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.

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