Head to downtown OKC for an evening of outsider country when Sturgill Simpson takes the stage at the Criterion Theater.

With a voice that echoes Waylon Jennings in his prime, the Kentucky songwriter has crafted a unique sound that’s distilled from old soul records and AM country radio, with a gut-shot of psychedelia thrown in for good measure. Each of Simpson’s previous albums, High Top Mountain and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music have followed a well-defined concept, and his current record, “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” is no exception. Written as a love-letter/life guide for his young son and taking inspirational cues from not only his own naval service, but also his grandfather's South Pacific WWII experience, the album beautifully chronicles the struggle of balancing the life of a traveling artist with the guilt and homesickness of his chosen profession. In addition to his regular band, Simpson tapped soul/funk revivalist’s The Dap-Kings to season “A Sailor’s Guide” with a horn section that sounds straight out of the Stax vault.

Along with fellow songwriters Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton, Simpson has been hailed as part of the vanguard of this generation’s outlaw and insurgent country artists by GQ magazine. Don’t miss this unique show at the Criterion Theater.