Johnny Blue Skies, you know him, he’s the artist formerly known as Sturgill Simpson. He has a couple of big shows at the Armory in Minneapolis this week. We’ll celebrate with some extra tracks. I interviewed Hunter Metts a couple weeks ago. He’ll tell us his story, which includes appearing on American Idol. It’s all in this episode of United States of Americana!

Program Playlist, hour 1

Program Playlist, hour 2

Americana Gig List 

2025 

Church of Cash - Tonite 5/ 4 - Chanhassen Dinner Theatre

Bruce Cockburn - Monday 5/5 & Tues 5/6 - Parkway Theater

Lucy Dacus - Mon 5/5 & Tues 5/6 - Palace Theatre

Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson) - Tues & Wed 5/6 & 5/7 - Armory

Allison Russell / Kara Jackson - Fri 5/9 - First Avenue 

Dan Rodriguez - Fri 5/9 - Parkway Theatre 

Brent Newski and the Bad Inventions - 5/9 - Zhora Darling

Julien Baker & Torres - 5/11 - First Avenue

Karla Bonoff - 5/13 - Parkway

Matthew Logan Vasquez - 5/15 - 7th St. Entry

Larkin Poe / Amythyst Kiah - 5/16 - First Avenue

The Devil Makes Three - 5/17 - First Avenue 

Katy Tessman Album Release Show feat. Annie & Kari of Annie and the Bang Bang & Katy Vernon’s Favourite Girl - 5/17 - Icehouse

A Tribute to Slim Dunlap feat. Trailer Trash, The Cactus Blossoms (Page and Jack)  - 5/19 - First Avenue 

Matt Anderson - 5/20 - The Dakota

Southern Culture On The Skids - 5/25 - Fine Line

Joshua Ray Walker / Boy Golden - 5/29 - 7th St. Entry 

New Orleans Suspects “New Orleans Funk From Fats to The Meters” - 5/30 - Hook and Ladder 

Valerie June - 5/31 - State Theatre

Gated Community - Rich Mattson and Germaine Gemberling - 6/1 - Parkway Theatre

Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson) - Tues 6/6 & Wed 6/7 - Armory

Dwight Yoakam / The Mavericks / 49 Winchester - Sat 6/7 - Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Rochester 

Roots Rock and Deep Blues Festival - 6/7 Hook and Ladder 

Alison Krauss - 6/8 - Ledge Amphitheatre, Waite Park

Alison Krauss - 6/10 - Vetter Stone Amphitheatre 

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals - 6/11 - Palace Theatre

Molly Brandt / Mojo Hand / Luke Callen - 6/12 - 7th St. Entry

June 12 – Hopkins, MN

Katy Tessman - 6/12 - Hopkins Sunset Series at Downtown Park, Hopkins, MN

I’m With Her - 6/14 - Fitzgerald Theatre

Watchouse - 6/14 - Palace Theatre

Will Wood / The Ruen Brothers - 6/16 - First Avenue 

Iris DeMent / Ana Egge - 6/19 - Parkway Avenue

Steve Earle - Thurs 6/26 - Uptown Theater 

Blue Ox Festival feat. Pert Near Sandstone, Margo Price, Orville Peck, Greensky Bluegrass, Cole Chaney, Hurray for the Riff Raff etc. - 6/26 - 6/28 - Whispering Pines Campground,  Eau Claire, WI 

Katie Tessman - 6/29 - Harriet Bandshell (Free)

Jenny Don’t & the Spurs - 6/30 - 7th St. Entry

Mekons - 7/9 - Fine Line

Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes - 7/9 - Parkway Theatre

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram / Samantha Fish - Wed 7/9 - Pantages Theatre

Langhorne Slim - 7/10 - Turf Club

Pure Prairie League - Thurs 7/10 - Parkway Theatre 

Turnpike Troubadours / Old Crow Medicine Show - 7/11 - The Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys / Lena & the LoveKills - Sunday 7/13 - The Hook and Ladder

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band / Brit Taylor - 7/17 - Fitzgerald Theatre

Dale Watson and His Lone Stars - Thurs 7/17 - Uptown VFW

Murder By Death - 7/19 - First Avenue 

Railroad Earth / Yonder MT String Band - Sun 7/20 - Utepils

Lord Huron - 7/22 - Armory

Big Star Quintet - 7/24 - First Avenue

Music By the Mississippi feat. Shane Smith and the Saints, James Whitton Band, Trenton Fletcher 7/25 Shakey Graves,  Soul Asylum, Wild Horses, Charlie Parr, Mike Munson - 7/26 - Treasure Island Amphitheatre, Welch MN  

Sierra Ferrell - 8/2 - Surly

The Deslondes - 8/4 - 7th St. Entry

Will Evans - 8/4 - Turf Club

The Jayhawks - 8/7 - Utepils

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils / Pure Prairie League - Fri 8/8 - Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts

Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Bobby Rush - 8/17 - Pantages Theatre

Charley Crockett - 8/23 - Surly Brewing Festival Field

The Bellamy Brothers - 9/6 - The Medina 

Bonnie Raitt - 9/20 - The Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park 

Greensky Bluegrass - 10/11 - Palace Theatre

Neko Case - 10/17 - First Avenue

Folsom Prison Experience (feat. Church of Cash) - 10/24 - Fitzgerald Theatre

The Del McCoury Band - 11/6 - Parkway Theatre

SG Goodman - 11/8 - Fine Line

Hayes Carll - 11/19 - Amsterdam

Residencies

Roe Family Singers (early) Matt Arthur & Friends (late) - Mondays - 331 Bar

The Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs - Every other Thursday - Palmer’s Bar/ 

Mary Cutrufello Band - Tuesdays - White Squirrel Bar, St Paul (Early shows, 6pm)

St. Dominic's Trio - Tuesdays - Driftwood, Minneapolis