Sturgill Simpson Ruptured His Vocal Cords, Won’t Be Performing for ‘a Long Hot Minute’

After canceling the rest of his 2021 tour plans because he lost his voice, Sturgill Simpson has learned that he ruptured his vocal cords. The singer and songwriter shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 29), noting that it'll be "a long hot minute" before he can get back onstage.

Simpson first shared on Sept. 22 that he'd "completely" lost his voice and was seeing no improvements after four days. He "woke up completely hoarse" in Charlotte, N.C., and had to cancel his Sept. 19 concert there at the last minute, along with shows in Atlanta, Ga., and Columbia, Md., and a set at Farm Aid 2021

"Hoping just viral laryngitis or inhaling treated wood from backstage campfire at MerleFest or something equally stupid," he said at the time, "and not actual injury to vocal chords for playing too many shows in a row after not singing much for over 18 months."

Two days later, on Sept. 24, Simpson announced that all of his remaining planned 2021 shows — five in New York City and three at the Ryman Auditorium — were being canceled. "Much like last year, 2021 (in the most consensual way possible) can ALSO go fornicate with itself," he wrote.

In his Wednesday update, Simpson notes that he's "currently getting the best treatment available and should fully recover;" he also offered his apologies to those who had tickets to the affected shows, and his gratitude to his fans for supporting him.

"It's been an incredibly fun, rewarding and educational journey. I played all the venues I dreamed about playing as a kid, met all my heroes, even became friends with most of them, and got to work and play with some of the finest musicians on the planet over the years," Simpson writes. "But on the bright side, now I can finally really focus on other pursuits and areas of passionate interest ... like becoming the best hitman I can be."

Simpson's newest album is The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, released in August. The project follows two bluegrass records, released in 2020, featuring new versions of his past material; the first of those, Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions, won Album of the Year at the 2021 Americana Honors & Awards on Sept. 22.

More Tours Planned for 2021: