"Woke up singing a dead man's song..." is the opening line from the Warren Haynes original "Heavy Load," a line of imagery that feels like the beginning of dirt. Blues. Haynes is, of course, the leader of Gov't Mule, hailing from a Southern rock tradition of scruffy virtuosity. Gov't Mule is Warren's show and the blues, is the informing foundation, personal and universal.

Gov't Mule has been synonymous with the jam band scene since its beginnings in the 1990s. Their sound is a meld of bluesy, hard-rock riffing and songwriting, often virtuosic improvisation, and elevated volume. Originally a power trio comprised of guitarist Warren Haynes, bassist Allen Woody (both formerly of the Allman Brothers Band), and drummer Matt Abts, more than half of their album catalog consists of live recordings. Gov't Mule, or "The Mule" to fans, regularly recruit all-star guests for live performances including Jimmy Herring, Ivan Neville, Fred Wesley, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. In addition, they have released charting collaborative albums with jazz-funk guitarist John Scofield (Sco-Mule) and reggae legend Toots Hibbert (Dub Side Of The Mule). Five of their own albums have landed inside the upper half of the Top 200, including 2017's Revolution Come... Revolution Go…