Jason Isbell

United States • b. 1979-02-01

Biography

Michael Jason Isbell ( IZ-bəl; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter. Considered one of the best contemporary songwriters in his genre, he is known for his honest, emotional lyrics. Isbell began his career as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. His first album with his backing band, the 400 Unit, was released in 2009. In 2013, Isbell released his solo commercial breakthrough, Southeastern, which debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and appeared on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album was later certified gold. Southeastern also featured his signature song, "Cover Me Up", which won Song of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards. In 2017 he released The Nashville Sound, which debuted at No. 4 and featured the Grammy-winning song "If We Were Vampires". Isbell has earned praise from artists such as John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, David Crosby, and Zach Bryan. He has won six Grammy Awards out of ten nominations. As an actor, Isbell has appeared in roles in the television series Squidbillies and Billions, as well as the films Deadwood: The Movie and Killers of the Flower Moon. His most recent album with the 400 Unit, Weathervanes, was released in June 2023. His most recent solo album, Foxes in the Snow, was released in March 2025.

Bio from Wikipedia