Jason Isbell Releases ‘Georgia Blue’ Covers Album, as Promised
During the 2020 election, Jason Isbell promised that if Joe Biden won the state of Georgia, he would record an album of his favorite Georgia songs.
If Biden wins Georgia I’m gonna make a charity covers album of my favorite Georgia songs- REM, Gladys Knight, Vic Chesnutt, Allmans, Cat Power, Precious Bryant, Now It’s Overhead, etc… And damn is that gonna be fun
— Jason IsBOO! (@JasonIsbell) November 6, 2020
On Oct. 15, he made good on that promise with Georgia Blue.
Hey y’all Georgia Blue is out now! I’ve officially kept my Twitter promise. Give it a spin!
— Jason IsBOO! (@JasonIsbell) October 15, 2021
Released digitally on Oct. 15 (physical releases are due on Record Store Day, Nov. 26), the album features Isbell and the 400 Unit performing covers of songs by Otis Redding, Cat Power, Indigo Girls, the Allman Brothers, R.E.M., Vic Chesnutt, James, Brown, and more. Hear his version of R.E.M.’s song “Driver 8” above.
“Georgia Blue is a labor of love,” Isbell said in a statement. “On election day 2020, when I saw that there was a good chance the state of Georgia might go blue, I came up with an idea: to record an album of Georgia-related songs as a thank you to the state and donate the money to a Georgia based non-profit organization.”
But he also admitted that wasn’t his only motivation. “For years, I’ve been looking for an excuse to record these songs with my band and some friends.”
Related: See photos of Jason Isbell and Lucinda Williams at Red Rocks
Georgia Blue features a bunch of special guests, too. See the track and artist list below.
1. “Nightswimming” (R.E.M.) feat. Béla Fleck and Chris Thile
2. “Honeysuckle Blue” (Drivin’ N’ Cryin’) feat. Sadler Vaden
3. “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” (James Brown) feat. Brittney Spencer
4. “Cross Bones Style” (Cat Power) feat. Amanda Shires
5. “The Truth” (Precious Bryant) feat. Adia Victoria
6. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” (Otis Redding)
7. “Sometimes Salvation” (The Black Crowes) feat. Steve Gorman
8. “Kid Fears” (Indigo Girls) feat. Julien Baker and Brandi Carlile
9. “Reverse” (Now It’s Overhead)
10. “Midnight Train to Georgia” (Gladys Knight & The Pips) feat. Brittney Spencer and John Paul White
11. “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” (The Allman Brothers Band) feat. Peter Levin
12. “I’m Through” (Vic Chesnutt)
13. “Driver 8” (R.E.M.) feat. John Paul White
