The Consensus 100 · #1 of 100
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Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin · 1971 · solo by Jimmy Page
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Guitar hero

Warren Haynes

Southern rock's tireless workhorse, equally at home with blues, soul and jams

Warren Haynes grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, where he first fell for soul singers before discovering the guitar through Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter. He dug back into the blues of B.B. King and Muddy Waters and developed a gritty, soulful approach. At around twenty he joined country outlaw David Allan Coe's band, spending several years on the road and learning how to play in service of a singer and a song.

In the late eighties he joined the Dickey Betts Band, and when the Allman Brothers Band reunited in 1989, Betts brought Haynes with him. His playing and songwriting helped revive the group on Seven Turns, Shades of Two Worlds and Where It All Begins, which included his song Soulshine. In 1994 Haynes and Allmans bassist Allen Woody formed the power trio Gov't Mule with drummer Matt Abts as a side project, and by 1997 both had left the Allmans to make it their main focus.

Tragedy struck in August 2000 when Woody died unexpectedly while Gov't Mule was touring. Haynes kept the band alive, recording The Deep End albums with a long list of guest bassists as a tribute. The same year he returned to the Allman Brothers Band, forming a celebrated guitar partnership with Derek Trucks. He also spent time as a guitarist and singer in Phil Lesh and Friends and toured with the surviving Grateful Dead members as The Dead.

Haynes remained in the Allman Brothers until their final shows in 2014 while leading Gov't Mule through numerous studio albums and themed live projects. His solo album Man in Motion (2011) explored soul music, and he has written songs recorded by other artists, including a country hit for Garth Brooks. Since 1988 he has hosted the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam in Asheville, a benefit concert that raises money for Habitat for Humanity and draws major guests.

The 10 greatest Warren Haynes solos

  1. 1
    Soulshine
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 1994
  2. 2
    Nobody Knows
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 1991
  3. 3
    Mule
    Gov't Mule · solo by Warren Haynes · 1995
  4. 4
    Thorazine Shuffle
    Gov't Mule · solo by Warren Haynes · 1998
  5. 5
    Banks of the Deep End
    Gov't Mule · solo by Warren Haynes · 2000
  6. 6
    High Cost of Low Living
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 2003
  7. 7
    Instrumental Illness
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes · 2003
  8. 8
    End of the Line
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 1991
  9. 9
    Kind of Bird
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 1991
  10. 10
    Good Clean Fun
    The Allman Brothers Band · solo by Warren Haynes · 1990

The sound

Haynes combines a thick, singing Les Paul tone with deep blues phrasing, long sustained notes and a wide, expressive vibrato. He is a strong slide player as well, often switching to a Firebird for bottleneck passages. His solos tend to build patiently from simple motifs into intense climaxes, and he is a master of dynamics within long improvisations. His soulful, gravelly voice and his ability to move between blues, hard rock, jazz and psychedelia make him one of the most versatile musicians in the jam and Southern rock scenes.

  • Gibson Les Paul '58 Reissue (guitar) His main instrument for decades, source of his fat, sustaining tone.
  • Gibson Firebird (guitar) Frequently used for slide passages with both Gov't Mule and the Allmans.
  • Gibson ES-335 (guitar) A semi-hollow option for jazzier and softer material.
  • Soldano SLO-100 (amp) A high-gain amp associated with his Gov't Mule sound.
  • Slide (effect) Essential for his bottleneck work on blues and Allmans classics.

Covers

  • Mr. Big, originally by Free The trio stretched the Free classic into a heavy, grooving showcase.
  • Mother Earth, originally by Memphis Slim A heavy blues reading that shows his roots.
  • Politician, originally by Cream A thick, riff-driven version recorded at a New Year's Eve show.
  • Wish You Were Here, originally by Pink Floyd Part of a Halloween set devoted to Pink Floyd, rendered with care.
  • Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday, originally by William Bell A heartfelt soul cover from his solo exploration of classic R&B.

Timeline

  • 1960 Born in Asheville, North Carolina
  • 1980 Joins David Allan Coe's band
  • 1987 Joins the Dickey Betts Band
  • 1988 Hosts the first Warren Haynes Christmas Jam
  • 1989 Joins the reunited Allman Brothers Band
  • 1994 Forms Gov't Mule with Allen Woody and Matt Abts
  • 1997 Leaves the Allmans to focus on Gov't Mule
  • 2000 Allen Woody dies; Haynes rejoins the Allman Brothers Band
  • 2004 Tours with The Dead
  • 2014 Plays the Allman Brothers Band's final shows

Facts

  1. He spent his early professional years in country singer David Allan Coe's band.
  2. He co-wrote the Garth Brooks hit Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House.
  3. His Christmas Jam benefit in Asheville supports Habitat for Humanity.
  4. Gov't Mule began as a side project of two Allman Brothers members.
  5. The Deep End albums featured many guest bassists as a tribute to Allen Woody.
  6. He allows fans to audio-record his concerts but not to video them.
  7. He toured with Phil Lesh and Friends and The Dead after the Grateful Dead era.
  8. He was part of two separate stints in the Allman Brothers Band.
  9. His song Soulshine was first released by the Allman Brothers Band in 1994.
  10. Man in Motion (2011) was a solo album devoted to soul and R&B.

Sources