Gov't Mule has 'Made My Peace' ahead of release of new studio album

‘Peace…Like A River’ out June 16 on Fantasy Records

√ Press here to listen & preorder album

Press Release

As they prepare for the release of their 12th studio album, “Peace…Like A River” this month, renowned Grammy Award-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 or 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 preorder and presave “Peace…Like A River” on DSPs. Each digital presave 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.

“ ‘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,” Haynes said. “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 Neville and 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. Rep. 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 two-night finale in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, 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 headlining tour on June 9, taking the band to the West Coast and Midwest for a mix of headlining shows and dates with The Avett Brothers before launching the “Dark Side of the Mule Tour” on July 22. The 18-date summer amphitheater outing will feature a full Gov’t Mule set leading into an extremely rare Pink Floyd tribute, “Dark Side of the Mule,” in addition to special guest Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening opening. It 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 Dec. 29 in Philadelphia and Dec. 30-31 in New York City. Visit https://mule.net/for ticketing details or to purchase.

Gov’t Mule will perform at the Darien Lake Amphitheater on July 30 as part of the Outlaw Music Festival.

More About Gov’t Mule & Warren Haynes

For over two decades, Gov’t Mule – Haynes (vocals, guitar), Matt Abts (drums), Danny Louis (keyboards, guitar, and backing vocals) and Jorgen Carlsson (bass) – has galvanized a global fan base with their honest, organic and daring music and improvisational virtuosity, leading them to be recognized as one of the most timeless, revered and active bands in the world. Led by visionary Grammy Award-winning artist and guitar Haynes – a cornerstone of the American music landscape – the enduring, Grammy-nominated group has showcased its intelligence and breadth over the course of 20-plus studio and live albums, thousands of memorable performances, and millions of album and track sales.

Haynes is lauded as one of the most formidable guitarists and vocalists of the modern era and a prolific songwriter and producer. Throughout his prolific career as part of three of the greatest live groups in rock history – Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule and the Dead – and an acclaimed solo artist, Haynes has become one of music’s most treasured storytellers.

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