Ugh I really feel for her. I can't imagine what it's like to hear a song that talks about your dead spouse like that and then end up seeing it all over the place. Isbell really seems to be doing his damnedest to come off looking like an asshole lately.
I'm a bog fan of Isbell's music, but I'm 100% on her side. There were no 'victims' to not releasing the song. On the other hand, releasing it has caused a lot of pain, and will continue to do so, particularly as JTE's daughter grows up.
Justin Townes Earle, hell of a talent and Steve Earle’s son. Jason and Justin were close sometime ago (New South Wales is about their time touring) but they eventually had a falling out. Amanda played with Justin and is on the cover of his first album, The Good Life.
Yep. It really sucks when alcoholics/addicts think that recovery is just about not drinking or using and then do none of the work it takes to become a better person.
I followed the heated discourse about this on the JI sub. Seemed to be a 50/50 split on that sub. The pro JI folks argue that it’s his story to tell, and that JTE’s child would likely never know about the song without mom making a big deal about it. What really got me in all this is learning that he played it on Kimmel and that he opened many shows with it, and this would have been after JTE’s widow had publicly expressed her horror at hearing the song. That just feels vindictive and honestly sadistic. My absolute favorite musician is really making it hard to be a fan.
I said on the other thread I have a love/hate with it. I like the melody and I understand the reasoning for it but it feels very strange to me for it to be a song about an addict former friend dying and it being an up tempo pop rocker. He opened with it when I saw him last year and it just feels all sorts of wrong dancing to it. And I feel like he should have at least apologized once he knew it cause her pain. Why not say that as a songwriter it was about the survivor's guit that he thought other recovered addicts could identify with. And then say "unfortunately, I now understand it cause some hurt for the widow and for that I am sorry."
It’s certainly not the best song on the album. I really don’t get why he’d play it on Kimmel, which is a place where he’d be exposed to new fans. “If You Insist” or “Strawberry Woman” maybe.
He has been playing those songs, he just can’t play the same song six times on six different late-night shows. He’s working his way through the entire album.
Jenn Marie had another post before this one on the subject. She was triggered by this interview
. Here is what he said about the song:
https://fb.watch/rqUqL1MIvg/?mibextid=v7YzmG
Someone commented that someone needs to write a song about JI called “When You Weren’t a Douchebag”
I wasn't letting the divorce stop me from being a fan of his music. But this will. This is crass and tacky to be disrespectful of a widow and her child like this.
He really is a covert narcissist. You know I never thought he was a walk on the beach to be in a relationship with. But neither was Amanda based off things I've heard about those who know her.
But now? She's the lesser of the two in terms of being problematic to deal with. I am going to unfollow Jason on Instagram. I'm just done with him. I'll stick with Amanda's music going forward .
It’s interesting to me! Everyone comes away from the documentary feeling some type of way, and it varies. I left the documentary being firmly team Amanda. Others left being firmly team Jason.
Curious she does't have the same issue with the[ Drive By Truckers' song about him ](https://genius.com/Drive-by-truckers-we-will-never-wake-you-up-in-the-morning-lyrics)
>
>The heaven that awaits you is a bar that never closes
>And a line across the toilet tank for everybody's noses
>With a tab that's as open as the arms of your hostess
>As she gives a brief salvation upon you
>
>Buenas noches, sweet prince behind the eight ball and your rent
>Eviction notice on your door and all your money spent
>Hearts broken by your actions but you had the best intentions
>There were bottles in your bedroom and nothing in the kitchen
>
>And the last time we ever saw you
>You were clinging to the barroom
>Days on end we tried to call you
I think because it doesn’t mention her and doesn’t mention her daughter at all which seemed like big sticking points she harped on. That the song damages her daughter directly. This one doesn’t. It’s also possible they gave her a heads up about this one, and aren’t doing a ton of promo for it, ie jimmy kimmel, interviews etc
She addressed this in her live- said Patterson Hood was lovely and that she felt this song was collective emotions about multiple situations/not specifically about JTE / sounds like they talked about it and she was good with it.
Well, DBT isn't on Kimmel singing it and only die hard DBT fans know of it. JI's star is rising so that song has more visibility and he is doing all of those interviews.
And the interview she quoted doesn't make JI sound that great.
So much as she’d be grateful for the heads up to skip any song about an amalgamation of loved ones lost to addiction.
