“Cowboy Hat Stu” is a dangerous man.
Johnny Blues Skies – the artist formerly known as Sturgill Simpson – is still in the middle of his Who The F*** Is Johnny Blue Skies? Tour, and for my money, there’s not another artist that’s doing it like Simpson/Blue Skies in the modern era. He’s simply one of the most versatile artists the music industry has ever seen, and maybe that’s why he’s never exactly fit in with the traditional mold of modern music. Sturgill is everything you want out a modern artist, but everything that modern music doesn’t want. It’s a weird juxtaposition, but that’s what makes the artist known both as Sturgill and Johnny Blue Skies so special.
And when he throws a cowboy hat on? It seems to just up his skillset and allure that much more. In this clip from his Tulsa, Oklahoma show (which took place in early May), Stu donned a tan cowboy hat atop his head, and proceeded to knock people’s socks off. This video below highlights the three song run of “A Good Look,” a fitting rendition of “Tulsa Time,” and “You Can Have The Crown.”
That last song being in the set list is somewhat of a big deal. Blue Skies/Simpson just brought that song back into his live shows in April, when he performed it live for the first time since 2015. Now? Judging by some of his set lists in recent shows, it’s becoming a mainstay… and fans are loving it.
I also want to note that later in this show, he played “Party All The Time,” which the older generations will probably remember. For the younger people reading this… you know the guy who voices the donkey on Shrek? Eddie Murphy? He released a couple of bangers back in the day, and “Party All The Time” was one of them. “Cowboy Hat Stu” did it justice, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t instead point you towards this incredible three-song-run from his rocking night in Tulsa.
Take in “Cowboy Hat Stu” (I’m really hoping that sticks if you can’t tell) if you dare:
Just a quick side note: I’m loving the old baseball shirt look for his Johnny Blue Skies merchandise. Sturgill, along with his bandmates, have worn it a lot on tour… and I honestly thinks it’s kind of a cool thing to do. Not only are they basically wearing a team uniform, it’s probably causing a lot of fans in attendance to say, “You know what? I’m gonna stop by the merch table on my way out and see if they have my size.”
Sturgill Simpson: master manipulator of both the guitar and consumerism.
