Photo by Alysse Gafkjen


On Oct. 15, Jason Isbell will make good on a 2020 promise and share a brand new, star-studded benefit album featuring the likes of Amanda Shires, Brittney Spencer, Adia Victoria, Brandi Carlile, Julien Baker, Bèla Fleck, Chris Thile, Steve Gorman, Peter Levin and John Paul White.

In November 2020, as the Georgia votes of the presidential election were rolling in, Isbell tweeted, “If Biden wins Georgia I’m gonna make a charity covers album of my favorite Georgia songs… And damn is that gonna be fun.”

Now, months later, Isbell explains, “Georgia Blue is a labor of love. 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. I will admit my motivations were a bit selfish. For years, I’ve been looking for an excuse to record these songs with my band and some friends. The songs on this album are some of my favorite Georgia-related songs… I hope you enjoy listening to these recordings as much as we enjoyed making them. Keep listening to good music and fighting the good fight.”

Proceeds from the LP will benefit three voter-driven organizations: Fair Fight, the Black Voters Fund and Georgia Stand Up.

Pre-order Georgia Blue here.

Check out the tweet that kicked off the project, and Isbell’s cover of R.E.M.’s “Driver 8” featuring John Paul White below:

GEORGIA BLUE TRACK LIST

  1. “Nightswimming” feat. Béla Fleck and Chris Thile (originally performed by R.E.M.)
  2. “Honeysuckle Blue” feat. Sadler Vaden (originally performed by Drivin’ N’ Cryin’)
  3. “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” feat. Brittney Spencer (originally performed by
    James Brown)
  4. “Cross Bones Style” feat. Amanda Shires (originally performed by Cat Power)
  5. “The Truth” feat. Adia Victoria (originally performed by Precious Bryant)
  6. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” (originally performed by Otis Redding)
  7. “Sometimes Salvation” feat. Steve Gorman (originally performed by The Black Crowes)
  8. “Kid Fears” feat. Julien Baker and Brandi Carlile (originally performed by Indigo Girls)
  9. “Reverse” (originally performed by Now It’s Overhead)
  10. “Midnight Train To Georgia” feat. Brittney Spencer and John Paul White (originally performed by Gladys Knight & The Pips)
  11. “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” feat. Peter Levin (originally performed by The Allman
    Brothers Band)
  12. “I’m Through” (originally performed by Vic Chesnutt)
  13. “Driver 8” feat. John Paul White (originally performed by R.E.M.)