Drive-By Truckers were the musical guests on last night’s episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and they brought along an old friend: Jason Isbell, the Americana musician who played in the band from 2001 to 2007. Below, watch them perform “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy,” from the newly reissued Decoration Day.
In a recent press statement, Drive-By Truckers singer Patterson Hood reflected on bringing Isbell back into the fold for the Colbert performance. “Although we have always remained friends with Jason, and honestly he and I are closer now than ever, this is our first ‘announced’ appearance together in nearly 20 years,” he said. “I consider Decoration Day to be our masterpiece, and he was such an integral part of that album that it’s wonderful that he’s able to join us in celebrating this release.”
As Rolling Stone notes, Isbell has not been a total stranger to his former bandmates in Drive-By Truckers. In 2014, he played a show in Alabama with Hood and guitarist Mike Cooley. Then, in 2017, he did Decoration Day’s “Heathens” with the group in Nashville. And, a handful of years later, in 2021, Isbell joined Drive-By Truckers during another Alabama performance.
Drive-By Truckers issued The Definitive Decoration Day last month. The original 2003 studio album was the first of three that they made with Jason Isbell.
