Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jason Isbell has covered a lot of ground since leaving the Drive-By Truckers seven years ago. He's released several albums with his band The 400 Unit. He spent a lot of time on the road and last year put out his solo album Southeastern. Great reviews followed.
This fall, Isbell scooped up Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year at the 2014 Americana Music Awards.
‘Cover Me Up’ leads the album with a quiet, but very passionate love song. Isbell calls it a plea for redemption.
“It’s a very private personal situation that song, “I share those… aspects of my relationship because it’s partially my responsibility as a certain type of songwriter.”
Here’s Isbell performing it on PBS's Austin City Limits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaUCDqWzy1k
Isbell says that with this record, he decided to leave commercial considerations behind and just make it for himself, and like-minded fans who want to listen to entire albums. It turned out to be very successful.
“I didn’t expect it to take off quite like it did,” Isbell says. “It’s a nice surprise.”
Jason Isbell's latest recording is called Southeastern. He played DPAC, the Durham Performing Arts Center Thursday night with Sturgill Simpson.