Jam Central Station 1.30.10: Warren Haynes

Posted by Jeff Modzelewski on 01.30.2010

From his solo work to his work with The Allman Brothers, The Dead, and Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes has recorded and toured enough to fill multiple careers



Hey everyone, and glad to have you back for another week of the best in Jam music. We've got an amazing guitarist to cover this week, so I hope you enjoy what we've got in store. Not much festival news this week, but I'm guessing we're in store for at least one major announcement next week. And I'll take a look at all of the rest of the news that's fit to cover. So let's get down to business with some Warren Haynes!






For years, James Brown claimed the title of "hardest working man in show business." I don't know exactly how he earned that title, but I won't argue the point whether or not he earned it. However, with Brown's death a couple of years ago, it's time that title would be passed on. There's plenty of artists in the jam band community that could potentially lay claim to that title, but I can think of none more fitting than the legendary guitarist Warren Haynes.

Haynes was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, a well-known musical and artistic hotbed. He began playing guitar as a kid, and was influenced by a variety of styles. Due to it's location, Asheville brings in a unique blend of Southern rock, country music, and Appalachian music. Haynes was already known around Asheville through playing bars and clubs in the area when he received his first big break. David Allen Coe's bassist, Mickey Hayes, saw Haynes performing in an Asheville club, and brought Haynes to the attention of Coe. Haynes quickly became a part of Coe's band, and was touring and recording with Coe at the age of 20.

Haynes would work with Coe for the next four years. It was during this time that he began to make other connections in the music world, and to build his reputation as a solid songwriter and guitar player. He built a strong friendship with Hayes, and also had the opportunity to play with Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman in Coe's studio. Haynes and Hayes left Coe's band in 1984 to embark on their own band. The moved to Nashville and formed The Rich Hippies. The band only lasted a year, however, and Haynes then was invited to become a member of the well known blues band The Nighthawks. During this time, Haynes also continued to write his own songs and perform solo shows in Nashville.

After a couple years of playing with The Nighthawks, along with working as a songwriter and studio musician, Haynes got a call from Dickey Betts. The former Allman Brother was in the process of building his own band at the time. Betts originally just planned on having Haynes do some backup vocals, but, after playing together, invited him to join the band. He played on Betts' 1989 album Pattern Disruptive and toured as a part of the Dickey Betts Band.



Playing with Dickey Betts was another huge break for Haynes. What this led to, however, is not something that he could've expected. A year after the release of Pattern Disruptive, The Allman Brothers decided to reunite. While discussing how to fill in the gaps left in the band, Betts strongly campaigned for Haynes to be a part of the re-formed band. Haynes went out on tour with the band for their 20th anniversary tour, and suddenly found himself playing a vital role in a legendary band. Haynes inclusion led to a period of solid protection from the Brothers, who released three studio albums in four years. Haynes was a major contributor to those albums, both as a guitarist and a songwriter.

It was also during this time that Haynes released his first solo album. Tales of Ordinary Madness came out in 1993, and Haynes toured behind that album between tours with the Allman's. In 1994, while the Allman Brothers were on a break, he, along with Allen Woody and Matt Abts, founded a side project. Gov't Mule released their first album in 1995 and planned tours around the scheduled Allman Brothers tours. In 1997, after realizing that The Allman Brothers had no plans to record new music, he and Woody left the band to pursue Gov't Mule full time.

Haynes was becoming recognized more and more as a musical force, and Gov't Mule quickly gained respect from a wide array of musicians. They released Dose in 1997 and Life Before Insanity in 2000, along with a live album recorded with a number of special guests. Things didn't continue to go smoothly for the band, however. Allen Woody passed away in 2000, leading to the first shakeup in the Mule lineup. The band decided to carry on, dedicating their subsequent tour to Woody's memory.

At a tribute show for Woody, Haynes sat in with The Allman Brothers for the first time 1997, and was soon a touring member of the band again. He also continued building a friendship with Grateful Dead founder Phil Lesh. When Lesh was looking to make a record, he called on Haynes to be a part of the band. Haynes soon found himself splitting time again between Gov't Mule, the Allman Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends. Haynes only recorded one album with Phil Lesh & Friends (2002's There and Back Again), but he toured with the band from 2000 through 2003.



