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Butch Trucks loves Big in China

I had a pleasant surprise a couple of months ago when I randomly received an email from the Allman Brothers manager saying that drummer Butch Trucks wanted to chat with me - he had read Big in China and was really fascinated by it. This led…
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Surprise CD pick: Jaimoe’s Jassz Band. WSJ and Guitar World interviews with Jaimoe and Jr. Mack.

I spoke with Allman Bros drummer Jaimoe about his great solo album and his band's gig tonight in NYC for the WSJ Speakeasy blog. This was really a pleasure because I really enjoyed  the album, Renaissance Man, far more…
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Greatest Blues albums ever, as chosen by Haynes, Perry and other guitar greats

I collected these lists of everyone's five favorite blues albums of all time for a Guitar World story in approx. 1997. As you can see, some people took the request for 5 seriously...some just couldn't limit themselves...and some just ignored…
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Duane Allman’s 57 goldtop Les Paul found

I had the pleasure of visiting the Big House Museum in Macon, GA and holding this guitar last week. Photos and story about that to come. While there, I proudly signed the displayed copy of Guitar World featuring this story. Duane Allman’s…
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Interview: Gregg Allman on Low Country Blues

It's no secret to most people reading this blog that Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band have been a profound influence and source of inspiration for me. Last winter, on the heels of a liver transplant, he released Low Country Blues,…

Some Soulshine for the 800th rainy day in a row

The sun may never shine again in the Northeast, so you might as well focus on letting your soul shine. Bluesman Larry McCray, an old friend of Warren Haynes', was the first one to record this. This goes out to my brother Woodie Wu and to the…
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Big in China Excerpt: The Ecstasy of the evangelist. Preaching the blues in Changsha

"What a romp. After writing about music for years, Alan Paul walked the walk, preaching the blues in China. Anyone who doubts that music is bigger than words needs to read this great tale.” -Gregg Allman, the Allman Brothers Band —This…
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“Alan Paul, A Southern Rock Champion”

There are times when I wish the 12-year-old could see me, and reading a headline calling me a "Southern Rock Champion" is one of them. It makes me think of being in my basement staring at the Skynyrd poster on the wood paneled wall, or laying…

Warren Haynes on NPR

Here's a well-deserved, lengthy and insightful, interview with Warren on NPR's Weekend Edition.Man in Motion is a very strong album and I'm looking forward to seeing the new band at the Beacon this week.
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Warren Haynes on Man in Motion – and Big In China

  Warren Haynes has probably been my most frequent writing subject. I have interviewed him more times for Guitar World than I could possibly count. The first time was in 1989 when he was a new member of the Allman Brothers Band. I was…