Watch Jason Isbell Debut ‘A Star Is Born’ Song ‘Maybe It’s Time’ at the Ryman
Jason Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit, kicked off their new residency at the Ryman Auditorium on Monday night (Oct. 22), and he closed the first night of the run with an onstage debut of a brand-new song, "Maybe It's Time." Isbell wrote the song as his contribution to the soundtrack for A Star is Born, the 2018 musical film that stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
However, when he introduced the song onstage at the Ryman, the Americana stalwart cautioned the crowd that the new movie might not exactly be feel-good. "I'm trying to tell y'all the truth," Isbell said, according to the Tenneseean. "If you don't like sad movies, maybe you go see the Spiderman thing."
"And I'm glad I can't go back to where I came from / Glad those days are gone and gone for good / But if I could take spirits from my past and bring them here / You know I would ..." Isbell sings on the track, with sparse fiddle and vocal accompaniments from Amanda Shires, Isbell's wife and fellow Americana artist.
Isbell bolstered his set on Monday with opening support from bluegrass and Americana instrumentalist and songwriter Molly Tuttle, who recently took home awards at both the 2018 Americana Honors & Awards and the 2017 IBMA Awards.
Isbell will continue to play at the Ryman throughout his October 2018 residency. It isn't his first time in the gig: In 2017, Isbell and the 400 Unit also held court at the Ryman in October. Most recently, the singer-songwriter cleaned up at the 2018 Americana Honors & Awards, subsequently sparking a Twitter conversation about inclusivity and diversity in the genre.