Sturgill Simpson in Santa Barbara

Sturgill Simpson is an American singer-songwriter from Kentucky who plays country, bluegrass and roots rock. Born in 1978, he became known through albums including Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth and Sound & Fury, as well as songs such as “Turtles All the Way Down.” A Sailor’s Guide to Earth won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album. The 2020 A Good Look’n Tour paired him with fellow Kentuckian Tyler Childers, but the run ended after its opening dates as the COVID-19 pandemic closed venues. A vocal-cord injury forced him to cancel scheduled performances in 2021, and he returned to the road in 2024 on the Why Not? Tour. He has performed at Bonnaroo and later headlined Outside Lands.