Jason Isbell Discusses Divorce, Drive-By Truckers Departure & More On ‘Fresh Air’

Jason Isbell returned to NPR’s Fresh Air for a wide-ranging interview with host Terry Gross. The singer-songwriter covered many topics, including his 2024 divorce from Amanda Shires, his 2007 departure from Drive-By Truckers, his new solo album Foxes In The Snow and more.

Isbell’s separation from Shires influenced several songs on Foxes In The Snow. Gross asked Isbell about specific lyrics in a few of the album’s songs that seemingly address the situation. The subject of previous love songs written for Shires, and whether Isbell can still perform ones like “Cover Me Up,” was part of the discussion as well.

“I can, yeah,” Isbell said of playing those songs. “And the old songs, they mean different things to me now because I have hindsight, you know? And the emotions that I’m feeling now when I’m playing those songs, they’re not the same as they were when I wrote them, you know? They’re certainly not that sort of obsession. There’s more nostalgia for the person that I was when I felt that way. And there’s also a document of love that I had for someone, and I feel like that was reciprocated at the time. And, you know, I mean, that’s just art, you know?”

Gross questioned Isbell about a lyric in the Foxes In The Snow track “Crimson And Clay” that references a trailer catching on fire while on tour during his stint in Drive-By Truckers. Isbell detailed the fiery real-life incident, which led to his commenting on his dismissal from Drive-By Truckers in 2007.

Recalling the circumstances and his mindset regarding them at the time, Isbell told Gross:

“They were being unfair to me and that they were jealous. That was the message. That was the message I took away for a long time. And then I came around and understood that I needed to get my ass in gear and honor the gift of being able to make music and be kinder to people. And take better care of myself. And, you know, since then, I mean, I’ve reconnected with them. I consider them to be very good friends. And, you know, I talk to Patterson [Hood] all the time. But, yeah, at the time, I took away from it that they’re jealous and mean (laughter).

“I went wild because I was postponing dealing with the trauma of my childhood, and at the time it was much easier to blame it on being in a rock and roll band, because it did feel like a gang, you know? It felt good. I felt like, alright, I’m in with these guys, they’re older, they smoke cigarettes, they drink whiskey. … It motivated me not only to have more confidence but also it made me feel like I could push my own boundaries and test my own boundaries a little bit. But … the truth of it was that I was just postponing growing into an adult, untangling those knots and making a deal with a community where I would treat them fairly and hope for the same in return.”

Gross’ discussion with Isbell also touched on the impact of his deeply religious Christian upbringing, his ongoing relationship with sobriety, and more — ending with his performance of the Foxes In The Snow song, “Eileen.”

Visit NPR for Isbell’s full Fresh Air interview or steam it below: