The Fool on Every Corner was recorded by longtime Drive-By Truckers' producer David Barbe during a three-show run last March, beginning with a two-night stand at no-frills Atlanta rock club The Earl and closing at The Melting Point in Athens, GA .

The record features live acoustic versions of fan favorites such as "Carl Perkins Cadillac", "3 Dimes Down", and "Marry Me" as well as one new song, "Drinking Coke and Eating Ice" and a Charlie Rich cover of, "Behind Closed Doors".

Playing without his DBT bandmates left Cooley and little uncomfortable. "When you don't do it normally, it's terrifying," Cooley admits. "I try to relax, but I'll probably never be able to sit down in a chair on stage as easily as I sit down on a toilet behind a closed door. That's the goal—somewhere in between," he deadpans. "I set the bar high."

Despite his bad nerves and tongue-in-cheek penchant for self-deprecation, Cooley shines on this bare-bones live set, tossing aside his guitar pick and playing almost everything with his fingers. "Strip it, strip it, strip it down," he says, alluding to the mantra that guided these performances. "What's left is the song and nothing else."