Houser and Bell ("JB") met at the University of Georgia at Athens between 1982 and 1984, and began playing music together around town as a duet. JB played solo shows as well. In the Fall of 1984, David Schools saw JB play a solo show at Abbots in Athens. Dave and JB were introduced by a mutual friend. Shortly thereafter, JB & Mike recruited Dave to play bass with them, and from Mike's nickname ("Panic"), the band name Widespread Panic was chosen. On February 24, 1985 the band played their first performance as Widespread Panic at the A-Frame house on Weymanda Court in Athens. Mike, JB, & Dave performed around Athens as a trio, occasionally utilizing local drummers. While their shows consisted primarily of cover tunes (by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Bob Marley, and Traffic, among others), their repertoire did include a handful of original songs: Sleepy Monkey (the band's first original composition), Chilly Water, Space Wrangler, and Coconut (written by JB before joining the band). During this time, the trio also met vocalist Kelly Jo Davis (who is later married to blues guitarist and friend of WP, Tinsley Ellis). Kelly Jo performed frequently with the band throughout 1985 and 1986.
February 6, 1986, Mike recruited high school friend/band mate Todd Nance for a WP gig (an Aid For Africa benefit) at the Mad Hatter Ballroom in Athens, opening for Strawberry Flats (featuring John Keane). This is considered the first "official" Widespread Panic show. Todd evidently had a good time, and accepted their offer to join the band. On February 9, 1985, Mike, Dave, and JB, with Joel Morris on drums and Kelly Jo Davis on backing vocals, recorded Monkey Image (Sleepy Monkey) and Coconut Image (Coconut) at Panoramic Recording Studio in Arnoldsville GA, to be released as their first single. The 45rpm vinyl was released (in a pressing of only 500) shortly thereafter on the band's Space Baby label.
During the rest of 1986, WP played mainly in Athens, though they did branch out to venues in Macon, GA and South Carolina. Early on, they began playing every Monday night at the Uptown Lounge in Athens, a tradition that would last well into 1988. Along the way, they developed a solid batch of original tunes (in addition to the four originals that they played in 1985), including Stop-Go, C. Brown, Tie Your Shoes, Porch Song, Driving Song, Conrad, Vacation, Postcard, the instrumental Machine, and another instrumental jam that JB later adds lyrics to, titled Cardboard Box. On October 6, 1986, Texan percussionist Domingo S. Ortiz ("Sunny"), sat in with the band at the Uptown Lounge for the first time. Sunny continued to perform with the band on numerous occasions in Athens, Macon, and Atlanta, and eventually (late 1988 or early 1989) accepted the band's request for him to join as a full-time member.
During 1987, WP continued to play primarily in Georgia, while steadily spreading out to SC, NC, AL, TN, and as far north as Richmond, VA (Dave Schools' hometown). They developed a few more originals along the way, including Barstools & Dreamers, Contentment Blues, I'm Not Alone, and instrumentals L.a. (aka "Liza's Apartment"), and The Take Out. JB added lyrics to Cardboard Box, and to another instrumental titled "Puppet Song", subsequently renamed Pigeons. Cardboard Box was only played a handful of times before being dropped from the repertoire. In the Fall, the band signed with Landslide Records and recorded their first album, Space Wrangler, at John Keane's Studio in Athens. Guests on the album included Sunny on percussion, David Blackmon on fiddle, Tim White on keyboards, and Alberto Salazarte (of Athens band White Buffalo) on percussion.
In June of 1988, the first known guest appearance of producer John Keane on stage with the band occurred. Usually playing pedal steel, Keane became another regular guest at special Panic shows.
Their debut LP, Space Wrangler, established a small fan base and inaugurated several years of constant touring before the band signed to Capricorn Records and released their major label debut, Widespread Panic in 1991. After appearing with the H.O.R.D.E. tours for a few years, the band became one of the most popular new jam bands that arose in the mid-1990s. Their popularity peaked in the late 1990s/early 2000s, as their concert draw benefited from Phish's temporary hiatus. They still have a large draw in the South, where they are most popular.
Playing as many as 250 shows a year, Panic built a large fan base. True road warriors, Widespread Panic ranked among the top 50 grossing touring acts for eight years running, even without substantial radio airplay, television exposure, or promotion at retail stores. The band holds sellout records at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver (23 shows), Oak Mountain Amphitheatre near Birmingham, Ala. (17 shows), Philips Arena in Atlanta (11 shows), and UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (18 shows). Not to mention 20 sellouts at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre, seven sellouts across the Bay at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, nine sellouts at Mud Island in Memphis, seven at Memphis' Mid-South Coliseum, and in October 2003 for the popular Halloween shows sold out two concerts at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. To celebrate the release of their first live album, Light Fuse, Get Away, Widespread Panic offered a free "CD release party" concert in the streets of hometown Athens. An estimated 100,000 fans descended on the town, transforming it into the largest CD release party in history.
