Jason Isbell has filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 11 years, Amanda Shires, according to multiple media reports.
People reports that 45-year-old Isbell filed for divorce from 41-year-old Shires on Dec. 15, 2023, citing court records.
- Isbell and Shires married in February of 2013.
- She has played fiddle and sang background vocals in his band, the 400 Unit.
- Isbell has played guitar in support of her all-star group, the Highwomen.
- The couple have an 8-year-old daughter named Mercy.
- They have been open about their marital struggles over several years.
Isbell previously admitted to the New York Times that the difficult recording process for his 2020 album, Reunions, had a negative impact not only on his marriage, but all of his other personal relationships.
Shires responded to her feelings of being “disconnected” in their marriage by writing a song called “Fault Lines,” which she included on her 2022 solo album, Take It Like a Man.
“You could say it’s all my fault / We just couldn’t get along / And if anyone asks, I’ll say what’s true / And really, it’s I don’t know,” she sang in the deeply personal track.
Shires told People in 2022 that she initially didn’t want to release the song publicly, and it was Isbell who convinced her she was wrong.
“Then Jason’s like, ‘You’re crazy. That’s a good and important song, put it on the record,'” she recalled.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a quasi-famous person like Jason or me, everybody’s relationships are the same; there’s ups and downs and there’s good and bad and you just try to deal with it,” she added.
30 Searing Country Songs About Divorce, Ranked
D-I-V-O-R-C-E! Whether you’re “Goin’ Through the Big D” right now or you “Got My Name Changed Back,” there’s no denying the sting that comes along with this particular form of breakup. Fortunately, there’s plenty of great country music to get you through the heartache.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak