Born and raised in Kentucky, Sturgill Simpson opted to first pursue a career in the military before becoming a singer-songwriter. After three years of serving in the U.S. Navy, Simpson formed a bluegrass band, Sunday Valley, to appease his love of music. He married his wife, Sarah, in 2010, and with her encouragement, the couple made the move to Nashville two years later, so that Simpson could become a full-time musician. Simpson released his debut album, 'High Top Mountain', in 2013; he followed it with the critically acclaimed 'Metamodern Sounds in Country Music' in 2014, signed with Atlantic Records in 2015 and released his third album, 'A Sailor's Guide to Earth', in 2016.