Music still comes first.
- 18 hours ago
- 8 min read
Warren Haynes talks about how his time with the Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule shaped his career, the songs that continue to inspire him, and why every concert is unique.
Stage lights flicker, and a hush falls over the crowd. Warren Haynes steps onto the stage, guitar in hand, and instantly commands the room. Spend just a few minutes with him and you’ll notice he rarely dwells on his biggest achievements. Yet this GRAMMY-winning musician has spent over forty years shaping American rock with Gov't Mule, the Allman Brothers Band, The Dead, and his solo work. He’s played with legends like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Dave Grohl, Chris Stapleton, and Dolly Parton. Rolling Stone named him one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Still, when we talked about his career, Haynes preferred to discuss songwriting, the thrill of performing live, and staying true to the music that inspired him.
This outlook has shaped every part of his career. Even as the music industry has changed again and again since Haynes started playing guitar, his approach has stayed the same: write songs you believe in, work with musicians who push you, and never compromise just to be popular. Hearing him talk about this, it’s clear why he’s never followed trends. Trends come and go, yet Warren Haynes consistently sounds like himself.
Of course, every long career has a turning point. For Haynes, that moment came out of the blue in January 1989. He had already- though spent three years playing with Dickey Betts and writing songs with him, even penning music for Gregg Allman. He thought the Allman Brothers Band was finished, since the members often said they would never get back together—but then he got a call.
"Joining the Allman Brothers was the biggest game changer for me. It really just opened every door imaginable. It was somewhat gradual because I had been playing with Dickey Betts for three years and writing songs together. I had written a song for Gregg Allman. But during those three years, I never expected the Allman Brothers to reunite because they always said they never would. When they reunited in January of 1989 and asked me to join, I was as shocked as anybody else. Everything changed from that point forward."
Many musicians would call this the highlight of their careers. Haynes, though, talks about it in a straightforward way, as if it was just the next step. For him, success means more than joining famous bands or winning awards; it's about whether the music still feels real.
When I asked how he’s stayed true to himself through changing musical trends, his answer wasn’t about career strategy. It was just how he’s always made music.
"I always wanted to make music that I would go see in a live setting or make records that I would buy. I never felt the desire to chase commercial success to the point of compromising my own values. I've always just made decisions based on what felt right at the time. You start with pleasing yourself, and then hopefully an audience will follow."
With a career spent among great musicians, you might think Haynes sees himself mainly as a guitarist. His playing is famous, and many musicians study his style. But when I asked whether he thinks of himself first as a guitarist or a songwriter, his answer revealed a broader picture of how he creates.
"It depends. I've always felt like having songwriting, singing, and guitar playing in my life is a godsend because if I'm down on one or two of those things, hopefully at least one of them is something I feel good about. There are times I'm focusing more on songwriting, times I'm focusing more on singing, and sometimes I'm focusing more on guitar playing. In my mind, they demand equal attention."
That balance has allowed Haynes to move effortlessly between bands, genres, and collaborations, never sounding like he's searching for a new identity. Whether leading Gov't Mule, revisiting the Allman Brothers Band’s music, or sharing a stage with artists he once admired from afar, the common thread has never been virtuosity alone. It’s always been a firm commitment to serving the song first, no matter the setting.
One of the advantages of a career spanning more than four decades is the opportunity to perform alongside many of the artists who inspired you in the first place. Over the years, Haynes has shared the stage with everyone from Willie Nelson and Carlos Santana to Dave Matthews and Dolly Parton. When I asked whether one collaboration still stood above the rest, he thoughtfully answered, "I've been so fortunate to have collaborated with so many people that I grew up listening to and people that I just have a world of respect for. Maybe Bob Dylan, the first time I played with Bob Dylan, was a pretty mind-blowing experience for me, but I've had many, many close contenders."
When our conversation turned to performing, I wanted to know what keeps that spark alive for Haynes, even after thousands of shows.
"Walking on stage is one of those things that if you're in a bad mood, as soon as you walk on stage, that changes. If you feel under the weather, as soon as you walk on stage, that changes. There have been nights in my career that I thought, 'How am I going to get through tonight?' Maybe I was really tired or really sick or whatever the case might be. But as soon as you step out there, there's just something about it that is invigorating. I think about what an amazing opportunity it is for someone like myself to be able to play music for a living—to do exactly what I love the most as my job. It's something I've never taken lightly."
That sense of possibility is why no two Warren Haynes concerts are ever the same. The band changes things up as the tour rolls on, sometimes before the show, sometimes even in the middle of a set, ensuring each night feels spontaneous and alive.
