GUYTON, ISBELL SERENADE DNC

Opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago included a pair of on-message musical performances—but James Taylor, the evening’s unofficial headliner, was bumped for time.

First up was Mickey Guyton, who sang “All American” from her 2021 debut album, Remember Her Name.

Later in the evening, a tuxedo-clad Jason Isbell gave a shout-out to the Alabama delegation before launching into the title track of his fifth solo album, 2015’s Something More Than Free. The lyric, which complemented the stirring, "Trump is a scab" address given by UAW President Shawn Fain, contains the lines, “I don’t think on why I’m here or where it hurts/ I’m just lucky to have the work/ Sunday morning I’m too tired to go to church/ But I thank God for the work.”

Kid Rock sat this one out.