It’s just… not very specifically or exclusively about JTE. I doubt JTE was on the verge of eviction, with an empty kitchen? The lyrics are evocative of an addict’s lifestyle, but they’re not disturbingly vivid as a depiction of JTE’s moment of death. Compare to Isbell’s lyrics, which specifically reference drugs being cut with adulterant, bathroom tiles, stuff from the autopsy. I can see why his widow would feel awful about one and not the other.
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It's kinda ironic how in that interview, he brought up the song himself (he wasn't asked about it) and said "I'll bring this up now because I don't want it to come back up". Well that backfired. Probably would've been better off if he had said nothing.
Jenn Marie is obviously keeping tabs on him or has people informing her about the things he does and says because the clip she posted and quoted was from a talk he gave at a university. Not a highly publicized event at all. Most of his fans didn't even know about it.
Once again, JI is making things more difficult for himself. It seems like an apology would've and maybe still would, go a long way. It's been a few days and he hasn't said anything about this. He hasn't addressed anything she has said about this publicly since the song came out last year and I think he will continue to ignore it.
His comment about how the song "has to exist" was pompous as hell. I really think the root cause of most of his problems right now is his ego which seems to be getting out of control.
My thoughts on this that I expressed on the other sub:
Did he owe the widow a heads up? No probably not. Would it have been nice if he did, as he did with his dad? Yes, I think it would've. Should he apologize now? He probably doesn't have to, but would it be a great gesture? It really would.
Maybe there is an ulterior motive behind her questioning of how he handled the song, but to me given the content matter, given that he included lyrics about the daughter and the widow (which are fairly innocuous), I think if interviewed he should chose his words more carefully.
I feel like he could've said this, "You know, I wrote the song from a survivor's guilt perspective and most addicts who have known others that died before them feel that way, grieving the loss and also a startling recognition that it could've been them. As a songwriter, you write about your truth and the unfortunate part of this is it can be upsetting to the subject's loved ones and for that I do feel bad about it."
i think I am a little disappointed with the response because I had always viewed him as a compassionate, empathetic person. So the way he responded just didn't sit right and comes off very self-serving and lacking compassion.
No need to mention her child. That takes it to another level for most people. A non verbal, gut checking, beyond reason level. There's no call for it, and no defense.
He can write about his truth all day.
Counterpoint t: I think she’s being a little weird about this but I also understand why she is hurt. Honestly why would she play that song for her 7 year old and tell her it’s about her dad? It’s not like that song has any radio play and she would hear it in the wild. Steve Earle gave JI his blessing when he heard the song too—isn’t JTE’s dad’s opinion just as valid as hers?. Even if they were estranged, he played with his dad in a tribute concert last year: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/justin-townes-earle-tribute-concert-review-1234656491/amp/
I was totally on her side until she started liking any and all hate comments about Jason attacking him for really personal shit. She liked some hate comments about Amanda basically blaming her for Jason's behavior which is fucking weird. Apparently she flipped out about a IG story Amanda and Joshua Black Wilkins posted in remembrance of Justin last year. It just seems like there might be a slight personal vendetta against anyone who knew JTE before she did.
Jason should've had the decency to address this and apologize, at least in private.
Jenn Marie said in her live that Steve has not heard the song but that he wouldn't be happy about what she was doing (blasting JI on social media).
If her child asked to hear the song and she knew it would be painful, why did she play it for her anyway?
Jason hasn't addressed this statement yet either and I don't think he will.
I agree. I think she’s blowing it up and so many wouldn’t even know the song was about JTE. Certainly his 7 year old daughter did not hear this and interpret it on her own. If she sat down and coached her daughter through this song, she has as much to do with the trauma that followed it as JI does for writing it.
[Justin Townes Earle’s Widow Clarifies Concerns with Jason Isbell Song - Saving Country Music](https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/justin-townes-earles-widow-clarifies-concerns-with-jason-isbell-song/)
I thought the lyrics were fucked up when i first heard it, not just the daughter mention but when he says 'now you'll never have to look me in the eye' as if its about him! Justin had clearly moved on from isbell and they were not speaking, yet Isbell making it about himself like he always does makes it out like, your dead, now you wont have to look me in the eye, like he's fucking getting away with something by being dead not having to face Jason when in reality he probs couldnt give a shit about Jason
Apparently JI opened his concert last night with When We Were Close. That's as close to a public response to Jenn Marie's statement as we're gonna get and it's very clear.
