High Top Mountain is the debut studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson. The album was produced by Dave Cobb and was released on June 11, 2013. Simpson self-funded the album.^[1] The record is named after a cemetery near Jackson, Kentucky where many of his family are buried.^[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated High Top Mountain 3 1/2 stars out of 5, comparing its sound favorably to Waylon Jennings.^[3] Erik Ernst of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also compared it to Jennings, saying that it had "rich vintage sounds, heartbreaking ballads and juke-joint ramblers".^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean"	Sturgill Simpson	2:06
2.	"Railroad of Sin"	Simpson	2:04
3.	"Water in a Well"	Simpson	3:18
4.	"Sitting Here Without You"	Simpson	2:10
5.	"The Storm"	Simpson	4:02
6.	"You Can Have the Crown"	Simpson	2:50
7.	"Time After All"	Simpson	2:37
8.	"Hero"	Simpson	4:02
9.	"Some Days"	Simpson	3:30
10.	"Old King Coal"	Simpson	3:07
11.	"Poor Rambler"	Ray Cline Ralph Stanley	3:45
12.	"I'd Have to Be Crazy"	Steven Fromholz	4:02
Total length:			37:33

Chart performance

The album did not receive much attention on its release and debuted at No. 47 on the Top Country Albums chart.^[5] It re-entered the chart after the release of Simpson's second album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, eventually reaching No. 31 on Top Country Albums for the chart dated November 8, 2014.^[6] The album has sold 105,600 copies in the United States as of January 2017.^[7]

Chart (2013)	Peak position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[8]	31
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)^[9]	11^[10]

Personnel

Musicians and contributors

Sturgill Simpson - vocals, acoustic guitar, Telecaster
Hargus "Pig" Robbins - piano
Chris Powell - drums
Robby Turner - steel guitar, bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
Brian "Freedom Eagle Bear" Allen - bass (tracks 4, 6, 9, 11, 12)
Bobby "Diamond Bob" Emmett - organ, Mellotron
Leroy Powell - steel guitar (tracks 6, 9), backing vocals (track 6)
Dave Cobb - 12 string electric guitar (track 7)

Technical personnel

Produced by Dave Cobb
Engineered by Vance Powell
Assistant Engineered by Jason Mott
Mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound - Nashville, TN
Mastering by Richard Dodd

References

^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Sturgill Simpson biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
^ Inman, Davis (26 April 2013). "Sturgill Simpson: Man Of The Hour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
^ ^a ^b Jurek, Thom. "High Top Mountain - Sturgill Simpson". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
^ Ernst, Erik (11 June 2013). "CD reviews: Jason Isbell, Alison Moyet, Walter Trout, Sturgill Simpson". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
^ "Top Country Albums". Billboard. June 29, 2013.
^ "Top Country Albums". Billboard. November 8, 2014.
^ Bjorke, Matt (January 22, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: January 23, 2017". Roughstock.
^ "Sturgill Simpson Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
^ "Sturgill Simpson Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard.
^ "High Top Mountain charts and awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2015.

v t e Sturgill Simpson
Studio albums	High Top Mountain Metamodern Sounds in Country Music A Sailor's Guide to Earth Sound & Fury Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions Cuttin' Grass, Vol. 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions The Ballad of Dood and Juanita
Singles	"Turtles All the Way Down" "Resentment"