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<\/p>\nWhen Warren Haynes began gearing up for press availability to promote his latest album, he had no idea what lay ahead. The disastrous impact of Hurricane Helene on his hometown brought a realigning of priorities for the Asheville native. Haynes\u2019 fourth solo studio album, Million Voices Whisper<\/i> was released November 1, and he has been hard at work on a more pressing concern: an all-star benefit concert scheduled for November 24 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Whispers more powerful than shouting<\/b>
\nViewed against Haynes\u2019 entire body of work, Million Voices Whisper<\/i> is notable for a subtle shift in tone. \u201cI\u2019ve written a lot of dark material through the years,\u201d he concedes. \u201cI haven\u2019t always been known for writing the most positive lyrics.\u201d But many of the songs on his new album \u2013 his first solo release in nearly a decade \u2013 are built upon a foundation of positivity and hope.<\/p>\n
Haynes laughs as he explains that he\u2019s been asked many times over the years why he doesn\u2019t write more happy songs. \u201cMy response was always, \u2018I\u2019m not inspired to write when I\u2019m happy. I\u2019m inspired to write when I feel like I need to pull something out of myself.\u2019\u201d He says that as a general rule, when things are going really well, \u201cThat\u2019s the time to enjoy your life,\u201d not sit down and write songs.<\/p>\n
But the lockdowns and isolation of 2020 and beyond forced Haynes to rethink that approach. \u201cI took a turn down a new path,\u201d he says. He recalls thinking, \u201cEvery songwriter is doing what I’m doing right now: trapped somewhere, making the best of a situation and writing more than they’ve written in ages.\u201d Haynes says that he found himself focusing on what he considered more important in life. \u201cIt seemed like a turning point for me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
That forward-looking mindset informs many of the songs on Million Voices Whisper<\/i>. Elsewhere on the album, \u201cThese Changes\u201d (co-written with old friend Derek Trucks and Mike Mattison) explores relationships through a lens that applies equally well to a committed romantic partnership and to interaction with the wider world.<\/p>\n
Among the album\u2019s highlights are \u201cDay of Reckoning,\u201d a cowrite with Lukas Nelson that features both Nelson and country singer-songwriter-guitarist Jamey Johnson on the recording. The song\u2019s message is one of unity (\u201cAll come together as one \/ and we know it can be done\u201d), a striking perspective in an era during which the United States\u2019 citizenry is perhaps more polarized than it has ever been.<\/p>\n
Another co-write with Nelson, \u201cGo Down Swinging\u201d reflects on life lessons learned (\u201cLife didn\u2019t have to make any sense \/ It was all brand new, and we were so curious\u201d) while serving up some hard-won optimism (\u201cI can feel it coming \u2018round again \/ Sometimes it\u2019s like a gentle wind \/ And other times it\u2019s like a freight train coming \u2018round the bend\u201d).<\/p>\n
The album\u2019s thoughtful lyrics are set against a strong blues-rock foundation, one that will be warmly familiar to longtime Haynes fans, but that also represents his ongoing desire to keep things fresh and new, and to keep exploring. The lineup of the Warren Haynes Band has changed over the years, in part because of Haynes\u2019 desire to bring a new musical perspective to live performance of his work.<\/p>\n
Soulshine on Western N.C.<\/b>
\nWarren Haynes was born and raised in Asheville. He has deep roots here; many of his family members still live in or very near the city. Haynes\u2019 commitment to the WNC region has been a central part of his life as a high-profile and a Grammy-winning (and nine-time nominated) artist. Launched in 1988 and held in December, his annual Christmas Jam has brought top-line artists to the city for gala fundraising concerts, yielding significant donations to local charities including Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and BeLoved Asheville.<\/p>\n
Preparations for each year\u2019s Christmas Jam begin many months in advance. But in the wake of Hurricane Helene\u2019s serious damage to the region\u2019s infrastructure, Haynes made the late-in-the-game decision to suspend the Christmas Jam for 2024.<\/p>\n
Instead, Asheville\u2019s favorite son has pivoted, quickly coordinating a different event designed specifically to aid the victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. \u201cWe started thinking about how we could we raise the most money and awareness for this,\u201d Haynes explains. \u201cBecause it\u2019s more devastating than people even realize.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scheduled for November 24, the Soulshine Benefit Concert took take place at Madison Square Garden. With a nearly 20,000-seat capacity \u2013 2.5 times that of the Harrah\u2019s Cherokee Center in Asheville \u2013 MSG provided an opportunity to raise much more money for the designated beneficiaries.<\/p>\n
Thanks to Haynes\u2019 stature in the music community \u2013 plus his years of experience calling upon famous friends to help out for worthy causes \u2013 a lineup for the Madison Square Garden concert came together very quickly. He explains that the Dave Matthews Band had already scheduled a pair of sold-out shows at MSG for November 22 and 23. So not only would they be happy to take part in the Soulshine concert, but all of their gear would already be set up onstage. That simplified the logistics of Haynes\u2019 planned event.<\/p>\n
Along with the Warren Haynes Band and Dave Matthews Band, other artists co-headlining the bill included Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and Goose. Special guests include Trey Anastasio of Phish, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph, Joe Russo, Trombone Shorty, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.<\/p>\n
According to the event\u2019s official press release, net proceeds to the Soulshine Concert Fund will benefit Habitat for Humanity\u2019s 2024 Hurricane Recovery Fund as well as supporting \u201ca variety of non-profits on the ground in North Carolina and Florida.\u201d Haynes is characteristically modest when it\u2019s suggested that he has put a great deal of work into this endeavor. \u201cThere are a lot of details, a lot of which [are above] my pay grade,\u201d he says with a chuckle. \u201cBut I\u2019m so happy that we were able to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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