New single is latest from forthcoming album
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.” 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.
“‘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.”
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.” 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 five track Time Of The Signs Bonus EP in addition to the original 12 tracks.
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.”
The album 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.
One distinguishing difference on Peace…Like A River is the presence of talented friends in important guest roles. Billy F Gibbons’ trademark vocals underscore the tasty ZZ Top textures that inform the humor-infused “Shake Our Way Out,” while Billy Bob Thornton adds his distinctive vocals to “The River Only Flows One Way.” For introductory track “Dreaming Out Loud,” Haynes wanted a Sly and the Family Stone vocal style where different singers take different sections of the song, so he called upon previous collaborators blues great Ruthie Foster, whose backing vocals graced Mule’s 2006 album High & Mighty, and longtime friend, New Orleans soul legend Ivan Neville. Lastly, rising soul artist Celisse adds her incredible vocals to “Just Across The River.”
Gov’t Mule will be out on the road this year in support of Peace…Like A River. This summer, Gov’t Mule is bringing back their extremely rare Pink Floyd tribute Dark Side of the Mule for a 12-date summer amphitheater tour that includes a stop at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre on August 7th. The Dark Side of the Mule Tour, produced by Live Nation, will feature a full Gov’t Mule set leading into DSOTM, as well as special guest Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening, 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 perform select dates with The Avett Brothers and on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour this summer as well as various festival appearances. 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.
