Anti-bro country advocates and even some lovers of pop country point to Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell as the poster boys of a new modern country/Americana sound and last night we got a taste of what their combined talents can do. The two country singer-songwriters came together for a cover of Terry Allen's "Amarillo Highway."
The performance took place Thursday night at Simpson's show in Isbell's home state of Alabama. According to Stereogum, Simpson has a propensity for playing covers at his live shows, but bringing Isbell on for one of them took it to the next level.
"Amarillo Highway (for Dave Hickey)" is the lead song off Allen's 1979 album, Lubbock (On Everything), and the song matches the modern musician's love of outlaw country.
Isbell took to the mic to sing this perfect country wanderer verse: "I don't wear no Stetson/ But I'm willin to bet son/ That I'm a big a Texan as you are/ 'Cause There's a girl in her barefeet/ 'Sleep on the back seat/ An that trunk is full of Pearl and Lone Star."
Isbell also ripped through a couple of guitar solos on the song as Simpson and his band lay down the rhythm. Watch the clip below.
Sturgill Simpson recently took home the award for Artist of the Year at the Americana Awards. However, he wasn't there to receive the award because he was on tour, according to NPR: All Songs Considered. Early on in the tour, he got sick and had to cancel a number of dates and the rescheduled shows interfered with the awards ceremony and festival. Now he's finishing up that very tour with three sold out nights at Nashville's famous Ryman Auditorium, before working his way across the country to several November stops in California.
Check out all of his 2015 tour dates on his official website. Listen to Allen's original song below.
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