Warren Haynes will sit out Gov’t Mule‘s Island Exodus 13 as the guitarist continues to recover from COVID and Influenza A. This news comes after the 62-year-old bandleader’s illness forced the group to once again postpone its New Year’s Eve run at The Met Philadelphia and Beacon Theatre last month.
“First of all, thank you for all of your well wishes over the past week. I want you to know that I am going to be OK!” Haynes wrote on social media on Saturday evening. “I was in the hospital for the past week due to some pretty serious complications from COVID and Influenza A, but I am at home now resting which I am so thankful for!”
Haynes went on to apologize for postponing the New Year’s Eve run and promised new dates are “coming soon” and that “Gov’t Mule will be ready to blow the roofs off The Met and the Beacon.”
The guitarist went on to deliver the bad news, revealing that, per doctors’ orders, he will sit out the band’s destination event in Jamaica next week. The show must go on, however, and so Haynes and his Mule bandmates Matt Abts, Danny Louis, and Jorgen Carlsson have assembled an impressive stable of ringers to sub in for three Gov’t Mule & Friends sets. Guest musicians include John Scofield, Robert Randolph, Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, Audley Freed, Jimmy Vivino, Ron Holloway, Rob Barraco, Robert Kearns, Jeff Sipe, and more. All of this in addition to performances from Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, Duane Betts and his band, and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country.
“IE13 is shaping up to be a very special, not to be repeated, 4-day concert,” Haynes continued. “It pains me not to be there, but I am confident that those of you who are will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“To everyone attending Island Exodus — enjoy yourselves, and I will catch up with all of you on the Gov’t Mule spring tour that we are announcing soon,” Haynes concluded. “As you know, the Music Never Stops! Travel safe and wish us luck at the Grammys!”
See the full note from Warren Haynes regarding Island Exodus below.
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