Who was that guy singing with Hayley Williams?
If you recently saw a video of Hayley Williams singing Cover Me Up with a guy with an acoustic guitar at her concert, you might be wondering “who is that guy?”
That’s Jason Isbell!
Besides being a huge fan of second wave emo, Nashville based Americana artists is my other “speciality.” I thought maybe some of you guys might not know who he is, and since he’s one of my favorite musicians I thought I’d give a brief overview!
Jason is an Americana/singer songwriter at the top of his game. He’s released music with Drive By Truckers, under just his name, and under Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. He’s won Grammy’s for best Americana album in 2016, 2018, and 2024. As well best American Roots song in 2016, 2018 and 2024.
If you don’t know his story, he grew up in Alabama and joined the southern rock band Drive By Truckers in 2001 at age 22. By 2007 he was out of the band because of drinking and drug use.
He released a solo album in 2007, formed Jason Isbell and the 400 unit and released albums in 2009 and 2011. By 2012 his friends had an intervention because of his extreme drinking and cocaine use and he went into treatment. He also married Amanda Shires and they began writing songs together.
He got sober and started writing the albums that would launch him to the national stage. In 2013 he released Southeastern under his name, which includes the song Cover Me Up. It’s an album filled with songs about getting sober, anxiety, and understanding his new life. He won Americana awards in 2014 for album of the year, artist of the year, song of the year and the album went gold in 2022.
In 2015 he released Something More Than Free which led him to his first Grammy nominations and wins. He also became a dad and his new role as a dad would start to influence his lyrics in music.
He reformed the 400 unit and in 2017 released The Nashville Sound, with songs dealing with anxiety, life, white privilege and his perceptions on being a dad. It also got him more Grammy Nominations and wins.
He released Reunions in 2020, in 2021 Georgia Blue (an album full of cover songs of Georgia based bands where all the proceeds went to fund voting rights in Georgia), Weathervanes in 2023 (another Grammy award winning album) and last year released Foxes in the Snow as a solo album.
He’s recently gotten into acting (Killers of the Flower Moon, Deadwood) and is politically active (played at the 2024 Democratic National Convention). As well as recently getting divorced from Amanda Shires (check out her albums Take It Like a Man or Nobody’s Girl to hear some deeply personal break up songs). As well as a documentary on HBO recording Reunions and releasing it during the pandemic called Running With Our Eyes Closed. He’s produced Burn. Flicker. Die. for American Aquarium and Fever Breaks for Josh Ritter.
Jason writes deeply personal songs about addiction, wanting to be better, and stories of the common man that are easy to overlook (go listen to King of Oaklahoma).
I first connected with Jason’s music because he has so many songs with themes about fatherhood, realizing your kids are learning from your example, and dealing with your own anxiety, privilege and speaking for people who don’t have a voice. Jason also does a yearly residency in October at the Ryman where he plays a week or two and handpicks all of the openers for the shows.
If you have an interest in listening to him, I’ve made a playlist of a good entry point for him.
If you’re interested in learning more about the band he plays with, I’ve had every dad from the 400 unit on The Imperfect Dads Podcast. Sadler Vaden, Will Johnson, Chad Gamble and Derry deBorja.
If you ever want to talk about Justin Townes Earl, Margo Price, Sturgill Simpsons, Caitlin Rose, Dave Cobb, or Ruston Kelly…I’m always here for you.