KT: We are joined with Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule today thanks for joining us. I understand you just rolled into billings Montana on a long deserved day off.

WH: Doing good we had a 600 some odd mile drive from Fargo North Dakota last night happy to be in town. Its been a great tour so far looking forward to the show tomorrow night.

KT: I understand this is the third stop on your fall tour.

WH: This tour is about 4 weeks, then I take a little time off and do the final stand with the Allman Brothers at the Beacon Theater, then government mule goes back to work immediately after that.

KT: So it’s a busy time of year for ya.

WH: Yep it’s a busy time of year!

KT: So the Gov’t Mule family has lost one of their own, with the passing of Brian Farmer your long time friend and guitar tech, I know Brian was an icon and the Gov’t Mule family he was a fantastic guy to be around always so funny and the crowd look forward to seeing them as much as I think seeing the band. I remember when you played here previously at the mule barn at the county fairgrounds farmer was riding around on my little chopper backstage.

WH: I remember that,

KT: I Just wanted to let you know that we’re all thinking about you and the passing of Brian and what a great individual he was.

WH: Well thank you yeah was a big loss he was a big part of our family and such a great friend,and a valued of our team. You know we were together for 16 years his sudden unexpected passing has left everybody realing, you know!! Life goes on and we’re all in this together and making the best of it and making it through.

KT: If you wouldn’t mind telling us a little bit about Brian’s career and what he meant to you.

WH: Well before working for me he work for a lot of other people probably most notably for Johnny Cash I think for 12 years started working with me 16 years ago Brian was one of those people that was so passionate about a equipment and gear and amps, he knew more about that stuff than I did and probably more than anyone I know. So I was able to trust him with the technical part of what I was doing, and I can concentrate on the creative part, you know he was just really good at keeping things going on the road, he was such a big part of the government mules overall picture and did it with with passion and a smile on his face and making people laugh while doing it.

KT: That was one of the best things about him always had a good joke when I saw him kept me smiling. When are you coming through town last time our local coop at these bumper stickers they were passing out let’s said who’s your farmer and I think there’s one stuck on one of your road gear boxes.

WH: Yeah I know which box that’s on.

WH: Yeah he was  one of a kind a very funny character and great individual.

KT: So, I just saw the webcast from Lockin festival. You guys played Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and Dear Mr. Fantasy and were opening up for Steve Winwood.

WH: Yeah, laughs, I was curious about that too Phil had written that set in advance and and then when we realize Steve was on the show somebody brought up. Should we play it or not, So the decision came up unanimously to do it. Laughs, we did Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and Dear Mr. Fantasy. And the next day Steve Winwood did both of them as well but we are old friends it’s all in good fun.

KT: Reminds me of the story of Todd Snider opening up for Jimmy Buffett and playing Margaritaville,

WH: Laugh, yeah you know those stories are always good I can remember a bunch of those good stories throughout the year at least we were  a day apart,

KT: Did Steve have anything to say about that, did you get a chance to talk to Steve, did he say anything about your renditions of his songs.

WH:  We didn’t talk about that I did talk about that with Dave schools from widespread panic who Steve was performing with but Steve and I had a nice long conversation he was good friends with Brian Farmer as well and he and his wife Eugenia were there and were really sweet and offering up their condolences and sent me a nice email after Brian passed Steven I are old friends of course he’s one of the new guest vocalist on are new CD shout and you know it was great to see him he sounded wonderful as always and when we did manage to have a nice conversation even though it was an emotional time.

KT: So warn you been a busy man started out playing with filling friends at Lockin, then off two phases of the Moon and then on to her with the mule before that you were with Trixie Garcia in the dead symphony can you tell us a little bit about that?

WH: I got a call in late 2012 from from the Jerry Garcia estate wondering if I would be interested in being the first guest artist to be a part of this symphonic celebration that they have been talking about, it was their idea that it was their idea to take Jerry Garcia’s music and performing with the symphony, and their initial thought was to have several different guest artists over the course of the next few years they wanted to know if I was interested in being the first one. I said absolutely I would love to, so I started working on song selections and arrangement ideas and whatnot so when we started putting it all together we decided on three : orchestral arrangers to take my arrangement ideas and transform them into a symphony, and put together a wonderful group of bass player drummer to background singers and of course the orchestra was pretty much different in every city it was a wonderful experience and we may do a handfull next year and it’s hard to say but 2013 and 2014 we did quite a few shows.

KT: So you are playing Jerry Garcias guitar The Wolf I believe.

WH: Yeah The Wolf which was his instrument in the 70s. Beautiful instrument, the guy who bought the wolf on auction was kind enough to let me play it on the shows it really put me a step closer to Jerry’s sound and his music there’s a lot of music and that guitar and it was really an honor and a pleasure to play.

