It’s been a decade since Jason Isbell’s heart has been on the run, keeping his hand on a gun while not trusting anyone. That’s how, in the first few lines of his signature song, “Cover Me Up,” he depicted his life before embracing sobriety and the promise of a successful solo career. Leaving drinking and carousing behind made a successful marriage possible, enabling the stability that gave Isbell the impetus to stay self-aware and remain immersed in the creative zone for sustained lengths of time, unobstructed by excess. Today, he is widely regarded as an accomplished singer-songwriter rather than a casualty, and he’ll perform at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on March 6.
Isbell’s Alabama-bred humility might prevent him from seeing himself as part of a legacy that includes Leonard Cohen, Townes Van Zandt and Neil Young, although he’d likely agree he’s spiritually akin to the ensemble sounds of The Band, Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers and The Black Crowes. “Cover Me Up,” a chordal descendant of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” and just as evocative, is as close to perfection as a composition can be, and Isbell’s 2015 album Southeastern is a critically acclaimed masterpiece of Americana’s country and rock realms.
Southeastern might never have happened had Isbell continued down the self-destructive path that got him ejected from Drive-By Truckers. Born into a musical extended family, Isbell grew up playing stringed instruments and discovered blues progenitor Robert Johnson at an early age. “This was the ’80s in Alabama, so it wasn’t like the music was popular anymore,” Isbell told producer Rick Rubin in a May 2020 interview on podcast Broken Record.
Garth Brooks was an early influence both musically and as a performer, as well as whoever was on the radio circa 1991-’92. “I loved Prince and Crowded House, and ’Til Tuesday. All these really great pop songs,” he told Rubin. “So, there was this strange combination of that, and then the arena rock and Southern rock that my dad was listening to. Dad was into ZZ Top and Skynyrd, and all these big rock bands.”
Isbell became a devotee of guitar playing, developing an expressive slide technique often heard on recordings. He came to prominence after he joined Drive-By Truckers in 2001 as the Athens, Ga.-based band rode a wave of acclaim and popularity. The pleasures of the road became a preoccupation, and it would be several years before his relationship with singer/fiddle player Amanda Shires set the stage for a clear-thinking Isbell to emerge and his songwriting ability to thrive.
He’s now a four-time Grammy winner, earning two with his band The 400 Unit for 2018 album The Nashville Sound and song “If We Were Vampires.” Current career-spanning live sets include Drive-By Truckers favorites as well as material from 2020 album The Reunion and 2021’s Georgia Blue, a collection of covers originated by Peach State artists. The 400 Unit reinvigorate songs by Drivin’ ‘N’ Cryin, Cat Power and R.E.M. while closing concerts with a Neil Young song ingrained into his soul as a boy, witnessing his father’s band perform “Like a Hurricane.”
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, 7 p.m. March 6, starting at $49 plus tax and fees, axs.com
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