Jason Isbell, born February 1, 1979 in Green Hill, Alabama, is an American singer-songwriter with a rich musical history. His musical journey began in the southern-rock band Drive-By Truckers, where he was a third guitarist between 2001 and 2007.

Raised in Green Hill, Isbell developed his musical skills at an early age, inspired by gospel and later blues. His grandfather, a Pentecostal church pastor, introduced him to Robert Johnson’s blues. By age 14, he was performing in garage bands and the famed Grand Ole Opry with friend Chris Tomkins.

In 2001, Isbell joined Drive-By Truckers, where he played on three studio albums and contributed some compositions. His time with the band ended in 2007. From then on, he began his solo career, releasing Sirens of the Ditch after his first solo album. His regular backing band, The 400 Unit, was introduced, and together they produced several successful albums. The albums, including Southeastern, Something More Than Free, The Nashville Sound and Reunions, have all been successful and climbed the charts, reaching top positions on the Billboard 200 and various genre lists.

Recently, Isbell released the album Weathervanes, which is described as a collection of mature songs about love, change, nostalgia, cruelty and redemption. The album was shaped by isolation due to the pandemic and by his experience as an actor in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.

Isbell’s personal life has had ups and downs, but with the support of people like Amanda Shires, Ryan Adams, and his manager Traci Thomas, he returned in 2012 by his own admission “sober. After his divorce from Shonna Tucker, Isbell married violinist Amanda Shires, who has played on his albums since 2013. With his signature storytelling power and backed by the powerful sounds of The 400 Unit, Jason Isbell remains an influential figure on the Americana music scene.

+ SUPPORT: S.G Goodman

Who would have heard of S.G. Goodman four years ago? In 2020, the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter popped up out of nowhere with the rock-solid debut album Old Time Feeling, which put her on the map as one of the tastemakers within roots and Americana with a resounding bang. What a voice! What a songs! With her live shows, Goodman was able to attract the necessary attention, including from Jim James, frontman of My Morning Jacket, whom she subsequently engaged as producer for the debut album.

Goodman treats the listener to beautiful, varied Americana songs about lost loves, the ships she burned behind her and how she came to terms with her Southern roots, which seem in stark contrast to her life as a progressive, activist lesbian. In 2022, she released the album Teeth Marks. Teeth Marks is about what love really is, the psychological and physical imprint of love, its light and darkness. It is a record about the love we have or don’t have for each other, and perhaps more importantly, the love we have or don’t have for ourselves.