Sturgill Simpson, the enigmatic artist, is back with a new album and tour. His sixth studio album, Passage Du Desir, is a unique offering set to be released on July 12th under the pseudonym “Johnny Blue Skies,” a testament to Simpson’s artistic evolution. The Why Not? Tour, a one-of-a-kind musical journey, will see him traverse the United States, making 30 stops, including two in Canada and a couple at some festivals.
The news comes after Simpson’s website began teasing announcements a couple of months ago, which only resulted in a re-release of Metamodern Sounds In Country Music to celebrate the album’s 10th anniversary and Simpson’s name attached as a headliner for the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco. This time, the teasers resulted in a new album and tour, which are far more satisfying than re-releases and festivals.
After a three-year hiatus since his last studio album, ‘The Ballad of Dood & Juanita ‘, Sturgill Simpson is finally back on the music scene. His absence was felt, but now he’s returned, making sporadic appearances at other artist’s shows, hinting at the possibility of new music. The year 2021 was a bit of a downer after Simpson had to cancel the remainder of his tour due to a vocal chord injury. But, thankfully, he’s recovered and is now ready to gift his fans with a new project to enjoy this summer.
As we eagerly await the release of ‘Passage Du Desir’ under the pseudonym ‘Johnny Blue Skies’, the question on everyone’s mind is, will it be a departure from Sturg’s usual sound? Will he venture into a new creative pocket or stick to the production that’s made him who he is? With only eight tracks, the album promises to be a fascinating exploration of Sturgill Simpson in his latest era.
You can find all of Simpson’s upcoming tour dates below and the tracklist for Passage Du Desir. For tickets, check out Simpson’s website.
Passage Du Desir tracklist
- Swamp of Sadness
- If The Sun Never Rises Again
- Scooter Blues
- Jupiter’s Faerie
- Who I Am
- Right Kind of Dream
- Mint Tea
- One for the Road
Why Not? Tour dates
- August 9-11: Outside Lands Festival, San Francisco, CA
- September 14: The Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
- September 15: Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
- September 17: Maverik Center, West Valley City, UT
- September 19: Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR
- September 20: The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
- September 22: KettleHouse Amphitheater, Missoula, MT
- September 24: Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater, Moorhead, MN
- September 25: Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN
- September 27: Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
- September 28: Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI
- October 1: Salt Shed, Chicago, IL
- October 2: Salt Shed, Chicago, IL
- October 4: The Brandon Amphitheater, Brandon, MS
- October 4-6: Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX
- October 8: Criterion, Oklahoma City, OK
- October 9: Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR
- October 11-13: Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, TX
- October 15: Fabulous Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO
- October 18: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- October 19: Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NY
- October 21: ExploreAsheville.com Arena, Asheville, NC
- October 22: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
- October 24: Gas South Arena, Duluth, GA
- October 25: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
- November 12: The Met, Philadelphia, PA
- November 15: Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
- November 18: The Anthem, Washington, DC
- November 20: Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
- November 21: Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
- November 23: MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA
