Watch Jason Isbell & Drive-By Truckers reunite for “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy” on ‘Colbert’

photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

As promised, Jason Isbell reunited with his former band the Drive-By Truckers for the first time since leaving the band in 2007 to perform on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night (12/2). They played “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy” to help celebrate the new “definitive” reissue of 2003’s Decoration Day (the first DBT album that Isbell played on), which is out now on New West Records, and they sounded great together.

“Although we have always remained friends with Jason, and honestly he and I are closer now than ever, this is our first ‘announced’ appearance together in nearly 20 years,” said DBT’s Patterson Hood when the performance was announced. “I consider Decoration Day to be our masterpiece, and he was such an integral part of that album that it’s wonderful that he’s able to join us in celebrating this release.”

Watch the performance below.

DBT have some upcoming shows, and Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley also have upcoming solo tours. Jason Isbell is doing a lengthy tour of his own, including Radio City on February 20 & 21 with his band the 400 Unit. All dates are listed below.

Drive-By Truckers — 2025/2026 Tour Dates
Dec. 5, 2025 – Lake Wales, FL – Orange Blossom Revue 2025
Dec. 6, 2025 – Jacksonville, FL – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 7, 2025 – Gainesville, FL – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 7, 2025 – Waverly, AL – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 8, 2025 – Charleston, SC – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 9, 2025 – Asheville, NC – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 9, 2025 – Decatur, GA – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 10, 2025 – Nashville, TN – Mike Cooley Solo – Early Show
Dec. 10, 2025 – Decatur, GA – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 10, 2025 – Nashville, TN – Mike Cooley Solo – Late Show
Dec. 11, 2025 – Decatur, GA – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 12, 2025 – Austin, TX – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 13, 2025 – Huntsville, AL – Patterson Hood Solo – Early Show
Dec. 13, 2025 – Austin, TX – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 13, 2025 – Huntsville, AL – Patterson Hood Solo – Late Show
Dec. 15, 2025 – New Orleans, LA – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 15, 2025 – Chicago, IL – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 16, 2025 – Chicago, IL – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 17, 2025 – Ann Arbor, MI – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 18, 2025 – Boise, ID – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 19, 2025 – Bozeman, MT – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 19, 2025 – Birmingham, AL – Mike Cooley Solo
Dec. 20, 2025 – Bozeman, MT – Patterson Hood Solo
Dec. 21, 2025 – Huntsville, AL – Mike Cooley Solo – Early Show
Dec. 21, 2025 – Huntsville, AL – Mike Cooley Solo – Late Show
Feb. 11, 2026 – Athens, GA – HeAthens Homecoming 2026
Feb. 12, 2026 – Athens, GA – HeAthens Homecoming 2026
Feb. 13, 2026 – Athens, GA – HeAthens Homecoming 2026
Feb. 14, 2026 – Athens, GA – HeAthens Homecoming 2026
Apr. 24, 2026 – Miramar Beach, FL – Tedeschi Trucks Band presents Sun, Sand, and Soul Beach Weekend 2026

Jason Isbell — 2026 Tour Dates
Jan 14, 2026 – Durham Performing Arts Center – Durham, NC – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jan 15, 2026 – Hylton Performing Arts Center – Manassas, VA – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jan 16, 2026 – Ovens Auditorium – Charlotte, NC – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jan 17, 2026 – The Classic Center – Athens, GA – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jan 23, 2026 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 24, 2026 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 26, 2026 – Channel 24 – Sacramento, CA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 28, 2026 – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts – Santa Rosa, CA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 29, 2026 – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 30, 2026 – Pechanga Theater – Temecula, CA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jan 31, 2026 – The Orpheum Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 18, 2026 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 20, 2026 – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY – Jason Isbell w/ Shelby Lynne
Feb 21, 2026 – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit w/ Alejandro Escovedo
Feb 22, 2026 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 24, 2026 – KeyBank State Theatre – Cleveland, OH – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 25, 2026 – Palace Theatre – Columbus, OH – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 27, 2026 – Boch Center Wang Theatre – Boston, MA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Feb 28, 2026 – Boch Center Wang Theatre – Boston, MA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 1, 2026 – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino – Niagara Falls, Canada – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 2, 2026 – Benedum Center for the Performing Arts – Pittsburgh, PA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 4, 2026 – Hancher Auditorium – Iowa City, IA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 5, 2026 – The Armory – Minneapolis, MN – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 6, 2026 – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 7, 2026 – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mar 13, 2026 – Mar 20, 2026 – Cayamo Cruise – Miami, FL
Mar 25, 2026 – SkyPAC (Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center) – Bowling Green, KY – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Mar 26, 2026 – Robinson Center – Little Rock, AR – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Mar 27, 2026 – Orpheum Theatre – Memphis, TN – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Mar 28, 2026 – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Apr 24, 2026 – Sun, Sand, and Soul – Miramar Beach, FL – w/ Drive-By Truckers, Elles Bailey
Apr 26, 2026 – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – Orlando, FL – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Apr 29, 2026 – The Fabulous Fox – St. Louis, MO – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
May 1, 2026 – The Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
May 2, 2026 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit w/ Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
May 3, 2026 – Uptown Theater – Kansas City, MO – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
May 20, 2026 – Winspear Opera House – AT&T PAC – Dallas, TX – An Evening with Jason Isbell
May 21, 2026 – Winspear Opera House – AT&T PAC – Dallas, TX – An Evening with Jason Isbell
May 22, 2026 – Long Center for the Performing Arts – Austin, TX – An Evening with Jason Isbell
May 23, 2026 – Majestic Theatre – San Antonio, TX – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jun 18, 2026 – Jun 20, 2026 – Azkena Rock Festival – Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Jul 16, 2026 – EKU Center for the Arts – Richmond, KY – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jul 17, 2026 – Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, TN – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jul 18, 2026 – Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, TN – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jul 19, 2026 – Brevard Music Center – Brevard, NC – An Evening with Jason Isbell
Jul 23, 2026 – TBA – Grand Rapids, MI – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jul 24, 2026 – TBA – Interlochen, MI – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jul 25, 2026 – Rose Music Center at The Heights – Huber Heights, OH – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jul 26, 2026 – Ting Pavilion – Charlottesville, VA – An Evening with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Jul 28, 2026 – Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood – Lenox, MA – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit w/ Patty Griffin
Jul 30, 2026 – Wolf Trap – Vienna, VA – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit w/ Patty Griffin