Johnny Blue Skies is the alias Sturgill Simpson launched in 2024, having long said he'd only make five albums under his own name. Passage du Desir (2024) is the first record under the new handle — country, soul, and blues in Simpson's restless style — and the obvious place to start. Explore Johnny Blue Skies vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Johnny Blue Skies is the alias of Sturgill Simpson, launched in 2024 for the album Passage du Desir on High Top Mountain Records / Thirty Tigers. Simpson had publicly stated several years prior that he intended to release only five albums under his Sturgill Simpson name and would continue recording under a different name. Passage du Desir thus represents both a continuation of Simpson's broader stylistic explorations and a deliberate refresh of his recording identity.
Johnny Blue Skies' sound combines country, country rock, soul, blues, Americana, and rock with Simpson's distinctive vocal delivery and arrangements drawing on classic country, soul, and broader American roots music traditions. The work continues Simpson's restless stylistic exploration across multiple genres.
High Top Mountain Records and Thirty Tigers pressings of Passage du Desir have been issued in multiple color variant editions.
Listeners new to Johnny Blue Skies should start with Passage du Desir (2024), with Sturgill Simpson's catalog for full context.
