Warren Haynes | Live at Bonarroo [Import] | CD

One of the hardest-working men in show business (after, of course, James Brown), Warren Haynes spent the years preceding LIVE AT BONNAROO juggling gigs with the Dead, Phil Lesh & Friends, Gov't Mule, and the Allman Brothers Band. In 2004, Haynes went on the road as a member of the Dead, also pulling double-duty as an opening act with nothing but his guitar to accompany him. These 16 songs offer a sampling of those solo sets and a fascinating cross-section of material, reflecting the kind of impressive versatility that's allowed Haynes to move between the worlds of rock, blues, and country.
The combination of his gruff yet soulful vocalizing and nimble finger-picking results in moving covers of Grateful Dead classics ("To Lay Me Down," "Stella Blue") mixed in among tunes originally written for Gov't Mule ("Fallen Down") and earlier solo work ("I'll Be the One"). The most pleasant surprises, however, are this guitar hero's credible stabs at Radiohead ("Lucky") and U2 ("One"), two groups not normally associated with the jam-band scene. A duet with South African vocalist Vusi Mahlasela on the uplifting "Soulshine" is the perfect closer for this exemplary live recording.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop
• Released: 03/30/2010