Sturgill Simpson Presses 10th Anniversary Edition of “High Top Mountain”

This article has been updated.

Before Metamodern Sounds in Country Music revolutionized country music in the modern context and sent independent country into the stratosphere, before A Sailor’s Guide to Earth won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album and was nominated for Album of the Year right beside Beyonce, Adele, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber, there was Sturgill Simpson’s debut album High Top Mountain.

Produced by Dave Cobb and featuring an all-star cast of players like Hall of Famer “Hargus” Pig Robbins, and the “Man of Steel” Robby Turner, it was Sturgill Simpson’s official debut after moving on from his original band Sunday Valley. For many traditional country fans, High Top Mountain is also the album of choice for them from the Sturgill Simpson catalog.

Sturgill wrote the first 10 songs of the album himself, and then covered Ralph Stanley’s “Poor Rambler,” and “I’d Have to Be Crazy” made famous by Willie Nelson. The album started the momentum the would ultimately lead to Sturgill disrupting the mainstream of country in ways we hadn’t seen in the modern era, and set the table for folks like Tyler Childers, Cody Jinks, and Zach Bryan to enjoy the success they’re having today.

It’s hard to believe, but High Top Mountain was released nearly ten years ago, on June 11th, 2013. To celebrate the achievement, Sturgill Simpson announced a limited edition run of the album featured on translucent black vinyl, with a re-imagined cover with a black background. Lo and behold, it sold out virtually immediately.

But you’re in luck. It appears they replenished supplies, and it is now available for pre-order once again. Also Vinyl Me Please will be offering a teal version cut on Coke bottle clear vinyl also being released in June.

Sturgill Simpson has been keeping a low profile lately after saying he would virtually retire after releasing The Ballad of Dood and Juanita in 2021. He has left open the possibility as working as a producer, or perhaps forming a band. But for now folks will just have to feast on his back catalog like High Top Mountain until he re-emerges. Simpson is slated to appear at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday bash in April.

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