Jim James, the frontman of My Morning Jacket, has lived many lives over the band’s 27-year career. He started as a hopeful young musician, chasing the magic of his musical heroes—while secretly fearing he’d never measure up. Later, he spiraled into heavy drinking and self-doubt, teetering on the edge of leaving the band.

But today, Jim is in a much different place. Healthier, more grounded, and full of self-acceptance, thanks in part to a mix of traditional and psychedelic therapies he turned to during the pandemic.

This month, My Morning Jacket returns with Is, their tenth studio album—and their first made entirely with an outside producer, the legendary Brendan O’Brien.

On today’s episode, Leah Rose sits down with Jim to talk about the ayahuasca journey that helped him learn how to truly love himself. He also looks back on writing the band’s ambitious second album, At Dawn, and recalls the surreal moment he saw Bob Dylan disappear into the music while playing with him live.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite My Morning Jacket songs HERE.

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