Watch: Jason Isbell and the Unit 400 Celebrate 10th Anniversary of ‘Southeastern’ on ‘Colbert’

Last night, Jason Isbell took to late-night TV to celebrate the 10-anniversary of Southeastern– the project that launched his career to great heights–on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The segment saw the singer-songwriter perform two songs in honor of the milestone and the thoughtfully curated box set featuring demos, a live recording, and the original album—now adorned with a new cover illustrating Isbell a decade older.

On the show, Isbell and the 400 Unit delivered a captivating performance of “Cover Me Up,” the emotional centerpiece of Southeastern. The poignant ballad details a journey rooted in redemption, the hope of love, and grounded by sobriety. The songwriter initiated the song solo on an acoustic guitar, belting out verses reflecting on the “days when we raged” before guitarist Sadler Vaden of the 400 Unit joined in with soulful slide guitar, followed by the rest of the band.

Isbell, who also appears in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, showcased another track, “King of Oklahoma,” from his Grammy-nominated album Weathervanes during the performance on Colbert. Written while filming with Scorsese in Oklahoma, the song has gained acclaim as one of the album’s highlights, alongside “Cast Iron Skillet.”

While Isbell and the 400 Unit are taking a break from the road for the remainder of the year, they are set to resume touring in January, including several arena shows alongside Turnpike Troubadours. Additionally, Isbell is slated to perform stadium gigs in 2024, opening for Zach Bryan. The Tuesday night appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert follows the group’s earlier performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in October.

Watch Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit perform “Cover Me Up” and “King of Oklahoma” below.