Cooley, Hood, & Isbell Together Again – and I’ve got the goods to prove it!
The Song that Started it All For Chris
I’ve been a huge fan of Drive-by Truckers since I was driving through a Nashville cemetery back in 2003 or 2004 looking for Roy Acuff’s grave when “My Sweet Annette“ came on my radio. I about wrecked the car. It was like nothing I’d heard before, and I wanted more. I immediately left the cemetery and headed to a local record store in Madison, TN and found a copy of the album “Decoration Day” and also picked up a copy of “The Dirty South.” Both records changed my life. When I heard that a new release Thirty Tigers would be featuring a reunion show of the three main songwriters and singers for the band from that era, I had to have a copy.
Info about the Record
Released by Thirty Tigers, this album “Live at the Shoals Theatre” documents a reunion show between the three from June 15, 2014. Much has been written about Jason Isbell leading the band, and it’s not my purpose to rehash that here. Having been in a band myself, I know that people and tastes evolve, and it sometimes gets the point that a change is needed. Jason’s gone on to a meteoric rise and DBT has continued to churn out great music, as well. It’s been a things of beauty for fans to witness the creative output.
This show has all the great songs and is played in a songwriter in the round format. It’s pure joy to listen to, as the sound quality is great, and the artists are clearly enjoying themselves. Nothing is worse for music than for people to produce it together and to hate every minute of doing it. Been there, done that. It sucks the creativity and fun out of the room. This show is the complete opposite.
Song Highlights
“My Sweet Annette,” the song that hooked me to begin with his here. Other highlights include “Outfit,” “Puttin’ People on the Moon,” “Heathens,” “Danko/Manuel,” and “Zip City.” I put this album on in my back room when it came in, and I listened to it without being distracted by anything else. I was absorbed in the music, and that’s how it should be. I know that the pandemic has caused me to have withdrawals for live music, but live albums like this can get you close to the feeling.
Check this album out for a fun collaboration through people that clearly love playing music with each other and songs that still stand the test of time. Cooley, Hood, & Isbell – Together Again, and it is magical!