Jason Isbell Says ‘Georgia Blue’ Promise Gave Him an Excuse to Finally Make a Covers Album

Jason Isbell is grateful to finally be making a covers album. That's what the singer-songwriter tells The Daily Show host Trevor Noah in an interview about his upcoming album Georgia Blue.

"I'm a songwriter, and I’m supposed to go in with all these songs written," Isbell explains of his usual album-making process. "And I gotta play 'em for the band, and it's terrifying, because I don’t know if they’re any good yet."

This time around, however, "was nothing like that," Isbell continues. "It was like, I can take these songs that I love … these songs that I know already are great songs going in, and just go in and work the machines and have fun with the band."

With Georgia Blue, Isbell is making good on a promise he made on Twitter last November. On Nov. 5, 2020, when the official vote tallies for the United States presidential election remained undetermined in several states, the artist tweeted a promise to make a covers album of his favorite Georgia songs if Joe Biden carried the state in the election.

"You've gotta build a Twitter account people can trust, Trevor," Isbell jokes when Noah expresses surprise that the Americana icon is actually delivering on a social media promise.

The new album from Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit, will feature a variety of guest performers, including Americana favorites Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Brittney Spencer and Adia Victoria. It features covers of classic songs by the Indigo Girls, the Allman Brothers Band, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and more. All proceeds from the project will go toward organizations that support voting rights.

Georgia Blue is due out on Oct. 15 via Southeastern Records. Fans can pre-order and pre-save the project now.