Road work

Jason Isbell returns to Tulsa for Mother Road Revival

On September 10, Jason Isbell will take the stage as headliner at The Mother Road Revival, a folk music-and-film festival celebrating Tulsa’s heritage as tied to Route 66—the road, the mythic American byway. The road is something Isbell knows about. For him, it’s been a long one.

In the early days, three weeks into a tour of the American west coast, the whole band came down with the flu. And that was just the beginning.

“The van got broken into in San Francisco. Stolen equipment, busted window,” Isbell said. “The next day the drummer quit. He asked me for an advance, I gave him a hundred bucks and he went to the airport, his girlfriend bought him a plane ticket, and he went home.”

Then, a spiteful former manager repossessed the co-headliner’s tour bus.

It is a familiar story to the traveling musician—a life led by those called to create music and those audacious enough to attempt to make a living at it. 

Isbell’s dues have been paid. Dedication paved the way for two Grammys, several critically acclaimed records, and a career that has no appearance of slowing down anytime soon.

It is incredible work, but work nonetheless and Isbell is his own boss, accountable only to himself and his customers: the audience and, of course, the band. He handles the responsibility well.

“I like to get to the venue early. Get a feel for the room,” he said. “… to spend the first 45 minutes or so before a show with just the band … We have to be focused and be able to communicate up there.” 

The result of his attention to detail is an inspiring show that often leaves people elated, speechless, and connected to his songs. 

Isbell is not a rock star, which is part of his charm and part of why it is so easy to relate to the songs he writes. He is the literal everyman: the type of person that is polite on principal and sincere in every interaction.

As the son of a painter from the unincorporated township of Green Hill, Alabama, he has always had a dedicated work ethic, going all the way back to his days as a cart fetcher at Wal-Mart.

“I’d help the little old ladies out with their groceries and pull the carts back in. It was fun, I enjoyed it.”

Besides endearing himself to the young and old, Isbell’s appeal reaches across tastes and genres. He was propelled into the mainstream country spotlight when the Zac Brown Band covered his chilling ode to a fallen soldier (also the star of Isbell’s high school football team), “Dress Blues.” 

And despite being more frequently associated with the country side of roots music, Isbell’s last record debuted at the top of Billboard’s Rock, Country and Folk charts and at number 6 on the Billboard Top 200. This and the Grammy award for Best Americana Album of 2016 are impressive—but the fact that it was done without major label funding makes it even more so, attesting to his natural brilliance and transcendent performances. 

Brilliance and transcendence aside, Isbell is a quiet and reserved man, but with a sense of humor that is sharp and quick. If you need proof, look no further than his Twitter account, which he uses often to interact with fans. The feed is full of poignant and entertaining observations about everything from how bad the new Superman/Batman movie is to his support of TIME Magazine’s recent fried chicken “Best Of” list. His use of Twitter, a byproduct of constant touring, has allowed a closer glimpse into his personality.

“You get bored, it’s something to do on the bus,” he said. “You have a lot of free time, whether you want it or not. I certainly don’t use it as much when I’m at home.” 

Which isn’t often.

The commercial success of last year’s album “Something More Than Free” means home, for Isbell, is often a tour bus or hotel. Despite remaining in a state of near perpetual travel, Jason is a dedicated father and husband, sharing responsibilities with wife and fellow touring musician Amanda Shires.

“Nowadays we do a lot touring with the baby and that’s been great. To be able to go out and play with her is just incredible. If I’d married someone other than Amanda I don’t know that it would work. Unless you’ve toured yourself, you don’t really know how it is. Someone who understands how good the good days and how bad the bad days are.” 

When he isn’t spending time with his family, writing, recording, or touring, he moonlights as the voice of Kyle Nubbins, the cool new goatee wearing, blow out sporting, tattooed pastor on Cartoon Network’s cult favorite, “Squidbillies.” 

This will be his first return to Tulsa since last year’s sold out show at Cain’s Ballroom. He will be accompanied by Memphis-based Lucero, with Shakey Graves rounding out the bill.

The Mother Road Revival
BOK Center | Sat., Sept. 10 | Doors at 7 pm Tickets $35-$65 | bokcenter.com

For more from Bobby, read his article on Johnny Badseed and the Rotten Apples.