Jason Isbell: Last News

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic While most contemporary music documentaries fall into the realm of self-produced hagiography, no one will be making that charge about “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed,” a clear-eyes/hearts-full documentary coming from HBO Max documentary that had its world premiere at the Grammy Museum. At a Q&A with Isbell and director Sam Jones following the screening of the film, which begins streaming April 7, moderator Colin Hanks, a big Isbell fan, asked the doc’s star: “What was it about this that made you go, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna do a doc,’ and really make yourself a little bit more raw than maybe you had even in your songs?”

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic A cast of mostly Nashville-based stars, including Maren Morris, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Yola, Sheryl Crow and Jason Isbell — plus one key out-of-towner, the Irishman Hozier — joined up with a host of Tennessee drag artists Monday night in Nashville to protest recent state legislation aimed at cross-dressing performers, trans youth and same-sex marriage. The four-hour “Love Rising” benefit, which filled Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena with fans and LGBTQ+ community members and their allies, was also livestreamed to an international audience via the Veeps platform. No one received more of a hero’s welcome than Morris, who recently went out on a limb by standing up for trans youth and their families in a headline-making online debate with fellow country star Jason Aldean’s wife, Brittany Aldean, while most mainstream stars held their tongues. It was quickly evident that Morris has not turned into any shrinking violet as a result of the backlash she experienced from country fans on the right in the dust-up with the Aldeans, appearing on stage with a touch of androgyny in a look that combined legginess with formal black-tie. Morris performed her crossover hit “The Middle” while drag queen Alexia Noelle Paris accompanied her in an interpretive dance.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic “Love Rising” is looking to combat the deeply risible. Nashville-based musicians are coming together in a big way — a Bridgestone Arena-sized way — tonight for the show of that name, a benefit concert to raise awareness and funds for the LGBTQ community and its allies in the face of Tennessee legislation that is seen as targeting the rights of gay and trans people generally and drag performers specifically. The generously star-packed show is also being livestreamed internationally via the Veeps platform, with $14.99 tickets available here for a show that begins at 7:30 Nashville time, aka 8:30 ET/5:30 PT. The wide-ranging bill of rock, country, pop, indie and Americana performers includes Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Sheryl Crow, Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Yola, Brittany Howard, Hozier, Adeem the Artist, Julien Baker, Joy Oladokun, Jake Wesley Rogers and Mya Byrne, along with co-organizer Allison Russell. Late additions to the show since it was first announced include a greater contingent of non-binary and, yes, drag artists from Tennessee on top of the nationally known names.

Leonardo DiCaprio has described Martin Scorsese‘s new film, Killers Of The Flower Moon, as a “masterpiece”.DiCaprio stars alongside Robert De Niro in the movie, which details the real-life killings of the native Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma, where oil deposits were discovered.Jacqueline West, the movie’s costume designer, who also worked with DiCaprio on The Revenant, recently recalled a conversation she had with the actor about Scorsese’s film.Speaking to Deadline, she said: “I was talking to Leo about it. We had lunch before I came here.

Paramore's Hayley Williams, plus Julien Baker, Brittany Howard, and Maren Morris are among the first names confirmed for Nashville's Love Rising, a live music event organized in response to Tennessee's ban on drag performances on public property. Other names confirmed for Love Rising include Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Brothers Osborne, Yola, Allison Russell, and more. The event takes place on March 20 with proceeds going toward LGBTQIA+ programs, services, and resources across Tennessee.

Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell and Brittany Howard are set to perform at an LGBTQ+ benefit concert in Tennessee.The show entitled Love Rising, which has been organised by Isbell and Alison Russell, will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on March 20.Other acts on the bill include Hozier, Brothers Osborne, Amanda Shires, Julien Baker, Joy Oladokun, Yola, Jake Wesley Rogers, and Mya Byrne.Tickets for the show are on sale now and can be purchased here. You can view the full line-up below.The concert was set up in the wake of Tennessee passing Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 9, two pieces of legislation that ban drag performances from taking place on public property, as well as in any location where minors can be present.“As a queer, intersectional artist and mother, raising my child in Nashville, it’s important to me to support these wonderful Tennessee LGBTQIA+ advocacy organisations, working so hard to build bridges, reduce harm and promote equality for all Tennesseans,” Russell said in a statement via Consequence.“LGBTQIA+ contributions and creativity are foundational to every genre of modern song and arts performance.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Tennessee’s aggressive legislative moves against drag performances have prompted a host of pro-LGBTQ artists from different genres to come together for a March 20 benefit concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, dubbed “Love Rising,” that will raise funds for the Tennessee Equality Project and several other local pride organizations. Among those taking part in the Bridgestone show are Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne, two artists that have spoken up about LGBTQ issues in the often quiet mainstream country world. Others on the bill from the rock, pop, Americana and alternative realms include Paramore’s Haylee Williams, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires, Allison Russell, Yola, Brittany Howard and Hozier. Julien Baker, Joy Oladokun, Jake Wesley Rogers, Mya Byrne and the Rainbow Coalition Band round out the packed lineup. Other special guests are expected to be added.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic David Lindley, a virtuoso guitarist and multi-instrumentalist best known to many for his work with Jackson Browne, as well as a recording and touring artist in his own right, died Friday at age 78. No cause of death was immediately given. The musician had been known to have been ailing for some time. A family member posted late last year that Lindley had been repeatedly hospitalized for kidney issues, pneumonia and influenza; a fundraiser that had been recently set up for Lindley and his family said his medical issues “seem to have begun with a terrible bout of Long Covid.” “The loss of David Lindley is a huge one,” tweeted Jason Isbell. “Without his influence my music would sound completely different. I was genuinely obsessed with his playing from the first time I heard it. The man was a giant.”

