Jason Isbell is an American singer-songwriter and actor, known for his work with bands The 400 Unit and Drive-By Truckers, along with his solo releases. The winner of four Grammy awards, he has also made appearances in films such as the new Martin Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Born and raised in Alabama, near the state line with Tennessee, he grew up surrounded by music. Regularly playing with his family weekly, his grandfather played guitar in church, who also helped teach him how to play various different instruments growing up. He got his first start being in a band in his teens, participating in a garage band along with a country covers band while he was in high school. He had his first live performance at the age of 16, performing at the Grand Ole Opry.
He received more teaching from David Hood, session musician and father of his future bandmate in Drive-By Truckers, Patterson Hood. Throughout this time, he started recording demos and submitted them to various record labels, before securing a publishing deal with FAME Studios when he was 21. He stayed with them for 15 years, with his last album with FAME being Southeastern. Around the same time, he joined the Drive-By Truckers while they were touring their album Southern Rock Opera. He stayed with them for six years, and subsequently met his first wife, Shonna Tucker, who was also a member of the band and joined shortly after Isbell. After being a part of three albums with Drive-By Truckers, he departed from the band, as well as divorced with Tucker. Isbell did reunite with the band in 2014 for a benefit concert in Alabama, and has performed Drive-By Truckers songs live on tours.
Shortly after departing from the band, he released his debut solo album, Sirens of the Ditch, in July 2007. Following this he debuted his band The 400 Unit, who performed and recorded his second and third album with him. Due to his success and increasing following, he was invited to tour with Ryan Adams in support of his 2012 tour. He experienced his commercial breakout with his 2013 album, Southeastern, which debuted at 23 on the Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim. Included on the album was the hit “Cover Me Up,” which has been certified Gold by the RIAA and was recently covered by Morgan Wallen in 2019. Isbell’s most commercially successful album, The Nashville Sound with The 400 Unit, was released in June 2017 and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200. Featuring hits such as “If We Were Vampires,” it is his highest charting album to date, beating the peak of his 2015 album Something More Than Free. His most recent album, 2023’s Weathervanes, was released to more critical acclaim and peaked at number 12.
