Jason Isbell has wanted to be a professional musician ever since he could remember. With nearly two decades in the business, he’s not going anywhere.
The Grammy Award-winner, who performs at the Raising Cane’s River Center Theatre next Tuesday, Sept. 26, is known for his soulful, personal songwriting, often blending bluesy folk, Americana and Southern rock for an introspective hybrid he considers art over entertainment.
On tour for his newest record The Nashville Sound, Isbell and his band the 400 Unit have garnered praise for the seasoned musician’s new material, with a recent NPR Tiny Desk concert, Rolling Stone feature and appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
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225 talked with Isbell ahead of his Baton Rouge show to learn more about the Alabama native’s most recent album, songwriting process and evolution of sound.
What inspired you while making The Nashville Sound?
I’m not really somebody who does the inspiration thing. I think that’s really for beginners. I mean, there are things that motivate me and things that concern me, but I don’t like the word ‘inspiration,’ because I think it gives people an excuse not to work because they don’t feel inspired. And it’s my job to write songs. I think I did a good job of documenting what’s going on in my life and the world around me right now.
You say that songwriting is your job. Many of your songs are known to be deeper than the average—how are you able to continually do this without feeling drained?
I think I enjoy the process now more than I used to. It can be emotionally draining, but it can be good for you. It’s the way that I explain the world to myself—it’s therapy as much as anything else. It was difficult to sit down and find the headspace to write. I didn’t write nearly as many songs 15 years ago as I do now on a yearly basis because I’ve gotten more comfortable with it.
What’s your songwriting process like?
It’s different every time. Sometimes I’ll be driving or working in the yard—it’s nice to occupy my brain with menial tasks because the creative part of my brain is active. As long as it gets done, I don’t have any set ritual for how I go about it.
How has this tour been for your new album compared to previous years?
It’s good. I think we’re at the most successful point we’ve ever been at. The audiences have been great, and it seems like everything is going well.
How do you think your sound has changed, if at all, since you started nearly 20 years ago?
I think I’ve gotten better at melody. As far as the sound of the records, I’ve been working with Dave Cobb on the last three records. He’s really good at keeping what’s necessary and throwing away what’s not. You trim away a lot of the fat, and it helps the listener stay focused on the song.
Is that an unconscious thing for you? Whenever you try new things, experimentation just happens?
It’s sort of the opposite for me, because I started out doing more sonic experimentation than I do now. I think the song is the most important thing, and I’ve always considered myself a musician first and a guitar player first. But good songs are hard to come by and probably always will be. There’s a lot of songs in the world—but not enough good ones.
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What do you think classifies a good song?
Something that makes you reconsider your perspective, or something that makes you realize you have more in common with somebody else than you thought. For me, it’s a song that you listen to as an activity, rather than a song you listen to while you’re doing something else … because if the music’s good enough that’s what I’m going to be doing: consuming that particular piece of art. That’s what qualifies art over entertainment.
Do you think your music accomplishes that?
Sometimes I think it does. Certainly not everything I’ve written has been great or even good. But yeah, when I’m at my best I definitely stop people in their tracks.
Editor’s note: Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.