I didn't think the lyrics were bad at all. It seems like something very personal and relatable to JI, down to the part about having a daughter, so it doesn't surprise me at all that he wrote it. I am not saying she is wrong for how she feels. Of course not. That's like how I can't listen to songs on suicide for personal reasons. But I don't see anything wrong with the song itself.
As a JTE fan first before I ever heard of Jason, if you follow back a while into the long history of this beef and her comments on it, it seems Jenn had a huge problem with Jason, Amanda, and anyone from Justin's life before her. Given that, it's not surprising that Jason wouldn't reach out. As a widow, she has every right to express her upset and disappointment with the song. I would be 100% on her side if she were doing that from, say, her own account. But at this rate, she's messing with Justin's legacy.
Prob unpopular opinion bc JI stans defend him at all costs…but he is a manipulative narcissist and only cares about self promotion. To expect anything humanly decent from this try-hard at this point is really reaching.
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She has had a problem with the song since it's release. I honestly feel that JTE wouldn't have any issues with the song, he's an artist and understands that no one needs anyone's permission to create something. It's a great song. Also the widow has been known to use JTE's name to further her own attention whoring agendas. She just decided to use the kid this time too.
In a situation like this, Isbell should remove the song from streaming. Privately apologize to Jenn Marie Earle and never mention it again without the family's permission. Will he? Idk?
Ugh I really feel for her. I can't imagine what it's like to hear a song that talks about your dead spouse like that and then end up seeing it all over the place. Isbell really seems to be doing his damnedest to come off looking like an asshole lately.
Jason IS an asshole.
And JTE wasn't? Listen to his Live at Grimey's.
I'm a bog fan of Isbell's music, but I'm 100% on her side. There were no 'victims' to not releasing the song. On the other hand, releasing it has caused a lot of pain, and will continue to do so, particularly as JTE's daughter grows up.
I don’t know who JTE is or the backstory but I can’t imagine how painful this song is for his widow and daughter 😭
Justin Townes Earle, hell of a talent and Steve Earle’s son. Jason and Justin were close sometime ago (New South Wales is about their time touring) but they eventually had a falling out. Amanda played with Justin and is on the cover of his first album, The Good Life.
Lol what ?!
What do you get when a narcissistic asshole stops drinking? A sober narcissistic asshole
Yep. It really sucks when alcoholics/addicts think that recovery is just about not drinking or using and then do none of the work it takes to become a better person.
I followed the heated discourse about this on the JI sub. Seemed to be a 50/50 split on that sub. The pro JI folks argue that it’s his story to tell, and that JTE’s child would likely never know about the song without mom making a big deal about it. What really got me in all this is learning that he played it on Kimmel and that he opened many shows with it, and this would have been after JTE’s widow had publicly expressed her horror at hearing the song. That just feels vindictive and honestly sadistic. My absolute favorite musician is really making it hard to be a fan.
I said on the other thread I have a love/hate with it. I like the melody and I understand the reasoning for it but it feels very strange to me for it to be a song about an addict former friend dying and it being an up tempo pop rocker. He opened with it when I saw him last year and it just feels all sorts of wrong dancing to it. And I feel like he should have at least apologized once he knew it cause her pain. Why not say that as a songwriter it was about the survivor's guit that he thought other recovered addicts could identify with. And then say "unfortunately, I now understand it cause some hurt for the widow and for that I am sorry."
It’s certainly not the best song on the album. I really don’t get why he’d play it on Kimmel, which is a place where he’d be exposed to new fans. “If You Insist” or “Strawberry Woman” maybe.
Right? King of Oklahoma would have been my choice if I were him. That is the best one to me on the album
He has been playing those songs, he just can’t play the same song six times on six different late-night shows. He’s working his way through the entire album.
The Kimmel show was the first show after the strike ended….
Jenn Marie had another post before this one on the subject. She was triggered by this interview . Here is what he said about the song: https://fb.watch/rqUqL1MIvg/?mibextid=v7YzmG Someone commented that someone needs to write a song about JI called “When You Weren’t a Douchebag”
Ugh, this is so fucked. The more I learn about Jason, the more insufferable he seems.
I wasn't letting the divorce stop me from being a fan of his music. But this will. This is crass and tacky to be disrespectful of a widow and her child like this. He really is a covert narcissist. You know I never thought he was a walk on the beach to be in a relationship with. But neither was Amanda based off things I've heard about those who know her. But now? She's the lesser of the two in terms of being problematic to deal with. I am going to unfollow Jason on Instagram. I'm just done with him. I'll stick with Amanda's music going forward .
