Byron Isaacs records and tours with The Lumineers. He met the band through producer Simone Felice and contributed bass and backing vocals to their platinum-selling Cleopatra. He’s on their 2019 album that explores themes of addiction, III, and on their #1 album Brightside. He’s also featured on The Lumineers Live at Wrigley Field, both the album and the concert video. Isaacs plays and sings on the newest album, Automatic, and is touring with the band through 2026.
Isaacs also plays and writes songs with guitarist Peter Cole in their New York City-based rock band Lost Leaders. Their new album Hungry Ghosts is out now. The band performs with various additional musicians including drummer Lee Falco (Sam Smith, The Lemonheads), keyboardist Will Bryant (Rachael Yamagata, Joan Osborne), drummer Konrad Meissner, drummer Randy Schrager, and keyboardist Scott Chasolen.
Isaacs was one of the six founders of the legendary Americana band Ollabelle, which toured with Diana Krall and was featured on T Bone Burnett’s Great High Mountain Tour. Ollabelle recently reunited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album and are working on a new record.
Through Ollabelle colleague Amy Helm, Isaacs met her father Levon Helm and joined his famous Midnight Rambles. He played on both of Helm’s Grammy-winning albums and wrote the song “Calvary” that Levon sings on Dirt Farmer. Isaacs also played and toured with Amy and produced her first solo album, Didn’t It Rain. Now Isaacs makes frequent appearances at The Helm Family Midnight Ramble.
In June 2018, Isaacs released a solo album, Disappearing Man, to rave reviews. Isaacs also enjoys songwriting collaborations with Jim Keller. He played on Noah Kahan‘s Busyhead and is on Carry Me Home, the 2022-released collaboration between Mavis Staples and Levon Helm.
During his decades-long career Isaacs has also recorded and/or performed with Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Roseanne Cash, Jackson Browne, Nina Nastasia, Ryan Adams, Chris Smither, Richard Shindell, Mary Fahl, The Weight Band, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Jim Keller, David Baron, and many others.
