Warren Haynes has been focused on fronting Gov’t Mule for years now. As a result, seeing him release a solo album is a rare treat for fans. Today (November 1), he released Million Voices Whisper, his fourth solo outing and the first in eight years.
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Last month, Haynes sat down with American Songwriter to discuss Million Voices Whisper, the creative process behind the album, and more.
Warren Haynes Discusses Why He Does So Few Solo Albums
During our conversation with Warren Haynes, he revealed why he has done so few solo albums. “Gov’t Mule takes priority,” he said. “Most of the songs that I write, I think, are best interpreted by Gov’t Mule. That’s my laboratory of choice, so to speak. When I write a batch of songs that seem different to the extent that I don’t consider them Gov’t Mule songs then that’s usually an indicator that it’s time to make a solo record,” Haynes explained.
“This is only my fourth solo record in over 30 years. Since my last solo record, I think I’ve made three or four Gov’t Mule studio records. I’ve been writing so much the past five or six years and I just really want to capture as much of the new music as possible and get into the studio and record as many of these songs as I can,” he said.
Haynes released his last solo record, Ashes & Dust in 2016. Since then, Gov’t Mule has released three studio albums and six live albums.
Haynes on His Old-School Creative Process
While the songs on his solo projects and Gov’t Mule albums differ, Warren Haynes employs a similar process while recording. “I like to record live with everybody in the same room. It’s a very old-school recording approach but it’s still my favorite way to record,” Haynes explained.
“We keep as much of the live performance as possible which includes the solos and in some cases the lead vocal. Usually, if we change something it’s minimal and it’s usually something we add to the overall picture,” he added.
“I was really glad that Derek Trucks could come into the studio and be part of that process as opposed to recording remotely which we all do from time to time. You can achieve amazing results that way but it’s just not the same as looking at each other while you’re working.”
Warren Haynes on Working with Jamey Johnson and Lukas Nelson on “Day of Reckoning”
Outside of Derek Trucks’ guitar work, Million Voices Whisper only features one track with guest artists. “Day of Reckoning” features both Jamey Johnson and Lukas Nelson with Nelson. During our conversation, Haynes revealed how the collaboration came together.
“The idea to get the three of us together was born out of us working together on The Last Waltz Tour a few years back. We all loved the way our voices blended together with Jamey on the bottom and me in the middle and Lukas on the top,” Haynes recalled. “I’ve wanted to capture that to the extent of even hinting around at maybe the three of us doing a record together if we could all muster up the time,” he added.
“After I had written ‘Day of Reckoning’ I showed it to Lukas and he had some great ideas about how to further it. He started the concept of singing it in a round which is a really cool idea. Then, Jamey started answering with this low gospel thing and it dawned on me that that song would be perfect for the three of us to sing together. So, I wanted to make that happen. Then, of course, Lukas ended up playing some fantastic guitar as well.”
Warren’s Favorite Tracks from Million Voices Whisper
“It depends on the day. I like them all. I wouldn’t have included them if I didn’t,” Warren Haynes said when asked about his favorite track from Million Voices Whisper.
“I love ‘These Changes,’ I think it captures what Derek Trucks and I do so well. We also wrote it together which was a wonderful experience. That song was a great vehicle for us to play but also for my voice. I just love the way it turned out,” he said of the album opener. “I love ‘Real, Real Love’ bringing Gregg’s original idea to fruition was really gratifying and I love the way it turned out. Derek did a tremendous job on that,” he said of the posthumous co-write with Gregg Allman. He added, “I love ‘Day of Reckoning.’”
“I love ‘Til the Sun Comes Shining Through’ which I wrote with Rhett Akins. Rhett and I have been friends for decades and we’ve written a handful of songs together through the years. When we were writing that particular day he said, ‘Hey man, let’s write something for you. Let’s write something you would sing,’” he recalled. “All the stuff we’d written in the past was for other artists. A few hours later we had written ‘Til the Sun Comes Shining Through,’” he added. About the finished song, he said, “It was virtually the same arrangement that appears on this record except for when I got into the studio, I got the idea to add that big, long slide solo at the end which takes it into the stratosphere. I love how that turned out.” About the album overall, he said, “I’m really happy with the whole thing.”
Million Voices Whisper is available everywhere now.
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