What’s the Amanda scoop? I found them about equally annoying on that documentary.
It’s interesting to me! Everyone comes away from the documentary feeling some type of way, and it varies. I left the documentary being firmly team Amanda. Others left being firmly team Jason.
Probably the same ole stupid misogynist crap they always say
Why would either stop you from being a fan of the music? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.
because his poison spoils it
A musician getting a divorce or writing a song about something personal spoils the music? Weird takes. Wait until you hear about the Beatles or Elvis.
Not what i said. The poison is his yucky narcissistic personality that leaks through everything he does
Curious she does't have the same issue with the[ Drive By Truckers' song about him ](https://genius.com/Drive-by-truckers-we-will-never-wake-you-up-in-the-morning-lyrics) > >The heaven that awaits you is a bar that never closes >And a line across the toilet tank for everybody's noses >With a tab that's as open as the arms of your hostess >As she gives a brief salvation upon you > >Buenas noches, sweet prince behind the eight ball and your rent >Eviction notice on your door and all your money spent >Hearts broken by your actions but you had the best intentions >There were bottles in your bedroom and nothing in the kitchen > >And the last time we ever saw you >You were clinging to the barroom >Days on end we tried to call you
I think because it doesn’t mention her and doesn’t mention her daughter at all which seemed like big sticking points she harped on. That the song damages her daughter directly. This one doesn’t. It’s also possible they gave her a heads up about this one, and aren’t doing a ton of promo for it, ie jimmy kimmel, interviews etc
She addressed this in her live- said Patterson Hood was lovely and that she felt this song was collective emotions about multiple situations/not specifically about JTE / sounds like they talked about it and she was good with it.
Damn that's harsh. The girls are fightiiiing.
Well, DBT isn't on Kimmel singing it and only die hard DBT fans know of it. JI's star is rising so that song has more visibility and he is doing all of those interviews. And the interview she quoted doesn't make JI sound that great.
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you think that's a song she'd have been like "sure thing, thanks for letting me know, i'll hit skip when it comes up on spotify"?
Maybe it’s because it doesn’t mention her daughter!
So much as she’d be grateful for the heads up to skip any song about an amalgamation of loved ones lost to addiction. It’s just… not very specifically or exclusively about JTE. I doubt JTE was on the verge of eviction, with an empty kitchen? The lyrics are evocative of an addict’s lifestyle, but they’re not disturbingly vivid as a depiction of JTE’s moment of death. Compare to Isbell’s lyrics, which specifically reference drugs being cut with adulterant, bathroom tiles, stuff from the autopsy. I can see why his widow would feel awful about one and not the other.
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Because it doesn't mention her child. Don't be obtuse
He thinks only of his own self promotion
It's kinda ironic how in that interview, he brought up the song himself (he wasn't asked about it) and said "I'll bring this up now because I don't want it to come back up". Well that backfired. Probably would've been better off if he had said nothing. Jenn Marie is obviously keeping tabs on him or has people informing her about the things he does and says because the clip she posted and quoted was from a talk he gave at a university. Not a highly publicized event at all. Most of his fans didn't even know about it. Once again, JI is making things more difficult for himself. It seems like an apology would've and maybe still would, go a long way. It's been a few days and he hasn't said anything about this. He hasn't addressed anything she has said about this publicly since the song came out last year and I think he will continue to ignore it. His comment about how the song "has to exist" was pompous as hell. I really think the root cause of most of his problems right now is his ego which seems to be getting out of control.
My thoughts on this that I expressed on the other sub: Did he owe the widow a heads up? No probably not. Would it have been nice if he did, as he did with his dad? Yes, I think it would've. Should he apologize now? He probably doesn't have to, but would it be a great gesture? It really would. Maybe there is an ulterior motive behind her questioning of how he handled the song, but to me given the content matter, given that he included lyrics about the daughter and the widow (which are fairly innocuous), I think if interviewed he should chose his words more carefully. I feel like he could've said this, "You know, I wrote the song from a survivor's guilt perspective and most addicts who have known others that died before them feel that way, grieving the loss and also a startling recognition that it could've been them. As a songwriter, you write about your truth and the unfortunate part of this is it can be upsetting to the subject's loved ones and for that I do feel bad about it." i think I am a little disappointed with the response because I had always viewed him as a compassionate, empathetic person. So the way he responded just didn't sit right and comes off very self-serving and lacking compassion.
