The Lumineers Unearth ‘Isabelle Fly’ For Dualtone’s 25th

Dualtone Records is marking 25 years by looking backward — and pressing forward. The Nashville indie label has announced Keep Pressing On: 25 Years of Dualtone, a 17-song collection of rarities and covers due Dec. 4. It’s led by the Lumineers’ “Isabelle Fly,” a previously unheard song that comes with a particularly poignant history.

The compilation brings together Dualtone artists past and present including flipturn, Mt. Joy, Shakey Graves, Kathleen Edwards and Langhorne Slim, celebrating the artist-first ethos established by co-founder Scott Robinson and the late Paul Roper, the label’s president and partner who died in 2024. Jack Van Cleaf is also getting into the anniversary spirit with a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Best of All Possible Worlds,” accompanied by an official video.

More from Spin:

• Harry Styles’ Stadium Support Includes LCD, Kylie, Tears For Fears
• Kings Of Leon Are ‘Whole’ On New LP
• Jenny Lewis’ Nice As Fuck Reuniting For Shows

For the Lumineers, “Isabelle Fly” is inseparable from their memories of Roper. The band had just released its debut album in 2012 and was grinding through the familiar musician triathlon of radio appearances, interviews and shows when it encountered the label head before a gig at Nashville’s Basement. What happened next was hardly a grand industry intervention. Roper opened his trunk to reveal “his bounty of Dominoes Pizza and a 12-pack of Stella’s.”

“As we ate and drank, we felt looked after,” the band says. “And although it was a small gesture, it defined what Paul and Dualtone have done for us all these years. They do the little things and manage to always show up. It’s a rare quality in a label and a person, and [we’re] grateful for it.”

“Isabelle Fly” has had an equally long road to release. “It never actually took flight,” the band admits. “It felt like some sort of failed attempt. But I’ve always loved this song anyway, and am glad it’s got a place on this 25 year compilation so we can share this song finally.”

Dualtone’s anniversary festivities will begin next week at AmericanaFest, with a Sept. 16 panel, “Dualtone at 25: Keep Pressing On,” followed by the label’s 25th anniversary bash at the Basement East the next day. The showcase will feature Houndmouth, Shakey Graves, the Brook & The Bluff, Langhorne Slim, Futurebirds, Abraham Alexander, Aubory Bugg and special guests. Edwards is nominated for Album of the Year at the corollary Americana Honors & Awards for Billionaire, while both Shakey Graves and Langhorne Slim will present awards at the ceremony.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.