Alabama singer announces Mareel concert

AMERICANA award-winning singer songwriter Jason Isbell is to perform a special acoustic show at Mareel in Lerwick this summer.

The Alabama-born artist, formerly a member of southern US rock band the Drive-By Truckers, will be joined on fiddle and vocals by his wife Amanda Shires for the Tuesday 5 August concert.

This year has seen the 35 year old sharing a stage with country great Willie Nelson and bluegrass star Alison Krauss. In 2012 he toured extensively with alternative country singer Ryan Adams.

Isbell won an Americana Music Award in 2012 for his song Alabama Pines, and last year’s solo album Southeastern has been widely hailed as his finest collection to date.

Isbell joined the Drive-By Truckers in 2001 and spent six years writing and recording with the band, contributing some of their best loved songs including ‘Outfit’, ‘Danko/Manuel’ and ‘The Day John Henry Died’.

Since 2007 he has released a string of albums under his own name and with his band The 400 Unit, showcasing his raw, gritty and country-tinged songs which prove a perfect fit with Isbell’s rich, soulful baritone vocals.

That was followed by the release of Southeastern last summer – a mostly stripped-down affair marking a departure from some of his louder earlier records. It contains some of his best compositions, including ‘Travelling Alone’ (a duet featuring Shires’ voice and violin), murder ballad ‘Live Oak’ and the crushingly powerful ‘Elephant’.

The show has been organised by Ragged Wood Promotions in association with Shetland Arts. Local support will come from mother-and-son duo Sheila Duncan and Joe Watt, while Shires will also play a short set of her own material.

Promoter Neil Riddell said: “We are really excited that Jason and Amanda are coming to Shetland. Jason is fast acquiring a reputation as one of America’s most talented roots writers, and they are both terrific live performers.”

• Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires will perform at Mareel on Tuesday 5 August, doors at 7pm. Tickets, priced £14 (£12 concessions) are available now from Shetland Box Office.