Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires & Peter Levin Cover Garth Brooks & James McMurtry On ‘I So Lounging’

Amanda Shires’ I So Lounging: The Second Wave weekly livestream continued on Friday. Amanda, Jason Isbell and keyboardist Peter Levin covered Garth Brooks and James McMurtry for the “Weather” themed set.

Isbell and Levin kick off the stream with a bit of jamming ahead of Shires leading the trio on Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls.” After Amanda reminded Jason to talk into the microphone, Isbell led some funny banter about his soft-spoken nature. The conversation then turned to David Crosby, who celebrated his 79th birthday on Friday and who Amanda had told a humorous anecdote about the week prior, with Jason remarking on Crosby’s iconic voice and wondering if the legendary singer-songwriter always had such a beautiful voice. “I wonder sometimes…did David Crosby talk and sound like that when he was a little baby? Could you imagine a little baby David Crosby? Baby Crosby we’ll call him, with a little baby mustache.” “Someone would have to sew fringe in every diaper,” Amada added.

The trio then sang “Happy Birthday To You” for Crosby and longtime friend of the Allman Brothers Band, Chank Middleton. Middleton worked at the barbershop next to Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia. Duane Allman invited him over to the studio and Chank became a fixture there. After Duane died, Gregg Allman and Chank forged a lifelong friendship. Levin, who played in the Gregg Allman Band, was also a friend of Chank and wished him a happy birthday.

For the next musical number, Jason led the trio on “Rachel’s Song” from legendary singer-songwriter James McMurtry with Amanda accompanying him on fiddle. The song opens with the lyric “Must be a cold front coming.” Amanda then continued to try and figure out who won the raffle with help from her mom — “artist, cocktail maker, computer operator [and] Doctor of Nursing” — Lisa Fallon, with Jason riffing on a funny song about the “giveaway.” Next, Shires sang her original, “My Love (The Storm),” with Isbell adding backing vocals. The trio then performed “You Are My Sunshine” to close out the “Weather” themed livestream.

Watch the entire August 14 I So Lounging below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-em79ITGVR4