(DPR) GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, guitar legend, producer, and Gov't Mule front man Warren Haynes has announced The Whisper Sessions, a collection of stripped-down versions of songs off his recent solo album, Million Voices Whisper. The 9-track digital-only album - which includes a stunning version of the Allman Brothers Band classic "Melissa" with Haynes' longtime ABB bandmate Derek Trucks, who is featured on three songs - will be released on Friday, September 12th via Fantasy Records.
The intimate renditions peel back the layers to spotlight Haynes' soulful voice, masterful guitar work, and the heartfelt storytelling at the album's core. Coinciding with today's announcement, Haynes has issued the first single from The Whisper Sessions onto DSPs with "These Changes" featuring Trucks, who also co-wrote the song, available now. "These Changes" is about someone who is trying to work through hardships and acknowledges that the relationship is important enough to do whatever it takes to make it better.
"'These Changes' is a song I wrote with Derek Trucks that we recorded in the studio together," shares Haynes. "I love this song, which is about looking back and forward at the same time and navigating your way through an ever-changing life. The instrumental section at the end, where we are trading guitar riffs and playing off of each other, was not in the original arrangement as we wrote it - it just came about organically once we started recording the song. It was a great opportunity for the two of us to rekindle our chemistry that we've had for a long time."
The Whisper Sessions is a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the essence of each track - where every lyric and note resonated with newfound clarity and depth. The album features seven standout tracks from Haynes' acclaimed fourth solo album, Million Voices Whisper, including the singles "This Life As We Know It," which reached Top 15 on the Americana singles chart and Top 40 at Triple A radio, and "Real Real Love," also featuring Trucks, whose lyrics were initially started by Gregg Allman, as well as two poignant covers, each reimagined to highlight Haynes' emotive vocals and six-string mastery. See below for full track listing. Prepare to experience the raw emotional power of Million Voices Whisper like never before.
"We didn't plan to release stripped-down versions of the songs from Million Voices Whisper, it just kind of happened organically," says Haynes. "We were combing through these performances and realized that they offer a unique perspective into the songs themselves, so we thought it would be cool to make them available."
Million Voices Whisper, released in November 2024, debuted at #1 on Billboard's Blues Albums Chart and marked Warren's first solo album in nearly a decade. The 11-song, self-produced collection of soulful blues-rock has been hailed his best album yet. In addition to the multiple appearances from Trucks, Million Voices Whisper includes guest spots from Lukas Nelson and Jamey Johnson on the single "Day of Reckoning."
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