Sturgill Simpson is back with an upcoming new album, new tour — and a new name. Simpson revealed a new persona called Johnny Blue Skies, as well as a new album, Passage Du Desire, which is due July 12 via his own independent label High Top Mountain Records.
Johnny Blue Skies recorded and produced the project with David Ferguson at Clement House Recording Studio in Nashville, as well as Abbey Road Studios in London. The upcoming project marks his first since 2021 The Ballad of Dood and Juanita.
The eight-song project will include compositions such as 'Mint Tea', 'If the Sun Never Rises Again', 'Swamp of Sorrow' and 'Jupiter's Fairy'.
Simpson's new nickname will be introduced to his audience in the upcoming Why Not? tour this fall, kicking off August 11th with a festival at Outside lands in San Francisco. His band includes drummer Miles Miller, guitarist Laur Joamets, bassist Kevin Black and keyboardist Robbie Crowell.
The tour includes shows in Nashville (Oct. 11 at Bridgestone Arena), Detroit's Fox Theatre, The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., as well as two shows in Toronto, Ontario's Massey Hall and two shows at Chicago's The Salt Shed.
See the tracklist for Passage Du Desire below, as well as the full list of tour dates:
Passage Du Desire track list:
- “Swamp of Sorrow”
- “If the Sun Never Rises Again”
- “Scooter Blues”
- “Jupiter's Fairy”
- “Who am I”
- “Right kind of dream”
- “Mint Tea”
- “One for the Road”
tour Dates:
- August 9-11 — San Francisco, CA — Off the Ground
- September 14—Los Angeles, CA—The Hellenic Theater*
- September 15—Santa Barbara, CA—Santa Barbara Bowl*
- September 17—West Valley City, UT—Maverik Center*
- September 19—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater*
- September 20—George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheater†
- September 22—Missoula, MT—KettleHouse Amphitheater*
- September 24—Moorhead, MN—Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater*
- September 25—Minneapolis, MN—Roy Wilkins Auditorium*
- September 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena*
- September 28 — Detroit, Milan — Fox Theater*
- Oct 1—Chicago, Ireland—Salt*
- October 2 — Chicago, Ireland — Salt*
- October 4 — Brandon, MS — The Brandon Amphitheater*
- October 4-6—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music festival
- October 8—Oklahoma City, OK—Criterion*
- October 9—Rogers, AR—Walmart AMP*
- October 11-13—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music festival
- October 15 — St. Louis, MO—Fabulous Fox Theater*
- October 18—Pittsburgh, PA—Petersen Events Center*
- October 19 — Forest Hills, NY — Forest Hills Stadium
- October 21—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena*
- October 22—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheater*
- October 24—Duluth, GA—Gas South Arena*
- October 25 — Nashville, TN — Bridgestone Arena*
- November 12—Philadelphia, PA—The Met*
- November 15—Hampton, VA—Hampton Coliseum*
- November 18—Washington, DC—The Anthem*
- November 20—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
- November 21—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
- November 23—Boston, MA—MGM Music Hall at Fenway*
*”An Evening with Sturgill Simpson”
†with very special guest Lord Huron
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sturgill-simpson-album–tour-dates-new-name-announced-1235701306/