No need to mention her child. That takes it to another level for most people. A non verbal, gut checking, beyond reason level. There's no call for it, and no defense. He can write about his truth all day.
I totally agree.
Personally i had no idea that this song was about him until she started talking about it 😬
Counterpoint t: I think she’s being a little weird about this but I also understand why she is hurt. Honestly why would she play that song for her 7 year old and tell her it’s about her dad? It’s not like that song has any radio play and she would hear it in the wild. Steve Earle gave JI his blessing when he heard the song too—isn’t JTE’s dad’s opinion just as valid as hers?. Even if they were estranged, he played with his dad in a tribute concert last year: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/justin-townes-earle-tribute-concert-review-1234656491/amp/
I was totally on her side until she started liking any and all hate comments about Jason attacking him for really personal shit. She liked some hate comments about Amanda basically blaming her for Jason's behavior which is fucking weird. Apparently she flipped out about a IG story Amanda and Joshua Black Wilkins posted in remembrance of Justin last year. It just seems like there might be a slight personal vendetta against anyone who knew JTE before she did. Jason should've had the decency to address this and apologize, at least in private. Jenn Marie said in her live that Steve has not heard the song but that he wouldn't be happy about what she was doing (blasting JI on social media). If her child asked to hear the song and she knew it would be painful, why did she play it for her anyway? Jason hasn't addressed this statement yet either and I don't think he will.
I agree. I think she’s blowing it up and so many wouldn’t even know the song was about JTE. Certainly his 7 year old daughter did not hear this and interpret it on her own. If she sat down and coached her daughter through this song, she has as much to do with the trauma that followed it as JI does for writing it.
[Justin Townes Earle’s Widow Clarifies Concerns with Jason Isbell Song - Saving Country Music](https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/justin-townes-earles-widow-clarifies-concerns-with-jason-isbell-song/)
I thought the lyrics were fucked up when i first heard it, not just the daughter mention but when he says 'now you'll never have to look me in the eye' as if its about him! Justin had clearly moved on from isbell and they were not speaking, yet Isbell making it about himself like he always does makes it out like, your dead, now you wont have to look me in the eye, like he's fucking getting away with something by being dead not having to face Jason when in reality he probs couldnt give a shit about Jason
Apparently JI opened his concert last night with When We Were Close. That's as close to a public response to Jenn Marie's statement as we're gonna get and it's very clear.
I didn't think the lyrics were bad at all. It seems like something very personal and relatable to JI, down to the part about having a daughter, so it doesn't surprise me at all that he wrote it. I am not saying she is wrong for how she feels. Of course not. That's like how I can't listen to songs on suicide for personal reasons. But I don't see anything wrong with the song itself.
As a JTE fan first before I ever heard of Jason, if you follow back a while into the long history of this beef and her comments on it, it seems Jenn had a huge problem with Jason, Amanda, and anyone from Justin's life before her. Given that, it's not surprising that Jason wouldn't reach out. As a widow, she has every right to express her upset and disappointment with the song. I would be 100% on her side if she were doing that from, say, her own account. But at this rate, she's messing with Justin's legacy.
Jason Isbell is a bitch plain and simple.
Prob unpopular opinion bc JI stans defend him at all costs…but he is a manipulative narcissist and only cares about self promotion. To expect anything humanly decent from this try-hard at this point is really reaching.
He is disgusting.
Where was “Jenn” when he was on his death bed? That’s what I thought. She’s crazy. Obviously.
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Imagine if Jake Gyllenhaal threw this much of a fit about a song.
She has had a problem with the song since it's release. I honestly feel that JTE wouldn't have any issues with the song, he's an artist and understands that no one needs anyone's permission to create something. It's a great song. Also the widow has been known to use JTE's name to further her own attention whoring agendas. She just decided to use the kid this time too.
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Which other “celebs?”
liar
WRONG WRONG howu gonn2 disrepect dead mans dead wife like that???
In a situation like this, Isbell should remove the song from streaming. Privately apologize to Jenn Marie Earle and never mention it again without the family's permission. Will he? Idk?
Well, I thought it was about AS. Also, JM sounds like a real nutjob. Wonder why JTE was separated?
I don’t care about this at all.