Jason Isbell

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Isbell was born in Green Hill, Alabama, on February 1, 1979, to teenage parents—his mother was 17 and his father 19. He grew up in North Alabama, learning mandolin at age six from his grandfather and uncle, who played gospel and bluegrass music. In high school, he played trumpet and French horn. He started playing in a garage band and a country cover band at 14 or 15 with friend Chris Tompkins, and they played the Grand Ole Opry when Isbell was 16. He attended the University of Memphis studying English and creative writing but dropped out one credit short to go on tour; in September 2023, he was awarded his bachelor's degree in English after discussions with the university. Isbell joined Drive-By Truckers in 2001 at age 22 after sitting in with the group at an acoustic house party. He recorded on three albums with them—*Decoration Day* (2003), *The Dirty South* (2004), and *A Blessing and a Curse* (2006)—before leaving the band on April 5, 2007. The title track of *Decoration Day* was revealed by Isbell in a 2014 concert to be a true story about his family members. On June 15, 2014, Isbell reunited with former bandmates Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley for a sold-out acoustic benefit at the Shoals Theater in Florence, Alabama, the first time they performed together since 2007.

In Their Own Story

In 2013, Isbell released *Southeastern*, produced by Dave Cobb and featuring vocals by Kim Richey and his wife Amanda Shires. The album earned a score of 87 on Metacritic and led to a clean sweep of the 2014 Americana Music Awards: Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year for "Cover Me Up." It was later certified Gold by the RIAA in 2022. NPR rock critic Ken Tucker ranked it No. 1 on his top ten albums of 2013. Isbell's fifth solo record, *Something More Than Free*, was released on July 17, 2015, and debuted at No. 1 on *Billboard*'s rock, folk, and country record charts. It won two Grammy Awards for Best Americana Album and Best American Roots Song ("24 Frames"). In 2017, Isbell and the 400 Unit released *The Nashville Sound*, which debuted at No. 4 and featured the Grammy-winning song "If We Were Vampires." His most recent album with the 400 Unit, *Weathervanes*, was released in June 2023, and his most recent solo album, *Foxes in the Snow*, was released in March 2025.

Reader's Guide

Jason Isbell is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose work is rooted in Americana, country rock, and folk. He began his career as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007, contributing songs to three albums. After leaving the band, he released his first solo album, *Sirens of the Ditch*, in 2007. His backing band, the 400 Unit, is named after the psychiatric ward of Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Alabama. As of 2023, the band's lineup includes Sadler Vaden, Anna Butterss, Derry deBorja, Chad Gamble, and Will Johnson. Isbell's breakthrough came with *Southeastern* in 2013, which was certified gold and featured on *Rolling Stone*'s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. He has won six Grammy Awards out of ten nominations. As an actor, Isbell has appeared in the television series *Squidbillies* and *Billions*, as well as the films *Deadwood: The Movie* and *Killers of the Flower Moon*.

Did You Know?

• Isbell's mother was only 17 and his father 19 when he was born; she is the subject of his song 'Children of Children'.
• He learned to play mandolin at age six because it was easier for him to grip as a small child.
• Isbell played at the Grand Ole Opry when he was 16 years old.
• He dropped out of the University of Memphis one credit short of a degree, but was awarded his bachelor's degree in English in September 2023.
• The 400 Unit is named after the psychiatric ward of Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence, Alabama.