In August 2002, founding guitarist Michael Houser lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. George McConnell, a long time friend of the band and former Beanland,a Mississippi roots band, member joined in Houser's wake. After Hermann had joined Panic in 1992, McConnell often sat in whenever Panic played in the south. Friends for the past 15 years, Panic and McConnell had often played on the same bill for nearly as long. That longstanding relationship made him the natural choice to continue on with Panic after Michael Houser's death from pancreatic cancer in August of that year. "It's all about chemistry," Schools said. "We've been friends for 15 years." At the end of the summer tour, Panic went back to the studio to record Ball, a testament that, as Houser wished, they would continue as a band.
On August 2, 2006, the band announced that George McConnell would no longer be playing with the band. John Keane, friend and co-producer of many of the bands albums, provided guitar support for the remainder of the tour, along with Sam Holt. Both had been featured contributors in Widespread Panic concerts since the beginning of the Summer 2006 tour. The following day, the band announced that guitarist Jimmy Herring, who had previously been a member of the 1990s band the Aquarium Rescue Unit and had toured with The Allman Brothers Band and members of The Grateful Dead, would join the band, beginning with the first show of the Fall 2006 tour at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.
The band has sold over 3 million albums, and released a total of 15 CDs and five DVDs (including Live at Oak Mountain, which is certified Gold).
In June 2006, their 9th and most recent studio album, Earth to America, was released. Earth to America was recorded with Terry Manning in Nassau, Bahamas at the beautiful Compass Point Studios.
In late 2006, Fayetteville, NC native Jimmy Herring took over the reins of the lead guitarist in the band, kicking off their fall tour with three nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.
Panic’s 7th annual New Year’s shows on December 30 and 31 of 2007, marked their 15th and 16th sellout performance at Philips Arena.
The band released their 10th album, Free Somehow, on February 12, 2008. It, too, was recorded with producer Terry Manning at Compass Point Studios.
Following the release of the new studio album, Widespread Panic began to release vintage concert performances from the Widespread Panic Archives. Carbondale 2000 was released on June 10, 2008, followed by Valdosta 1989 released on February 24, 2009, and Huntsville 1996 released on June 23, 2009. The band will continue to dig into their show archives, which encompasses the past 25 years, and release these shows as multi-track recordings.
June 27, 2008, marked the band's 32nd sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheater. This was more than any other band in the venue's history. Mayor John Hickenlooper proclaimed Friday, June 27 "Widespread Panic Day" in the City and County of Denver. The same year, Widespread Panic was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September 20.
The band continued to tour throughout the rest of 2008 and the spring of 2009. In the summer of 2009, Widespread Panic teamed up with fellow southern rockers, The Allman Brothers to do a summer and fall co-headlining tour.
In March 2010, it was announced that Widespread Panic would be releasing a new album entitled Dirty Side Down on May 25, 2010. The band is also releasing Live in the Classic City II, containing music from its 2000 shows.
On September 29, 2010, Widespread keyboardist Jojo Herman announced that the band would be going on hiatus in 2012. In an interview with the Vanderbilt Hustler, Herman explained, "Next year will be our 25th anniversary. After that, we're probably going to call it (quits) for awhile. So we're looking forward to next year and going out on a high note."
Heroes
Widespread Panic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the back door and baseball
All the kids are waiting outside
Old days come and go too soon
Old friends, heroes, lifetimes
Don't let a single memory fade away
These are the days for heroes
Everybody turns hero this time
Feels good to watch a big man dance
There's a wide smile (wild smell?) on the hot street
Supper's over and the streets come alive
The band plays our favorite songs
Policeman, buy some ice cream
Sounds different when you hear 'Mister Freeze'
Even the streets carry heroes
Look at every soul shake its life
These are the days of heroes, tonight!
Laughter come on downtown window and see faces walking back
Tonight, everybody gonna remember, remember in time
Brings peace to watch a baby smile
And the years come
Bring us new ones
All that music waiting inside
No, everybody turns hero
Look at all the soul shaking life
Everybody turns hero tonight!
Look at all the soul shaking life
Look at all the friend shaking life (?)
Everybody turns hero
The song "Heroes" by Widespread Panic captures the joy and excitement of growing up in a small town, where everyone knows and looks out for each other. The opening lines set the scene, as "Johnny" lets his baby brother sleep while he goes outside to play baseball with the other kids. The song then moves on to describe the sights and sounds of a typical evening in the town, where the smell of hot streets and the joy of music fill the air.
