Sturgill Simpson | Broken Record (Hosted by Rick Rubin)

Kentucky singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson is used to doing what he wants, when he wants… at least until contracting COVID in early March sidelined him.
 
After a rough, months-long battle with the virus, Sturgill was itching to get back in the studio. So, in October he dropped a surprise bluegrass album called “Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1” that masterfully reworks his back catalogue.

Sturgill was in his mid-30s when he found fame as a country artist in Nashville. He had already lived a full life including a stint in the Navy, and years spent working in Salt Lake City rail yards. His outsider status in Nashville boosted his outlaw appeal. But as time passed, Sturgill began to despise the relentless expectations of the major label system. In true rebel fashion, Sturgill has now taken back control of his career and returned to his independent roots.

In his interview with Rick Rubin, Sturgill explains why his bluegrass album is the purest expression of his work, why it bothers him that people often overlook the stories in his songs, and why being classified as a country star has been perhaps the biggest detriment to his career.

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ABOUT BROKEN RECORD
From Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam, and Justin Richmond. The musicians you love talk about their life, inspiration, and craft. Then play.

ABOUT RICK RUBIN
Frederick Jay “Rick” Rubin is an American record producer and former co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, he is the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings and also established American Recordings. With the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Geto Boys, and Run-DMC, Rick helped popularize hip-hop music.

In 2007, MTV called him “the most important producer of the last 20 years,” and the same year he was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

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