KT: Nice. So what’s new in the Gov’t Mule world? Your latest cd Shout came out which has a whole mess of guest artists. One side of the album is Gov’t Mule playing the songs and then th set of the CD is government mule with guests doing the same song where did you come up with that concept?

WH: Well initially we were going to just have one guest then it turned into two then three and by the time it became three we thought maybe we should create an alternate version for each song, so the first 3 guests were Elvis Costello, Dr John and Tuts from Tuts and the Maytals. But by the time it was over we had Jim James and Dave Matthews and Ben Harper Grace Potter,  Steve Winwood,Myles Kennedy Ty Taylor from vintage trouble and just this amazing cast of folks you know everybody did a fabulous job it was so cool to hear two different interpretations of the songs I think people in sight to the songs themselves and also into and what it is singer does when they interpret a song. Because what if it does they hear my version then they hear say Elvis Costello is version or say Steve Winwoods  version or Dave Matthews version and they’re completely different that’s a very insightful recession thing to hear.

KT: Warren you have have the pleasure of playing with so many different artists throughout your career who is the artist that inspires you most who do you get excited about when you know you’re going get  to play with them, who is that person?

WH: As far as people who I play with occasionally  there are people like Eric Clapton who I have played with just a few times. That is very very fun. Bob Dylan I’ve only played with once that was quite amazing and people I grew up listening to I was very fortunate to or played or worked in some fashion with  I would put all of them on that list but as far as people I work with regularly I mean all the guys in the Allman Brothers and Gov’t Mule and the Dead. I’m very lucky to be surrounded by so many musicians we all enjoy playing together and you know it’s it keeps me from getting stagnated being able to go go back and forth from one project to another. Its like always bringing fresh energy with me its a nice feeling.

KT: Of all the projects of work one of the longest standing is the Allman Brothers. This is now coming to the end here at the Beacon Theater shortly. Any the reflections on that?

WH: 25 years you know it’s hard to believe its been that long. I joined in 1989 for a reunion tour. Thinking it was going to be one year and it was very successful and we decided to do it a second year in a third year it’s hard to believe this is 25 years later the band is been talking about going out on a high note picking the right time and place  to end it, and the 45th anniversary seem to be the logical choice. It is confusing. Some people have had mixed feelings about it, this is a decision we all made together and I’m hoping everybody will wind up on the same page. I am really looking forward to the shows in October there’s only 6 more Allman show left on the books.

KT: Wow hard to believe only 6 more Allman Brothers shows left.

WH: Yeah I know what it’s been an amazing experience for me and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m very grateful for that and I cherish the  relationship and friend ships I have with all those guys.

KT: As you mentioned the Allman Brothers have been together for 45 years next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead you are a member of the camp are there any plans in the future that you’re aware of for the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead.

WH: I would love to see that happen. It really hasn’t gotten that far yet, and I would be happy to be involved if it goes that way but no concrete plans as of now.

KT: The Christmas Jam you put on in Asheville every year set a milestone last year with a healthy donation to a worthy cause can you tell us a little bit about that?

WH: Well you know I started the Christmas jam 25 years ago in my hometown of Asheville North Carolina, it started out in the club as a small event with all local musicians and was just an opportunity for all of us to get together money and donated to charity in the beginning we picked a different charity every year eventually we found  habitat for  humanity, the event was growing and we are making more and more money we stuck with habitat, it became a national event moved up moved up to a cedar then moved up to Civic Center where it has been for the last 10 years or so we have managed to raise more and more money each year and this past year was the 25th anniversary we did two nights instead of one night and with all the VIP packages in the sponsorships people and their energy we are able to raise a half a million dollars for Habitat for Humanity and that’s by far the biggest year we’ve had and I’m very proud of that, I really think they’re a wonderful organization.

KT: That’s incredible Warren, that’s amazing what you’ve done for Habitat. So what’s in the future for Gov’t Mule these days?

WH: Well this is our 20th anniversary so we’ve actually scheduled a quite a few live releases from the vault and the first two are going to come out pretty soon. We should be making announcements pretty soon as to what shows they are. We have several things in the can they were very excited about some on DVD some on CD only someone vinyl-only we just want people to check out www.mule.net and see what’s happening.

KT: Warren it’s been a pleasure and  we will be anxiously awaiting the release dates of your new CDs live CDs commemorating your 20th anniversary looking forward to it. Warren please come back anytime you’re always welcome, Ho! By the way Mayor Jeff Krauss of Bozeman, He’s a big Allman Brothers fan and Gov’t Mule fan. He has promised the key to the city if you ever return, so hope to see you soon. Have a great day.

WH: Thank you  Kenny for having me you have a good day and will see at the next show!!