In 1987, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana and married American singer Jessica Radcliffe,[1] and shortly afterwards they relocated to Ithaca, New York.

Notable work in the 1990s included, in 1995, an album with Chinese pipa play Wu Man, Music for the Motherless Child.

The album was produced in a single session, between 7:00 pm and 2:30 am,[7] and blends western and Chinese improvisational approaches, although five of its six tracks come from British or US traditions.

In a similar vein was Kambara Music in Native Tongues with David Hidalgo (from Los Lobos) and violinist Viji Krishnan, a mix of Hindu and contemporary songs.

2003 saw the release of Righteousness and Humidity, a set focusing almost exclusively on music from the Deep South, played on a variety of instruments and featuring Steeleye Span's Rick Kemp.

[8] This was followed in 2005 by Kind Letters in which he mines once again the rich seams of English folk music which proved so fruitful for The Bramble Briar.

It is a mixture of traditional songs and Simpson originals, the highlights of which possess a distinctly southern American flavor.

[citation needed] Performances of note to the general public include a 2007 appearance on Jools Holland's BBC show and a half-hour set at the Proms on 20 July 2008 broadcast on BBC4.

In October 2016, Simpson collaborated with Dom Flemons (formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops) to release A Selection of Ever Popular Favourites.

[10] He released Trails & Tribulations in 2017, featuring 'Blues Run the Game', by Jackson C Frank, and an acclaimed version of the traditional song, 'Reynardine'.