Haynes rise continued in 2004, when he was invited to play guitar with the remaining members of The Grateful Dead as a part of The Dead. Haynes sang and played lead guitar for the band during their 2004 tour, and came back to the band when they re-formed for their 2009 shows, and likely will continue to be a major part of whatever The Dead does in the future.

Despite these other bands, Gov't Mule has continued to record and perform at a full-time rate. They've released 7 studio albums in the past decade, played nearly every festival (normally in either a headliner or pre-headliner role), and toured almost whenever Haynes wasn't busy with another project. Andy Hess initially replaced Allen Woody in Mule, but left the band in 2008. Jorgen Carlsson has since taken up that role, but Haynes continues to lead that group. Haynes has also released a pair of love albums himself, including a spectacular solo performance from the 2003 Bonnaroo festival.

Along with his music, Haynes is still extremely active in the Asheville community. He hosts an annual "Christmas Jam" concert, which has attracted artists like Trey Anastasio, Dave Matthews, members of Widespread Panic, and many others. This benefit raises money for Habitat for Humanity. He continues to live in Asheville (when he's not on the road), and stays involved in the community in a variety of ways.
As I stated earlier, Warren Haynes could easily be the hardest working man in music today. He's recorded over two dozen album with half a dozen acts. The time that he spends recording and touring with Gov't Mule is easily a full-time gig for a musician, but Haynes still maintains an active touring schedule with the Allman Brothers as well as The Dead. He's a primary songwriter in every band he records with, and has written songs for a variety of other artists. I'm sure I'll revisit Haynes again (still have to cover Gov't Mule and, eventually, The (Grateful) Dead in this column), but he's done enough to deserve this one to himself. Haynes is a phenomenal guitarist, and a leader in the current jam band music scene.

























DMB announce tour dates

The Dave Matthews Band announced an extensive summer tour. Highlights include a weekend at The Gorge and 4th of July at Alpine. They're also playing the first show ever at Huntington Park here in Columbus. It'll be pretty cool to see DMB at a minor-league park. One thing is missing off this schedule, though. No dates scheduled June 8-14. Bonnaroo is June 10-13. Coincidence? Hmmmm…

May 28-29 Hartford, CT—Comcast Theatre (with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings)
June 1 Toronto, ONT—Molson Amphitheatre (with The Felice Brothers)
June 2 Darien Center, NY—Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (with The Felice Brothers)
June 4-5 Saratoga Springs, NY—Saratoga Performing Arts Center (with The Felice Brothers)
June 7 Mansfield, MA—Comcast Center (with Yonder Mountain String Band)
June 15 Cincinnati, OH—Riverbend Music Center (with Robert Earl Keen)
June 16 Maryland Heights, MO—Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (with Robert Earl Keen)
June 18-19 Noblesville, IN—Verizon Wireless Music Center (with Robert Earl Keen)
June 22 Columbus, OH—Huntington Park (with Robert Earl Keen)
June 23 Clarkston, MI—DTE Energy Music Center (with Martin Sexton)
June 25 Cuyahoga Falls, OH—Blossom Music Center (with Martin Sexton)
June 30-July 1 Camden, NJ—Susquehanna Bank Center (with Martin Sexton)
July 3-4 East Troy, WI—Alpine Valley Music Theatre (with Zac Brown Band)
July 9 Hershey, PA— Hersheypark Stadium (with Zac Brown Band)
July 10 Pittsburgh, PA—PNC Park (with Zac Brown Band)
July 13 Bethel, NY—Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (with Amos Lee)
July 14 Scranton, PA—Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain (with Amos Lee)
July 16-17 Queens, NY—Citi Field (with Zac Brown Band)
July 20 Virginia Beach, VA—Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (with Amos Lee)
July 21 Charlotte, NC—Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (with Amos Lee)
July 23 Washington, DC—Nationals Park (with Zac Brown Band)
July 25 Louisville, KY—Churchill Downs Music Festival
July 27 Atlanta, GA—Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood (with Gov't Mule)
July 28 Tampa, FL—Ford Amphitheatre (with Gov't Mule)
July 30-31 West Palm Beach, FL—Cruzan Amphitheatre (with Gov't Mule)
August 14 Wichita, KS—InTrust Bank Arena (with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears)
August 17 West Valley City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre (with Brett Dennen)
August 20 Chula Vista, CA—Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (with Brett Dennen)
August 21 Irvine, CA—Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (with Brett Dennen)
August 23 Los Angeles, CA—Hollywood Bowl (with Raphael Saadiq)
August 25 Concord, CA—Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord (with Raphael Saadiq)
August 27-28 Marysville, CA—Sleep Train Amphitheatre (with Raphael Saadiq)
August 31 Boise, ID—Taco Bell Arena
September 3-5 George, WA—Gorge Amphitheatre (with Ben Harper and Relentless7)
September 10 Woodlands, TX—Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears)
September 11 Dallas, TX—Superpages.com Center (with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears)
September 14 Omaha, NE—Qwest Center (with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears)
September 15 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center (with Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears)

