Music

Country singer Sturgill Simpson goes off on Christians who criticized him for saying "goddamn" on TV

by Tyler Munro

Sturgill Simpson has been billed in his early career as everything from the next Waylon Jennings to country music’s saviour, but at worst the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter is a phenomenal, independent talent paving his own way to success.

What’s helped endear him outside of the genre is his philosophizing, free-spitted personality, but after last week’s performance on Conan its that integrity that might have alienated him from country music’s target market: Christians.

On the show to perform Metamodern Sounds in Country Music‘s “Living the Dream,” the Townes Van Zandt-ian line “I don’t have to do a goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die,” fell victim to on TV aggressive TBS censors. That was silly. Sillier is the hordes of religious zealots taking to Simpson’s Facebook page to criticize him for taking the lord’s name in vain.

“Been some folks coming to my page to chastise (judge) me for taking the Lord’s name in vain on Conan so figured I should address it,” said Simpson in a statement before laying into his detractors in a masterful combination of eloquence and wit.

“Also, since I’m self-funding/self-releasing my art instead of shooting for ACM awards and taking it up the ass from the music row man,” he continued, “I have the right to write and sing and say whatever I choose just as you have the right to not buy or listen to my music and stay away from my page if you don’t like it.”

Pardon the pun, but… Amen.

Sturgill ended his statement by matter of fact-ly writing that he sang it like he wrote it, censorship is bullshit and “people can say anything they want including ‘Goddamn’ at the top of their lungs on national TV.”

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Sturgill Simpsons is the best.