It seems that Sturgill Simpson won't be singing or going back on stage for quite a while. After losing his voice on September 19 shortly before a show at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, NC as part of the Willie Nelson-directed Outlaw Festival, Sturgill Simpson subsequently canceled a number of shows and told fans he wasn't could sing, and hoping it wasn't serious. Now we know that unfortunately it is.
“It turned out that I did indeed have a bleeding / ruptured vocal cord. I'm getting the best treatment available right now and should recover fully, but it will be a long hot minute before I can get back on stage, ”Sturgill said late Wednesday night (9 a classic vocal cord tear.
The vocal problem forced Sturgill to cancel performances on September 22nd in Alpharetta, GA and on September 24th in Columbia, MD, both of which were part of Willie Nelson's Outlaw Fest. He also canceled his appearance at Farm Aid 2021 in Hartford, CT on September 25th. Tyler Childers reported on the later Outlaw Fest dates.
When Sturgill's vocal problem did not improve, he was forced to do a highly anticipated five-day sojourn at Webster Hall in New York from September 28 to October 2 and a three-day run at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville from September 18 to October 2.
Voice chords are made up of multilayered folds of flesh that contain very fine blood vessels. Sometimes, when the voice is used too hard or too often, the delicate blood vessels in the vocal cord will burst and blood will flow to the vocal cord. Sometimes surgery is needed, and sometimes taking a longer vocal break can naturally heal the injury.
"I just wanted to turn this thing back on for about 15 seconds to apologize to everyone who had tickets to the remaining shows and to thank everyone who has supported me over the years," said Sturgill Simpson on Instagram, continuing to post and then clears. “It was an incredibly fun, rewarding, and educational trip. I've played all the venues I dreamed of as a kid, met all of my heroes, even made friends with most of them, and worked and played with some of the best musicians in the world over the years. "
Sturgill took a thoughtful note in his letter, confirming that his latest album, The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, would be his final solo album in a career of five albums. But Sturgill Simpson is unlikely to stay away forever, either in the studio or on stage. He has indicated that he will eventually form a band and continue his duties as a producer. And maybe he delves into other extracurricular activities as well.
"Now I can finally really focus on other pursuits and areas of passionate interest … like becoming the best hit man I can be."
