Gov’t Mule Comes to CT: Warren Haynes Talks Family, Music, and His New Year’s Run

Warren Haynes will wrap 2024 with Gov’t Mule’s annual New Year’s Run – December 28th at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut and December 30th and 31st at The Beacon Theatre in New York City.

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We recently got a chance to speak with Warren about these gigs, his amazing career and the role his family has played in his success.

These were some of our favorite moments from that chat.

Lou: So I read that your wife is a DJ on Sirius XM, she's also managed Gov't Mule forever and has a great ear and eye for discovering talent. Is your relationship foundationally built on music?

Warren: "Yeah, I mean, we’re both huge music fans, and that’s how we connected many, many years ago. When I met Stefani, she was just starting out in A&R at Island Records, so she’s been in the music business for a really long time. In the beginning, we actually vowed not to work together—we kept our professional lives separate. But it was really Matt Abts and Allen Woody from Gov't Mule who suggested that she become our manager. One day, they called a meeting and said, 'We want to fire our manager and hire Stef. What do you think about that?' I said, 'Well, if you're asking me whether I think she’ll do a great job, the answer is yes. But you're also putting me in a position where I can’t fire my manager.'"

Lou: Speaking of family, I've read in interviews and articles speaking about your father and the admiration and love you have for him. He raised you by himself if I read correctly, can you talk about that relationship with your Dad? 

Warren: "My dad worked two jobs, two shifts almost every day, to raise three boys on his own. He worked really hard to make sure I had a slightly better guitar—if I had one, he’d trade it in for a nicer one. He’d do the same with my amp, always upgrading to something a little better. He understood how passionate I was about music, and he supported that. We definitely grew up with humble beginnings. My dad had a beautiful singing voice, but he never pursued music professionally. I think that’s one of the reasons he was so supportive of me—he loved music too, but never had the opportunity to pursue it, and he saw that same desire in me."

Lou: Yeah I think that is the stumbling block for a lot of people with talent, is if they don't have that level of support, it's a failure to launch almost every single time. 

Warren: "Well a lot of my friends were getting discouraged by their parents telling them not to play music and to give it up and get a day job, and stop wasting your time on that foolishness." 

You can listen to our complete interview with Warren Haynes below.

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