Jason Isbell Enlists Brittney Spencer & John Paul White to Cover ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’
Jason Isbell is making good on his promise. Amid last year’s presidential election, Isbell had shared with his fans, “If Biden wins Georgia I’m gonna make a charity covers album of my favorite Georgia songs – REM, Gladys Knight, Vic Chesnutt, Allmans, Cat Power, Precious Bryant, Now It’s Overhead, etc… And damn is that gonna be fun.”
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Joe Biden, of course, did win the 2020 presidential election, and also became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win in the state of Georgia in nearly three decades. On Oct. 15, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will release Georgia Blue, including covers of the Indigo Girls classic “Kid Fears,” Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” and R.E.M.’s “Driver 8,” among other tracks.
As part of the lead-up to the album, Isbell has previewed the project with another track, welcoming John Paul White (formerly of The Civil Wars) and newcomer Brittney Spencer, as Spencer takes the lead on an elegant rendering of the Gladys Knight and the Pips classic “Midnight Train to Georgia.” The group’s smash topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles (as the chart was called then) in 1973, won a Grammy for best R&B vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus in 1974, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
“Georgia Blue is a labor of love,” Isbell said via a press release. “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…We have roots and blues and R&B, so we enlisted some brilliant artists to help us pull off songs by Precious Bryant, James Brown and Gladys Knight. My favorite part of the Georgia Blue recording process was having the opportunity to work with these very special artists, and I thank them: Amanda Shires, Brittney Spencer, Adia Victoria, Brandi Carlile, Julien Baker, Bèla Fleck, Chris Thile, Steve Gorman, Peter Levin and John Paul White. 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.”
Spencer will also join Isbell on a handful of upcoming tour dates — most notably as one of several opening acts when Isbell returns for another Ryman Auditorium residency later this month. Isbell will headline eight shows at the hallowed Nashville, Tenn., venue, and will welcome solo artist, Highwomen member, 400 Unit member and wife Amanda Shires to open the first Ryman show on Oct. 15. The opening slots on the remaining seven nights will spotlight several talented Black female artists, including Shemekia Copeland, Mickey Guyton, Amythyst Kiah, Joy Oladokun, Allison Russell, Spencer and Adia Victoria. The Ryman Auditorium shows will take place Oct. 15-17, 19-20, and 22-24.
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