Oh Boy Records has released a new cover of John Prine‘s “Paradise” recorded by Sturgill Simpson. The track is set to appear on the upcoming tribute album Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Vol. 2, slated for arrival on October 8th.
Following Brandi Carlile‘s cover of Prine’s final song, “I Remember Everything“, Simpson is the latest devotee of the late singer-songwriter to pay tribute on the upcoming record. Oh Boy Records, the label Prine co-founded with his longtime manager Al Bunetta in 1981, is keeping everything about the compilation very hush-hush, with no official tracklist available as of yet. So waking up on Friday morning with an official Sturgill Simpson take on a John Prine classic came as a welcome surprise.
Taken from Prine’s 1971 self-titled debut, “Paradise” chronicles the ravaging of Kentucky’s natural beauty at the hands of coal mining operations. Born in Jackson, KY in 1978, Simpson likely has a personal connection to the song—which Prine wrote for his father—given his own first-hand experiences growing up in the region.
According to Oh Boy Records, this cover of “Paradise” was the last song ever recorded at The Butcher Shoppe recording studio in Nashville. Last year saw Simpson release an album featuring bluegrass renditions of previously released songs recorded at the studio as Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions).
Listen to Sturgill Simpson’s cover of “Paradise” by John Prine. Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Vol. 2 is available for pre-order in multiple formats from Oh Boy Records.
Sturgill Simpson – “Paradise” (John Prine)
[Video: Oh Boy Records]