In 2003, Mayor Charles Worley of Asheville, NC proclaimed December 18th "Warren Haynes Day." Haynes is a revered singer, songwriter and guitarist. He plays with The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule and is a Grammy-nominated solo artist, but it’s not just his virtuosity that got a day named for him. Haynes has used his skills and connections to improve life for his hometown’s most vulnerable citizens. He has hosted a Christmas Jam concert in Asheville for the past 23 years, sending the proceeds to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The next Christmas Jam is this Saturday, December 10th. And it features Gov’t Mule, Bela Fleck, Los Lobos and Phil Lesh. Haynes joins host Frank Stasio to talk about music and merriment.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.