Sturgill Simpson Reveals New Album, Tour — and Name

5 June, 2024

Sturgill Simpson is back with an upcoming new album, new tour — and a new name. Simpson revealed a new persona named Johnny Blue Skies, as well as a new album, Passage Du Desir, 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 Nashville’s Clement House Recording Studio, as well as at London’s Abbey Road Studios. The upcoming project marks his first since 2021’s The Ballad of Dood and Juanita.

The eight-song project will include compositions including “Mint Tea,” “If the Sun Never Rises Again,” “Swamp of Sadness” and “Jupiter’s Faerie.”

Simpson’s new moniker will be introduced to his audiences on his upcoming Why Not? Tour this fall, which will launch Aug. 11 with a festival slot 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 at Toronto, Ontario’s Massey Hall and two shows at Chicago’s The Salt Shed.

See the track list for Passage Du Desir below, as well as the full tour dates listing:

Passage Du Desir tracklist:

  1. “Swamp of Sadness”
  2. “If the Sun Never Rises Again”
  3. “Scooter Blues”
  4. “Jupiter’s Faerie”
  5. “Who I Am”
  6. “Right Kind of Dream”
  7. “Mint Tea”
  8. “One for the Road”

Tour dates:

  • Aug. 9-11—San Francisco, CA—Outside Lands
  • Sept. 14—Los Angeles, CA—The Greek Theatre*
  • Sept. 15—Santa Barbara, CA—Santa Barbara Bowl*
  • Sept. 17—West Valley City, UT—Maverik Center*
  • Sept. 19—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 20—George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheatre†
  • Sept. 22—Missoula, MT—KettleHouse Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 24—Moorhead, MN—Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 25—Minneapolis, MN—Roy Wilkins Auditorium*
  • Sept. 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena*
  • Sept. 28—Detroit, MI—Fox Theatre*
  • Oct. 1—Chicago, IL—Salt Shed*
  • Oct. 2—Chicago, IL—Salt Shed*
  • Oct. 4—Brandon, MS—The Brandon Amphitheater*
  • Oct. 4-6—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
  • Oct. 8—Oklahoma City, OK—Criterion*
  • Oct. 9—Rogers, AR—Walmart AMP*
  • Oct. 11-13—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
  • Oct. 15—St. Louis, MO—Fabulous Fox Theatre*
  • Oct. 18—Pittsburgh, PA—Petersen Events Center*
  • Oct. 19—Forest Hills, NY—Forest Hills Stadium
  • Oct. 21—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena* 
  • Oct. 22—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre*
  • Oct. 24—Duluth, GA—Gas South Arena*
  • Oct. 25—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena*
  • Nov. 12—Philadelphia, PA—The Met*
  • Nov. 15—Hampton, VA—Hampton Coliseum*
  • Nov. 18—Washington, DC—The Anthem*
  • Nov. 20—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
  • Nov. 21—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
  • Nov. 23—Boston, MA—MGM Music Hall at Fenway*

*“An Evening with Sturgill Simpson”

†with very special guest Lord Huron

Jessica Nicholson

Billboard