Camp Bisco announces dates

Camp Bisco 9 is a go, and dates were announced this week. The Disco Biscuits own festival will take place July 15-17 in Mariaville, NY. The festival is promoting 50+ acts on 4 stages. Tickets go on sale January 29 (yesterday!) and start at $115. Lineup should come out soon, I would imagine.

The Allman Brothers extend NY run

The Allman Brothers extended their run at the United Palace Theatre in New York to a total of 13 dates. They added 5 dates, March 22, 23, 25, 26 and 27, to their scheduled March run that will start on the 11th. It takes one hell of a band to play 13 dates at the same venue over 17 days…

Bill Kreutzmann announces dates

Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann announced a pair of dates with BK3 for February. The trio will play February 25 in San Francisco at The Independent and February 26 in Santa Cruz at Moe's Alley. Kreutzmann will also play with Pap Mali and others at the Wanee Festival in April.

Toubab Krewe and John Brown's Body to tour

After spending some time together on Jam Cruise, Toubab Krewe and John Brown's Body will be embarking on a cross-country tour starting in March. The band's will cover 13 cities from coast-to-coast on their tour, and frequent cross-collaborations are expected. Check 'em out if they come to a city near you!

March 11 Brooklyn, NY—Music Hall of Williamsburg

March 12 Ithaca, NY—Castaways

April 3 Chicago, IL—Double Door

April 4 Madison, WI—Majestic Theatre

April 5 Minneapolis, MN—Cedar Cultural Center

April 8 Boulder, CO—Fox Theatre

April 9 Englewood, CO—Gothic Theatre

April 12 Salt Lake City, UT—The Depot

April 16 Seattle, WA—Tractor Tavern

April 17 Portland, OR—Doug Fir Lounge

April 19 San Francisco, CA—Independent

April 20 Los Angeles, CA—Roxy Theatre

April 21 Solana Beach, CA—Belly Up Tavern

ekoostik hookah welcomes new bassist

Ohio jammers ekoostik hookah will play their first gig with new bassist Phil Risko on February 18 in Bowling Green, OH. Risko joins the band after founding bassist Cliff Starbuck decided to leave to pursue other projects. The band's last show with Starbuck was on New Years Eve, where Starbuck brought Risko on stage and introduced him to the crowd.



I'd like to first wish my buddy J.R. a happy birthday. He's in Grand Rapids today celebrating with Gov't Mule, so thanks to him for inspiring the topic of this column. J.R.'s the guy who helped me with my Rothbury Review last summer, and he's just an all around cool dude. Happy birthday!

If anyone cares, I'm currently concocting my summer plans. There'll be some combination of a DMB weekend, a couple of festivals (not jinxing myself till they're a definite) and a weekend at Nelson's Ledges. The festival schedule is shaping up nicely for me, and DMB's tour dates work well with the festivals I want to go to. All important stuff. Anyways, thanks for coming by, and, until next week, Jam On!