The next time Jason Isbell told Amanda Shires he wanted to quit, she began talking with his manager about facilitating a trip to rehab. However, the "night-before bender" nearly broke them.
Shires told WNYC Studios, "He wanted to do every drug, drink every thing, drink the moonshine, all the late night stuff, it was crazy. It started out like a cool night, you know, and ended up being the worst night ever, ever ever ever. At that point I was not having any more to do with him. Because I was so mad the next morning." But as Isbell worked through rehab, he wrote to Shires, sending her drawings and progress updates. By the time he was through with rehab, the pair moved into a duplex in Nashville together to give it another try.
Though it hasn't been smooth sailing, it's abundantly clear that their marriage has the tools to last – mostly because they're both committed to their values and their communication. "As a team, our family is a collaborative effort, and we really want to get the best out of everybody," Isbell told NPR. "I don't want to do something that's gonna prevent Amanda from doing what she's best at...If I were to say, 'I would rather you stay home and watch the baby while I'm out touring,' that wouldn't be allowing her to do what she's best at."
