WIDESPREAD PANIC FREE SOMEHOW TO RETURN TO THEIR EVOLUTION

Widespread Panic talk about the band finally being able to evolve again with songwriting with guitarist Jimmy Herring for the first time.

Although Widespread Panic went back to Terry Manning’s Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record their latest album ‘Free Somehow’ which is the same studio the band recorded 2006’s ‘Earth to America’, the songwriting on the album and the makeup of the band couldn’t be any more different than the last time they where there. ‘Earth to America’ was the last album former lead guitarist George McConnell recorded with Widespread Panic and he was replaced in mid tour in 2006. After getting Sam Holt and John Keane’s help in finishing the tour it was a natural progression getting guitar virtuoso Jimmy Herring to join the band. Herring, perhaps best well known as former guitarist with The Dead, The Allman Brothers, Jazz is Dead and Aquarium Rescue Unit, has been a part of Widespread Panic’s family long before joining the band.

We caught up with Dave Schools and Todd Nance of Widespread Panic recently to get their thoughts on having Jimmy join the band.

“Well you know, Jimmy’s is family. He’s been family for 15-20 years and we all know what Jimmy comes equipt with. He’s got chops and humility and he’s a great teacher. He doesn’t tell you what you’re doing wrong, he brings you in and inspires you to go above what you’re normally capable of doing. The thing that I think is the most important about ‘Free Somehow’ is it’s Jimmy’s first shot to collaborate on material with the band.”

Widespread Panic, having lost original guitarist and songwriting force Michael Houser, who passed away from cancer in 2002 were initially joined by George McConnell on guitar after Housers death. But after a few albums and a few tours together the band felt they needed a change and enlisted the talent of Jimmy Herring. We also talked with Schools and Nance about Widespread Panic finally being able to evolve as a band again, which is something that hasn’t happened since Houser’s death.

“You know he’s on the road for a year learning a 120 song catalog and doing a great job and never really had a chance, until we got in the studio to make this record, to present his own material. That’s a big important step for me. It’s probably the first time since Mickey moved on that we as a band felt like ‘OK, now we can get back to evolution.'” “(Nance) Yeah, he had some great compositions too and it was a thrill to play his songs and kind of panicize them where he brought in the music and one thing led to another and we started the building blocks. So yeah, it was like he fit right in to the operation pretty much effortlessly.”

At the end of Widespread Panic’s sold-out run at the end of June, the band played their 32nd Sold Out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre just outside Denver, Colorado. That feat is more than any other band in the venue’s illustrious history as one of America’s permier outdoor venues. Red Rocks officials honored the band with a special award presentation, and a mayoral proclamation calling Friday, June 27 “Widespread Panic Day” in the City and County of Denver. In other recent Widespread Panic news, the band has also released their first official vault release, ‘Carbondale 2000’ and it’s now available for purchase on WidespreadPanic.com and LiveWidespreadPanic.com! Recorded live at Southern Illinois University Arena in Carbondale, IL on December 1, 2000, features all original band members and will be the first in a series of Vault releases.