favorite bands a few months ago. Do you know if the guys that were with him at XSXSW will be the High Top Mountain Boys or will it be new guys entirely?
April 27, 2012 @ 10:55 am
Unfortunately I do not know as much about the lineage of the Sunday Valley players as I should, mainly because I’ve only been following them for about 2 years of their 8 year existence. Hopefully someone who knows more will come by and fill us in.
What I can say is that Edgar Purdom III, who was the red-headed drummer for a long time was NOT there when they played XSXSW, which I was surprised about because I believe he was one of the constants in the band for a long time. The new drummer (I apologize, I completely forgot his name) did a great job though. Sunday Valley also had a bass player Gerald Evans, but he had been replaced by Kevin Black by the time I saw them in August at Pickathon in Portland, OR last summer. Kevin the bass player was also at XSXSW.
Sturgill mentions Eddie (Edgar maybe) and Gerald in his statement, but does not mention Kevin Black, so it’s a complete guess, but if anybody is left, it is probably Kevin. Kevin is a real good dude by the way, great player and harmony singer.
April 27, 2012 @ 12:47 pm
I forget their names, but the bassist and drummer I had at Douglas Corner last November were the same as in this video. Nice guys.
April 27, 2012 @ 10:38 am
I would also like to know how many of the new band will include original band members of Sunday Valley. These guys are in my top 3 country bands list for the last 2 years.
April 27, 2012 @ 11:00 am
As far as original members goes, none of them. Eddie, the badass drummer, was the last remaining original member and he is playing in Europe with The Legendary Shackshakers. I don’t know about the most recent bass player though.
April 27, 2012 @ 10:47 am
As much as we were taught at corporate to stay with the branding, I have to admit, when I heard Sturgill and the band at my Nashville gig last year, I was literally struck by something that didn’t really jive with the name. When I first checked them out, I was thinking, hmm, Sunday Valley, this might be a bit too soft. Boy was I wrong! Can’t wait for the new project; long live Sunday Valley as well as the High Top Mountain Boys.
April 27, 2012 @ 11:19 am
I think Sunday Valley meant something very personal just like the new name does. As much as it might drive some of us crazy, these things matter a lot, and Sturgill is smart for paying attention to it and addressing it now instead of later. We all have to appreciate “Sunday Valley” means nothing to 99.5% of people. It will all be new to them once the new album comes out, and hopefully it brings Sturgill the name recognition and wider audience he deserves.
I also have to admit “The High Top Mountain Boys” drove me a little crazy at first. There’s just so many “boys” and “mountain” names out there. But hearing that there’s actually some substance and history and roots to the name, that’s it’s an actual place, makes me feel a lot more comfortable with it.
April 27, 2012 @ 11:01 am
I picked up “To The Wind And On To Heaven” the other day… Are there any other albums available from Sturgill or Sunday Valley available right now? I’m hooked and need to hear more!
April 30, 2012 @ 6:55 am
They had an early record, but i only found it at the shows and sometimes at a few record shops in Lexington, KY. Some of the songs were the same as To The Wind and On To Heaven, but i think they were more raw, Such as Cut the Sails on the new record is more melodic but the old one it was very fast-paced. Its a good record if you can find it. I believe its just self titled. I will miss the original lineup, but I am sure Stu has something great coming soon.
April 27, 2012 @ 11:13 am
I first saw these guys in Lexington well over 6 years ago. Their sound in the video above is much more country (basically Waylon) than the punk infused sound they used to have. I like it though. And isn’t that Eddie in the video? He’s a killer drummer.
April 28, 2012 @ 5:56 am
Very nice. I like Sturgill’s voice. And the band put down a perfect groove for that tune.
The 9 Bullets website just mentioned them the other day.
http://ninebullets.net/archives/sunday-valley-to-the-wind-and-on-to-heaven
April 28, 2012 @ 9:00 am
cant wait to hear this new album.. sturgill simpson is making me proud
id love to get some hard drivin banjo in the the new album…
April 28, 2012 @ 3:58 pm
I had heard a rumor that Sunday was no more, and I had to get the facts, especially after including them in that great “Go Band” post a few days ago. Sure as shit I jump on SCM and its the first thing I see. Best of luck to Sturgill, the old Sunday crew and the new band! I hope they continue to keep this sound alive and cooking. When is the new album due? And is it basically what Sunday has been working on or is that completely scrapped and is Sturg doing something else?
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