Chuck Leavell Joins Widespread Panic and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Mempho Music Festival
Over the weekend, Chuck Leavell made his rounds at Mempho Music Festival in Memphis, Tenn. The celebrated keyboardist not only joined Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit for a take on The Allman Brothers Band’s classic “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” but also Widespread Panic for an original and a handful of choice covers to follow up on Friday night’s initial sit-in.
Then, to follow up on Friday night’s memorable sit-in, Leavell surprised fans when he joined Widespread Panic on Saturday night during the final four numbers of their festival set. After the group ran through “Tall Boy,” they brought out their guest, who lent his skill on “Surprise Valley” from 1999’s ‘Til the Medicine Takes, before continuing with a selection of covers that only touched the surface of Leavell’s fruitful career.
After performing a Widespread Panic original, they landed on a bust out of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Jessica.” The last time the group played the number was 2015, making the choice cover all the more special. To follow, they performed a smoking rendition of The Rolling Stones, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” a tune which nodded toward Leavell’s extensive history as a touring and sessions musician with the English rock royals.
Before ending their time at Mempho Music Festival, Widespread Panic and Leavell decided on one final tune. For the last number of the night, the ensemble worked through a take on Jerry Joseph’s “Climb to Safety.”
Leavell has performed with the Georgia natives numerous times since 1991, making Saturday night’s sit-in all the more profound as the group found themselves sharing the stage again, in continuation of a more than three-decade-long history.