Watch Sturgill Simpson Play Bluegrass, Talk John Prine & Coronavirus On Colbert

Watch Sturgill Simpson Play Bluegrass, Talk John Prine & Coronavirus On Colbert

Sturgill Simpson was on The Late Show last night promoting his almost-surprise release Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions, an album of 20 songs from throughout his catalog redone with traditional bluegrass arrangements. In addition to playing his newfangled version of “Breaker’s Roar” from 2016’s A Sailor’s Guide To Earth alongside a band of genre specialists at Nashville’s bluegrass hub The Station Inn, Simpson beamed in for an interview with Stephen Colbert.

The interview largely focused on the late, great John Prine, who was a mentor and collaborator for Simpson, including an appearance together on Colbert. He says he became so close with Prine that the late legend left him his Porsch 911 Turbo upon his death from coronavirus this year. Simpson also spoke on his own experience contracting COVID-19, which left him feeling like “a bucket full of buttholes.” Colbert also revisited the Waffle House song he and Simpson recorded in 2016. Simpler times!

Watch the performance and the interview below.

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