Sturgill Simpson’s Grandfather Has Died
Sturgill Simpson's grandfather, Lawrence "Dood" Fraley, has died. The singer-songwriter shared the news with fans on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon (March 15), noting that his grandpa "passed away peacefully" earlier that morning.
"He was without a single doubt the greatest man and finest human being I will ever know in my time here on this Earth," Simpson writes, "and there will never, ever be another like him."
Simpson's fans may be familiar with Fraley: His voice opens Simpson's 2014 album, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music; Fraley says, "Introducing Metamodern Sounds in Country Music" before the record's opening track, "Turtles All the Way Down," begins.
"My Papaw taught me to play country music and more importantly, he taught me to love country music," Simpson says. "Above all else that has happened in my life and career in the last four years, nothing comes close to knowing that he lived long enough to see it."
In his Facebook post, Simpson notes that, in his younger years, he "was not a good man ... I didn't always make the right choices," and it was the thought of disappointing his grandfather that "kept [him] from jumping headfirst off the proverbial cliff of life."
"Goodbye old man ...," Simpson concludes. "You will be forever missed by all who knew you."
At the very end of his post, Simpson includes a link to his song "Hero," from his 2013 album High Top Mountain. Lyrics include "And if I'm half the man he is when I die / I don't know if I could ask for too much more ..."
Simpson is set to hit the road in May for a string of tour dates.