American actor and singer-songwriter John Sturgill Simpson specializes in country music. He has four extremely successful solo albums to his credit and has created numerous well-known country songs. The albums of Simpson have achieved popularity both domestically and internationally.
Many people consider him to be a breath of new air in the American country music landscape and someone who has brought the dying genre back to life. Although there have been rumors that he will turn away from country music, he has always remained committed to the style as long as he is writing songs.
American singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson is renowned for his unique fusion of country, rock, and Americana music. He has a devoted fanbase; thanks to his distinctive voice and profound lyrics.
Sturgill Simpson’s music frequently pushes the limits of conventional country music while examining complex and philosophical issues. His CDs have received praise from critics for being honest and unique.
If you’re looking for a new spin on the country and Americana genres, check out his discography.
Family and Early Life
On June 8, 1978, Sturgill Simpson was born in Jackson, Kentucky. Every man in the family worked as a coal miner. His mother also worked as a coal miner but later she became a musician. Simpson’s father was a drug investigative agent for the Kentucky State Police who operated secretly.
Simpson attended Woodford County High School. When his parents separated, he was in the seventh grade. He experienced a hard period. In addition, for a brief period, he sold and used narcotics while attending high school.
Right after graduating, he joined the US Navy. He served in the Navy for three years and had been posted aboard an aircraft carrier for a period.
Though he was never forced into battle, he did spend several days camped out in various ports with the prospect of engaging in combat at any moment.
In 2010, Sarah Simpson and Sturgill Simpson got married; they now have three kids. Since “Sunday Valley” his band broke up, he has been living in Nashville.
Musical Career
Sturgill Simpson used to create songs and had an endless love for music. Along with a few friends, he founded the band Sunday Valley in 2004.
The band used to perform both rock and country songs. They appeared at nearby events for a little time.
Simpson temporarily stopped playing music. He accepted a position in the Salt Lake City rail freight yard and eventually rose to the position of manager for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Simpson decided to start making music again after being urged by his wife and friends. He re-joined the group in which he had previously performed on guitar and as a vocalist.
The group played at small local venues, went on several tours, and subsequently issued an album. Simpson, however, decided to pursue a solo musical career after the band broke up in 2012.
On June 11, 2013, Simpson released his self-financed debut record, “High Top Mountain,” which was created by Dave Cobb. The 12-track CD included a couple of songs by Steven Fromholz, Ralph Stanley, and Ray Cline. On Billboard’s US Heat Seekers Albums chart, the album reached number 11.
Life Ain’t Fair and the World is Mean’ is one of Simpson’s most well-known songs. Simpson started adding his twists to country music, and his style quickly gained enormous popularity.
He was praised for taking an unconventional approach to classic country music on his second album, “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.” It was among the top 10 country songs on The Billboard charts and sold over 228 thousand copies in the US.
In April 2016, ‘A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,’ his third album, was released. The album was widely praised and peaked at the top of the Billboard charts for US Rock, US Folk, and US Country music. The record received several honors, including the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Acting Career
- In his career, Simpson has also acted in feature films. He made his starring debut in the independent movie Orca Park in 2011. He also appeared in the 2018 short film Black Hog Gut.
- The same year, he landed his first significant role by playing Ken Fry, a laid-off steel mill worker who sells stolen items, in many episodes of the CBS All Access television series One Dollar.
- In Jim Jarmusch’s 2019 horror-comedy film The Dead Don’t Die, he also played the role of “Sturgill Zombie” and composed and sang the theme song.
- He then made an appearance in the film Queen & Slim as a police officer who is murdered during a battle with one of the characters, and in the horror film The Hunt in 2020. In the drama picture Materna that same year, Simpson played a supporting part.
- Simpson played Henry Grammer, a bootlegger who participated in the Osage Indian killings, in Martin Scorsese’s epic Western crime thriller Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), which was cast in 2021.
- On April 6, 2021, it was revealed that Jason Isbell, another well-known country artist, will be joining Simpson in the movie.
- In a 2020 interview, Simpson revealed that he was working on both a script on his time in the Navy and a “punk rock” remake of the 1981 movie An American Werewolf in London. Simpson has also shown an interest in scripting.
- In response to a question about his acting, Simpson stated that he did not view himself as an actor, but rather as “just a creative person seeking expression wherever that may come from.”
Awards Won by Simpson
Let’s talk about the awards won by Sturgill Sampson.
| Year | Category | Work | Result |
| 2014 | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | Himself | Won |
| 2015 | Best Americana Album | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | Nominated |
| 2017 | International Artist of the Year | Himself | Won |
| 2021 | Best Rock Album | SOUND & FURY | Nominated |
| 2022 | Best Country Album | The Ballad of Dood & Juanita | Nominated |
List of Songs by Sturgill Simpson
Here’s the list of some songs sung by Simpson.
| Song Name | Album | Releasing Year |
| You Can Have the Crown | High Top Mountain | 2013 |
| Long White Line | Turtles Down | 2014 |
| Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean | Top High Mountain | 2013 |
| Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | 2014 |
| I Don’t Mind | Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions | 2020 |
| All Around You | A Sailor’s Guide to Earth | 2016 |
| Living The Dream | Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | 2014 |
| Sam | The Ballad of Dood and Juanita | 2021 |
| Remember to Breathe | Sound & Fury | 2019 |
| Life of Sin | Meta Modern Sounds in Country Music | 2014 |
| Sing Along | Sound & Fury | 2019 |
| Water in a Well | High Top Mountain | 2013 |
| A Good Look | Sound & Fury | 2019 |
| Oh Sarah | A Sailor’s Guide to Earth | 2016 |
| Paradise | Paradise | 2021 |
Conclusion
- The overall sound of Simpson was characterized by Indie wire as “a mesmerizing sometimes puzzling blend of traditional rural sounds, current philosophy, and trippy recording-studio magic.
- Waylon Jennings and the outlaw country genre of country music are two more comparisons that Simpson frequently draws attention to.
- Simpson added his twists to country music, and his style quickly gained enormous popularity.
- He was praised for taking an unconventional approach to classic country music.
- Strings, horns, and keyboards have all been often used by Simpson in his compositions, giving them a depth and texture that sets them apart from other country music.
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