It was a clever and subtle tip of the hat – actually, of the feet.

On Wednesday night, Jason Isbell appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” He performed “Ride to Robert’s,” a song off Isbell’s first ever solo acoustic album, “Foxes in the Snow,” out March 7.

Clad in a black suit and shirt, Isbell was in fine voice and nimbly played his Martin guitar. Meanwhile, his shoes paid tribute to his north Alabama roots.

During his “Tonight Show” performance, Isbell who grew up in Green Hill and Muscle Shoals, wore snakeskin-patterned boots.

In recent years on social media Isbell’s chronicled his fondness for footwear, particularly sneakers.

As he later pointed out on Instagram and Threads, his “Tonight Show” scoots were homage to what Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards wore during footage of the Stones recording in Muscle Shoals in 1969, as seen in seminal rock doc “Gimme Shelter.”

In December ’69 the Stones cut three tracks at Sheffield’s Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. The sessions were recorded by Jimmy Johnson, best known as guitarist with studio band Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, aka The Swampers.

The results yielded two Stones classics: hip-shaker “Brown Sugar” and pastoral ballad “Wild Horses.” Also, a sexy cover of Fred McDowell blues “You Gotta Move.” The troika ended up on landmark 1971 Stones album “Sticky Fingers.”

As for Isbell’s “Tonight Show” performance, “Ride to Robert’s” distills the essence of what made Isbell a Grammy-magnet songwriter. Novelist lyrics. Supple vocals. Guitar playing that curls like ivy.

Bonus: “Tonight Show” host Fallon actually pronounced Isbell’s last name correctly. And others should take note: It’s izz-bull, not izz-a-bell.