Warren Haynes to perform at Jerry Garcia tribute show

Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes

Warren Haynes is to perform at a show honouring the legacy of the late Grateful Dead singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia.

The Gov’t Mule leader will take on vocal and guitar duties, alongside other artists including Alison Krauss, John Medeski, Don Was, Jamey Johnson, Raymond Weber and more.

Dear Jerry: Let’s Play 2 follow the show’s first Dear Jerry instalment last year. It kicks off on October 14 at Washington’s DAR Constitution Hall with Jerry Uncovered: Exploring Jerry Garcia through the JGB Songbook.

The next night’s event, named This Is 30, will feature appearances from folk duo The Avett Brothers – recreating the Grateful Dead show which saw Garcia return to the stage in 1986 following a diabetic coma which almost claimed his life.

Blackbird Presents CEO Keith Wortman, who is producing the shows, tells Rolling Stone: “I spend a lot of time working with musicians on their passion projects. As part of that, we’ll have deep discussions about them and listen to music that makes us feel something. Inevitably, most always, we end up back with Jerry.

“His writing, his playing, his vocals, his versatility. Listening to him, just makes us feel happy to be alive – to hear his music.

“If I do nothing else in my career, I will continue to present Garcia’s music in ways we could only dream about. It’s the least I can do, and it’s my way of thanking him. From all of us.”

Documentary Dear Jerry: Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia which chronicles the May 2015 tribute concert, will also launch on DVD, CD and Blu-ray on October 14 and is available to pre-order from Blackbird’s website.

Tickets for the Dear Jerry 2 concerts go on sale on September 1 on Ticketmaster. Visit the website for more information.

Earlier this month, former Grateful Dead keyboard player Tom Constanten was left with a broken neck sustained when he tripped on a cracked pavement in North Carolina.

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