Neil Young Revives “Roll Another Number (For The Road),” Daniel Donato’s Ryman Auditorium Debut

Mavis Staples Covers Kevin Morby

Author

Relix Daily
August 26, 2025

August 26, 2025

RECAP

On Monday evening, Neil Young returned to a former haunt, the site of the original Woodstock Music & Art Fair, and current Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, N.Y. Young’s first-ever appearance at Max Yasgur’s farm occurred during the electric portion of CSNY’s festival gig, in the early morning hours of Monday, August 18, 1969. Young turned up during the band’s electric set, arriving on “Mr. Soul,” a song that also appeared on last night’s Love Earth Tour stop, and evoked a 56-year throughline from his Buffalo Springfield days to his current Chrome Hearts Band.

NEWS

On Friday, Aug. 22, Daniel Donato released Horizons, his long-awaited fourth studio album. The rising Nashville-based axeman’s latest studio set is a document of his artistic cultivation in the two years since he shared Reflector with his Cosmic Country band, clearly announcing his distinct style as a devotee of country’s rich history and determined pioneer for its future. To properly celebrate the new record, Donato returned to his longtime stomping grounds for an event no less significant than the release it heralded: his headline debut at the hallowed Ryman Auditorium.

LISTEN

Mavis Staples has announced her 15th solo studio album, Sad and Beautiful World. Set to release on Nov. 7 via Anti-, the rhythm and blues and gospel legend’s follow-up to 2019’s We Get By once again sets her peerless talents on redressing the problems of the present, this time through a collection of covers and originals that stretch seven decades into the past. Staples teased her announcement in June with a soul-stirring treatment of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” and today formally introduced the project with a new take on Kevin Morby’s “Beautiful Strangers.”

This limited edition 2-LP is capped at 500 copies and presents LaMP exactly as they play: lean, lively, and song-first. Marking the first Relix Sessions release from the new Garcia’s Chicago, these performances were captured just weeks after the venue’s grand opening, channeling fresh-room energy into deep-groove interplay, melodic guitar lines, and rich keyboard tones that move from tight pocket to open-ended exploration.

NEWS

Matt Abts, the revered drummer for Gov’t Mule, has announced a temporary touring hiatus. The legendary southern jam quartet helmed by Warren Haynes will embark on its Back in the Saddle Tour without the founding percussionist, who will take a short spell away from the spotlight to prioritize his recovery from performance-related injuries.

NEWS

Russ Lawton (drums), Scott Metzger (guitar), and Ray Paczkowski (keyboards), the amalgamated force known as LaMP, have detailed their new live album, LaMP – The Relix Session (Live from Garcia’s Chicago), available for pre-order and due by November 24, 2025. The LP champions as the first set to be recorded at the new Windy City concert venue, Garcia’s Chicago, and represents the latest arrival from the Relix Sessions Vinyl Series.

GALLERY

On Aug. 22, Dave Matthews Band touched down on the West Coast for their long-awaited return to Inglewood, Calif.’s Kia Forum. Onstage at the iconic Los Angeles arena for the first time since 1998, the long-running jam septet delivered a performance worth waiting nearly three decades for, featuring an enticing mix of certified classics and the many hits that they’ve rolled out more recently. The evening’s highlight came with a guest spot from Cory Henry, whose two-track sit-in marked his first crossing with Matthews and his tried and true group.

On rotation in our office and broadcasting to readers worldwide on Spotify. Stay tuned for updates every Friday, and send anything you think we have to hear to [email protected].

FEATURE

There’s a warmth, openness and joy to the way Phil Cook performs that makes you feel like he’s connecting directly with you, no matter how many people are in the room. “I’m not trying to dazzle people up there,” Cook says. “I want to be moved, and I want to move people. That’s what music has been for me my whole life.”

NEWS

Details behind the 2026 edition of the Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival have been unveiled. Taking place from January 14 through 18, the Cordovas band’s hosted event will be held in Todos Santos, where the desert meets the Pacific in Baja, Mexico.