Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

Alabama native Jason Isbell first made a name for himself as a member of alt-country/southern rock group Drive-By Truckers from 2001-2007. In ’07, Isbell departed from the Truckers, but applied the sharpened songwriting and performance chops he had honed from his tenure in the band to launch his solo career. After a debut under his own name, Isbell formed his permanent band, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit (Isbell’s still the creative driving force, but they’re a real band- think of them like Ryan Adams and The Cardinals), and has since released two full-lengths and two live albums with the group. Though Jason’s solo music bears many similarities to his former band, he’s expanded his focus to incorporate blues and sometimes even punk-leaning influences, packaged in a more southern rock, distilled sound than Drive-By is typically known for.

Over the past couple of years, Isbell’s music has received more and more critical acclaim, even nabbing him Song of the Year at the 2012 Americana Music Awards for “Alabama Pines.” He’s been featured in national television placements, including the popular show Sons of Anarchy. It’s rare to see to an artist release not one, but two, well-received live albums so early in their career, but the strength of Isbell’s live performance has become one of his defining qualities. The singer and his band have been touring nonstop for years and, as a result, are one of the best live shows around. If you like your Bonnaroo with a side of blues-dripped southern rock, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit are a must!

Listen | “Codeine”

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Watch | “Alabama Pines” (Official Music Video)