As they prepare for the release of their 12th studio album, Peace…Like A River, this month, renowned GRAMMY-nominated band Gov’t Mule, led by guitar legend, vocalist, songwriter and producer Warren Haynes, has issued one final tease with their new single “Made My Peace.” PRESS HERE to listen and PRESS HERE for the visualizer. When writing the new song, Haynes – who recently performed at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday extravaganza and CMT Music Awards’ Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute and is a featured player on Dolly Parton’s forthcoming Rockstar album alongside Steven Tyler – drew on another rock-solid artist for inspiration: The Beatles. Haynes sought to double-track his vocals the way John Lennon often did on Beatles and solo recordings and included a harmony slide guitar in the song’s middle that was informed by George Harrison. “Made My Peace” also features a sweeping orchestral backdrop from The Kerhonkson Philharmonic. PRESS HERE to watch a behind the song video for “Made My Peace.”
Peace…Like A River, the follow-up to Gov’t Mule’s chart-topping, Grammy-nominated blues album, Heavy Load Blues, is a 12-song rock journey from the revered band that also includes guest appearances from Billy F Gibbons, Billy Bob Thornton, and Celisse in addition to Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster, the featured vocalists on the album’s lead single “Dreaming Out Loud.” PRESS HERE to pre-order and pre-save Peace…Like A River on DSPs. Each digital pre-save includes an instant download of “Made My Peace” along with the previously released singles “Same As It Ever Was” and “Dreaming Out Loud.” In addition to various vinyl options, Peace…Like A River will also be available in a Deluxe Edition (on CD only) including the special 5-track Time Of The Signs Bonus EP in addition to the original 12 tracks.
“‘Made My Peace’ is one of the first songs we recorded for this new album and portrays the most Beatles influence we’ve ever utilized on a recording,” shares Haynes. “It deals with a lot of different aspects of what we’ve all gone through. It touches on the emotions I was having to get past with the loss of my dad, who was an extremely important figure in my life. There are several songs that reflect on loss, but more in a way of making the future count. Taking the rest of your life and looking at it with a fresher, more aggressively positive attitude.”
Stirring lead single “Dreaming Out Loud” featuring Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster is currently impacting Triple A radio nationwide. For the song’s lyrics, Haynes wove together inspirational quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert and John Kennedy, and the late civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis. Peace…Like A River opens with the soaring and heartfelt track “Same As It Ever Was.”
Peace…Like A River was recorded during the same sessions as Heavy Load Blues at The Power Station New England with co-producer John Paterno (Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos) alongside Haynes. The albums, however, were created in different rooms, with no shared gear or instruments, keeping the two concurrent projects with their own unique identity and character. Thematically, the forthcoming collection explores the seismic changes the world has gone through over the past few years. Influenced both in his songwriting and playing by what Haynes calls “the golden era of rock, soul, jazz and blues,” Gov’t Mule combines the best and most enduring qualities from all those musical strains to create a timeless piece of art on Peace…Like A River that could have easily come out in the 1970s. PRESS HERE to watch the album trailer.
Gov’t Mule will be out on the road all year in support of Peace…Like A River bringing their acclaimed live show across the U.S. The band recently wrapped a headlining spring tour that took over the famed Ryman Auditorium for a sold-out evening featuring a variety of special guests including Peter Frampton, Jamey Johnson, and Audley Freed. Ahead of the tour’s 2-night finale in his hometown of Asheville, NC, Haynes made a special stop at his elementary school alma mater, Claxton School, where he was joined by his grand-nephew’s music class to perform for the students and teachers and donated a gift to the entire student body. Up next, Gov’t Mule will launch a June headlining tour on June 9th taking the band to the West Coast and Midwest for a mix of headlining shows and dates with The Avett Brothers before launching their Dark Side of the Mule Tour on July 22nd. The 18-date summer amphitheater outing will feature a full Gov’t Mule set leading into their extremely rare Pink Floyd tribute Dark Side of the Mule, in addition to special guest Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening opening, and will mark the final time Mule will perform the acclaimed set, which first debuted in 2008 and has only been performed live 10 times in total. Additionally, Gov’t Mule will appear at select dates on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour as well as various festival appearances this summer and fall. The band’s New Year’s Run from last year has also been rescheduled for December 29th in Philadelphia and December 30th and 31st in New York City. See below for full list of upcoming tour dates and visit https://mule.net/for ticketing details and to purchase.
The tour will be rolling into town at Pine Knob Music Theatre on August 2nd. For more on this event click here.
