Sturgill Simpson’s 20-song bluegrass album is coming this Friday – Tennessean

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Get out the lawn chair, because it's time to enjoysome fresh cut 'grass.

Enigmatic songsmith Sturgill Simpson releases a 20-song collection of bluegrass recordings this Friday, according to a post on the singer's Instagram page.

Called "Cuttin' Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions," Simpson tracked the album with an ace bluegrass band after the ongoing global health crisis derailed his arena tour with fellow Kentucky songwriter Tyler Childers.

"Welp," Simpson wrote on Instagram, "was hoping to surprise everybody on Thursday but somebody somewhere (Germany) got all excited and just couldnt hold their horses."

The collection features 20 Simpson songsin a reimagined bluegrass flavor. Staple Simpson songs such as "Turtles All The Way Down," "Life of Sin" and "Long White White" get the 'grass cuttin' treatment.

Sturgill Simpson performs for his fans at Bonnaroo on June 13, 2015, in Manchester, Tenn.(Photo: John Partipilo / The Tennessean)

Simpson enlisted a handful of primetime Nashville players for his studio band. The lineup, per his Instagram, includedMark Howard onbanjo, Scott Vestal onbanjo, Mike Bub onbass, Sierra Hull onvocals mandolin, Tim OBrien on vocals and guitar,Miles Miller onvocals and snare and Stuart Duncan onfiddle.

David Ferguson produced the album, which Simpson and company recorded at the Butcher Shoppe in Nashville.

The project follows Simpson's promise to record an album if fans raised money forNashville tornado relief, the Special Forces Foundation, the Equity Alliance and MusiCares' COVID-19 fund.

During a livestream bluegrass concert at the Ryman Auditorium earlier this year, Simpson confirmed his listeners rallied for nearly $250,000 in a week. Fans raised an additional $150,00 during the livestream event, Simpson said at the time.

In return, Simpson said he'drelease two bluegrass collections.

"These are how these songs were originally written and Idecided after climbing the ropes ofcountry music stardom and completely destroyingthat career to make a rock 'n' roll record I have great ambitions of a life ofgravel lots and Porta Potties. I'mgonna be a bluegrass musician," he said during the Ryman livestream in early June.

He continued, "That's the music in my heart and soul. That's the music I was raised on."

More: Music returns to the Ryman with a bluegrass show from Sturgill Simpson: Watch

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Sturgill Simpson's 20-song bluegrass album is coming this Friday - Tennessean