Watch Slash, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Myles Kennedy join Gov’t Mule onstage for an epic cover of Lynynrd Skynyrd classic Simple Man

Gov't Mule all-star jam, 2023 — (Image credit: Cocktails YouTube)

Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes staged the 32nd edition of his annual Christmas Jam charity fundraiser concert at the Exploreasheville.com Arena in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday night (December 9), and roped in some well-known friends for the event, including Slash, Myles Kennedy and ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons.

And after Gibbons had treated the audience to a set of ZZ Top classics, and Slash and Alter Bridge frontman Kennedy entertained the crowd with a one-off all-covers set, featuring tracks by AC/DC, Bad Company, Bob Dylan, Temple Of The Dog and more, the three musicians sat in with Gov't Mule for an epic collaboration on Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem Simple Man.

Watch the all-star band's nine-minute version of the southern rock classic below:

The night also featured sets from Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, Clutch, and Philadelphia indie rockers American Babies.

Talking to Rolling Stone, Haynes said, “Everybody is here voluntarily and donating their time, and the music that happens as a result is very special. Because in the back of all of our minds is this spark that made us all start playing in the first place - the joy of it.”

Proceeds from the show will be donated to local non-profits, Asheville Area Habitat For Humanity and BeLoved Asheville.

A new album celebrating the 30th anniversary of Haynes' Christmas Jam shows, featuring the first-ever - and, to date, only - performance of Dave Grohl's epic instrumental Play which stretches to 36 minutes in its live form, is available now from Haynes' website.

Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert Volume 20 also
Includes performances by Joe Bonamassa, Jim James, Gov't Mule and more.

Artists

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.