David Lindley, whose talents on string instruments made him a sought-after collaborator for Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan and more, has died at 78. No cause was given, but Lindley was reportedly suffering from a long-term illness.

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is weighing a potential Cannes 2023 world premiere, as previously tipped in Deadline’s The Dish in July of last year, we can confirm.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic The good news for Taylor Swift fans: She is participating in Record Store Day again with a vinyl exclusive, for the second straight year. The bad news is that it’s in quantities of … Wait, that’s good news, too — there will be 115,000 copies available of “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions,” worldwide, about 10 times the amount that were pressed for her RSD 2022 single. Is that enough to meet demand, or keep legions of Swifties from queuing up before dawn along with the Record Store Day regulars on April 22? Not likely, but the volume of the pressing —more than four times as many as any RSD exclusive to date — should keep panic over procuring a copy to a lower level.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic On the eve of AmericanaFest in Nashville, Lucinda Williams was celebrated at BMI’s headquarters as the recipient of the performing rights organization’s annual Troubadour Award, where an invitation-only crowd heard Williams’ songs covered by Jason Isbell, Angel Olsen, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Amos Lee and Madeline Edwards. Other artists saluted Williams via taped congratulations, like Robert Plant and Dwight Yoakam, who called giving Williams the lifetime achievement award “long overdue.” Maybe it wasn’t that long overdue: Williams is only the fourth artist to get the Troubadour honor since it was instituted in 2017, following in the footsteps of John Prine, John Hiatt and Robert Earl Keen.

responded.In February, Crosby performed live for the first time since 2019 after he surprised fans at the end of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s set in Santa Barbara, Calif.Crosby, much to the delight of eager fans, performed the hit 1970 track “Ohio” with vocal help from Shawn Colvin.“Was soooooooooo goooood to play with people who love it,” Crosby tweeted after the gig.I think I’m too old to tour any more ….sadly https://t.co/1y6dFscymL“Haven’t played live for a long time … Jason and that band swing so hard … then he is just sitting there alone singing ‘Cover Me Up’ and we’re crying.”It comes as Crosby rejoined Spotify last month after a five-month protest of controversial podcaster Joe Rogan.The folk rocker pulled his library of songs off of the streaming platform in solidarity with ex-band member Neil Young.Young, the Canadian-American grunge rocker, removed his catalog from Spotify earlier this year after the Sweden-based streaming company refused his demand to fire Rogan over alleged “disinformation” related to COVID-19 vaccines.“They can have Rogan or Young.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticThat pose that Amanda Shires strikes on the cover of “Take It Like a Man” — is it the look of allure, or alarm? Even after some time spent with the record therein, it still seems like it could be either. The singer-songwriter-violinist kicks off her seventh solo release with “Hawk for the Dove,” about as broodingly carnal a track as you’re going to hear this year.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticRenowned music producer Dave Cobb was working on a film job where he recreated the music of one singing icon — Tammy Faye Bakker — when he got the assignment to do the same for an even more significant vocalist, high a bar as that may have been: Elvis Presley. Truly, both figured into his youth, growing up as a Pentecostal kid in the Southeast.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJapanese Breakfast, Wet Leg and Madlib were among the top winners at the Libera Awards on Thursday night, the American Association of Independent Music’s annual awards ceremony.The event returned in a hybrid setting, with people from the indie community gathering at New York’s Webster Hall to receive awards, catch a DJ set from Madlib (featuring a freestyle from Talib Kweli) and live sets from Sammy Rae & the Friends and others, while concurrently a livestream of performances from Japanese Breakfast, Brittany Howard, Jason Isbell, Helado Negro and Cautious Clay was played in a separate room at the venue. Also performing live at the event were Tré Burt, Canadian Brass and Adrian Daniel.

EXCLUSIVE: Gary Gilbert’s Gilbert Films, Mike Jackson and John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co., and Harvey Mason Jr.’s Harvey Mason Media have set director Numa Perrier to helm The War and Treaty about the Nashville husband and wife vocal duo.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticIn another example of it raining when it pours, the greater Los Angeles area, which previously had zero country or Americana festivals, is now going to have two in the coming months. The latest to be announced is the BeachLife Ranch Country & Americana Festival, to take place Sept.

David Crosby’s touring days are behind him.

Uncut are releasing a special collector’s vinyl edition called ‘Sounds Of The New West’, to complement their long-running CD series and to celebrate their 25th anniversary.The compilation contains a total of 18 tracks from the five existing ‘Sounds Of The New West’ compilation and includes artists such as Lambchop, The Handsome Family, Jason Isbell and more.A statement from Uncut said: “For this bespoke, highly collectable double album, we’ve gathered together 18 of the finest tracks from the five existing Sounds Of The New West compilations – including songs from veteran favourites like Lambchop, The Handsome Family and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy alongside relative upstarts such as Courtney Marie Andrews, Frazey Ford and Joan Shelley.”Limited to only 1000 copies, disc one is pressed on a special ‘Purple Rain’ vinyl while the second is pressed on ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ vinyl.Check out the full track list here:‘Sounds Of The New West’ Tracklist:SIDE ASIDE BSIDE CSIDE D Pre-order for the album is open now, and you can purchase directly here.Finished copies of the vinyl will ship from late June 2022 onwards.