"We do a different set list every night. Depending on how long it's been since we played in a certain town, we consult previous set lists and make sure we do an entirely different show from the last time we were there. But a lot of it is just based on what we feel like playing and what we think the audience would really enjoy. Sometimes we put a set together, and it doesn't feel like it's clicking, so we just call an audible and change it on the fly."
As we finished up, I asked Warren if there was anything else he wanted fans to know before his show at the Freeman Arts Pavilion.
"I have a live record coming out on September 18 called Dreams & Songs: A Symphonic Journey. It's a retrospective of thirty-something years of my career done with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra in my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. It's Gov't Mule songs, songs from my solo records, Allman Brothers songs, Grateful Dead songs... and it's the most unique thing I've ever done."
Dreams & Songs: A Symphonic Journey pairs Haynes with the 64-piece Asheville Symphony Orchestra, reimagining music from his entire career with sweeping new arrangements. The project highlights the depth and adaptability of his songwriting, casting familiar tunes in a dramatic new light. Co-produced by Haynes and Don Was, and mixed by renowned engineer Bob Clearmountain, the album documents a landmark 2019 performance in Asheville, finally set for release on September 18 after years in the making.
Before our interview, I had the opportunity to hear several advance tracks from the album, including the newly released version of "Raven Black Night." Instead of simply adding an orchestra behind familiar songs, the arrangements reveal new textures and emotion while remaining true to the originals. When I mentioned how much I had enjoyed hearing those recordings, Haynes was gracious but succinct. "Thank you. I'm very proud of it and looking forward to people's reactions."
Before we ended the call, I asked one final question. After everything he's experienced, what advice would he give someone hoping to build a life in music?
"If you don't think you want to do this for the rest of your life, then just do it for fun. Don't put the pressure on yourself of trying to make a living doing it. Just enjoy it as a hobby. If you think you're going to do it for the rest of your life, then it takes 110%."
It's advice that reflects the career he's built: follow the music, not the easiest path. Over more than four decades, Warren Haynes hasn’t been interested in chasing what’s most popular; instead, he’s followed the music wherever it’s taken him, whether joining one of rock’s most iconic bands, launching Gov’t Mule, collaborating with legendary artists, or stepping onto a stage with a full symphony orchestra.
When he takes the stage at the Freeman Arts Pavilion (July 28) with his bandmates in Gov’t Mule, fans won’t just see one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists; they’ll witness an artist who approaches every show with the same open mind, love for the music, and genuine gratitude for the audience sharing the moment.
For longtime fans, it’s another night of songs that keep growing and changing. For newcomers, there’s no better introduction to Warren Haynes than the experience of seeing him live, where the music, and the man, are always evolving.
Backstage Six
Six quick questions from our Entertainment Editor: Gavin Hades
Favorite guitar you've ever owned?
My 1959 Les Paul.
Favorite city to perform in?
New York City.
One song you never get tired of performing?
"Banks of the Deep End."
Who's the most underrated guitarist?
Dickey Betts.
One album everyone should listen to at least once?
Little Feat – Waiting for Columbus.
What's your favorite thing to do when you're not making music?
Hang out with my son.
ABOUT GOV’T MULE & WARREN HAYNES
For three decades, Gov’t Mule has galvanized a global fan base with their honest, organic and daring music and improvisational virtuosity, leading them to be recognized as one of the most timeless, revered and active bands in the world whose spot amongst rock titans remains unshakable. Led by visionary GRAMMY Award-winning artist, guitar legend, songwriter and producer Warren Haynes – a cornerstone of the American music landscape – the enduring, globally revered GRAMMY-nominated group has showcased its intelligence and breadth over the course of 20+ studio and live albums, thousands of memorable performances, and millions of album and track sales. Gov’t Mule’s most recent studio album, 2023’s Peace…Like A River (Fantasy Records) is a timeless rock collection featuring guest appearances from Billy F Gibbons, Ivan Neville, Billy Bob Thornton, Ruthie Foster, and Celisse. Peace…Like A River – hailed as “perfection,” “captivating,” “riveting,” and among the band’s best – marked the follow-up to Mule’s GRAMMY-nominated blues album, Heavy Load Blues, with both albums recorded at The Power Station New England during the same sessions but created in different rooms with no shared gear or instruments. Gov’t Mule – Warren Haynes [guitar, vocals], Matt Abts [drums], Danny Louis [keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals], and Kevin Scott [bass] – has become a human encyclopedia of great American music while adding to that canon with their signature sound. The band’s flexible interplay in the studio and on stage makes them a true living, breathing ensemble and Haynes is lauded as one of the most formidable guitarists and vocalists of the modern era and a prolific songwriter and producer.
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