Isbell tour: Old songs find new life

Jason Isbell is trading the pressure of promoting new albums for the freedom of playing old favorites. On his current tour, he is alternating between solo acoustic dates and full band performances with the 400 Unit. This shift allows him to dig into songs he has rarely touched in years, giving fans a chance to hear material that sat largely unheard on earlier records.

The tour follows two recent releases that mirror his personal history. In 2023, he released Weathervanes, a collection written while he was filming the Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon. Last year, he issued the solo acoustic album Foxes in the Snow. Isbell describes the latter as a record of transition, capturing his move from anger and confusion to a state of contentment following his divorce from Amanda Shires.

He views the end of his marriage as a necessary change rather than a tragedy. “It’s just a change and change itself isn’t a bad thing,” Isbell said. He noted that the work on Foxes in the Snow reflected his journey toward settling into a new life and finding happiness after the dissolution of his marriage.

The inspiration for Weathervanes came from his time on set in Oklahoma. Playing the role of Bill Smith in the film about the Osage Indian murders, Isbell felt a deep connection to the historical injustice. He spent hours in the wardrobe trailer writing songs during storm season. He realized that being far from his Alabama roots did not mean he was culturally distant from the themes of loss and power he was exploring.

For the live shows, Isbell prefers the dynamics of the 400 Unit. The band delivers loud, distorted rock performances that create a high-energy environment. In solo settings, he speaks more between songs but avoids explaining the specific meanings behind the lyrics. He believes that over-explaining a song makes it feel unfinished. He is currently focusing on tracks from his first few albums that he had neglected because of lower initial sales and attendance.

Isbell discovered that a loyal audience still exists for that early material. “There were far more faithful fans than I realized,” he said. Many listeners have gone back through his catalog and connected with those older tracks. This renewed interest allows him to fall back in love with the songs he wrote, a process he says is difficult because he is constantly trying to improve his craft.

His musical foundation was built in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he grew up with a grandfather who was a guitar-playing preacher and an uncle in a garage band. He started on mandolin at age six and switched to guitar a year later. He also learned trumpet and French horn in high school. His early mentor was session bassist David Hood, a member of the FAME Studios house band. Hood’s simple advice to Isbell was to show up on time and ensure his gear worked.

Isbell still relies on that practical guidance. “You’re playing for the people who showed up,” he said. This mindset helps him manage the fluctuations in audience size over the years. He will perform next on Nov. 6 at The Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Greenvale. Tickets and details are available at tillescenter.org or by calling 516-299-3100.