Throughout the song, the theme of heroes emerges, as the lyrics celebrate the simple acts of kindness and camaraderie that happen every day among friends and neighbors. The line "Don't let a single memory fade away" suggests a nostalgia for the past, but also an appreciation for those small moments that make life meaningful.
The chorus reinforces the idea of the everyday hero, as "everybody turns hero this time" and "these are the days for heroes." The song recognizes that even ordinary people can be heroes, through their actions and the connections they make with others. The closing lines encourage listeners to remember these moments and hold onto them as they move forward in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny let his baby brother sleep
Johnny allowed his younger brother to continue sleeping undisturbed
Through the back door and baseball
Johnny snuck out of the house through the back door to play baseball
All the kids are waiting outside
A group of children are eagerly anticipating Johnny's arrival to join them for a game
Old days come and go too soon
Nostalgia is triggered by the reminder that good times often pass quickly
Old friends, heroes, lifetimes
The memories made with old friends and the people we look up to span a lifetime
Don't let a single memory fade away
It's important to hold onto the memories made with loved ones and not let them slip away
These are the days for heroes
The current moment is an opportunity for anyone to become a hero
Look at all the soul shaking life
Take a moment to appreciate the vibrant life all around us
Everybody turns hero this time
Every individual has the power to be a hero in their own way
Feels good to watch a big man dance
It's enjoyable to see someone typically seen as serious or stoic let loose and have fun
There's a wide smile (wild smell?) on the hot street
The atmosphere is lively and carefree with the sights and smells of the city filling the air
Supper's over and the streets come alive
After dinner, the city comes alive with activity and excitement
The band plays our favorite songs
The music being performed is meaningful and enjoyable to the listener
Policeman, buy some ice cream
Even authority figures can take a break and enjoy a simple pleasure like ice cream
Sounds different when you hear 'Mister Freeze'
A change in context or perspective can alter one's perception of something familiar
Even the streets carry heroes
The environment itself can inspire and embody heroic qualities
Look at every soul shake its life
Observe how every person is moving through life with energy and vitality
These are the days of heroes, tonight!
The present moment is a time to recognize and celebrate the heroic actions of those around us
Laughter come on downtown window and see faces walking back
The laughter and faces of strangers on the street are glimpsed through a downtown window
Tonight, everybody gonna remember, remember in time
The experiences of the current night will be fondly remembered in the future
Brings peace to watch a baby smile
The simple act of witnessing a baby smile can bring a sense of tranquility
And the years come
Time continues to pass
Bring us new ones
New experiences and memories will be created in the future
All that music waiting inside
There are so many potential experiences and emotions waiting to be brought to life through music
No, everybody turns hero
The capacity for heroism resides within everyone
Look at all the soul shaking life
Observe how the energy and vitality of life moves through every living being
Everybody turns hero tonight!
This current moment offers an opportunity for everyone to be a hero
Look at all the soul shaking life
Observe again how life moves through everything and everyone with great energy
Look at all the friend shaking life (?)
It's unclear what this line means, as it may be an issue with transcription or the lyrics themselves
Everybody turns hero
Once more, it's reiterated that anyone can be a hero in their own unique way
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: D. SCHOOLS, J. BELL, J. HERMANN, M. HOUSER, S. ORTIZ, T. NANCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt Goodwin
Love this band - the music just flows out of them. no flash bang, no heroics, no stunts, just flows
Susan Cox
What an awesome cover...they make it their own but still pay homage to Bowie. Love this band
Soul Shakedown
Well said Susan 😎
NLTDB3S
They are awesome!! I love em... I’m a little late to the bus , but I really appreciate the “ Panic “🇯🇵🪙🌡🇲🇽🪕🪐🎃🍀❤️🙏🏻🐈✌🏻🦋🎸🎶🍀😎
Carter Pemberton
Yeah that s*** is awesome sounds just like Bowie I saw them Spotsylvania with with Keller Williams a long time ago they've come a long way is insane how far they have come
Guy Mandude
I've been religiously following this band for 24 years. I listen to them all the time and these moments when I just get chills from how good, from how heartfelt their music is just never stops. It happens constantly. Thank you Widespread Panic, you are the soundtrack to my life and you are amazing.
Jesse Greer
+Caveman1003 Totally. I feel that way exactly. I've been on the bus for 20 years this April if you're counting shows, and 25 if you're counting just listening. My 12-year-old daughter has more shows under her belt than a lot of heads!
Michael File
That’s bad ass Caveman, I just commented about the chills. People always ask why I go see Panic so often, they ask how many times, hell if I know, lost count after 150, but I remember every chill. That’s what I’ve always chased and you can’t ever put a value or a time frame on any of it. You cannot ever top the feeling of listening to the boys get “there” and you almost shed a tear because that moment, well the moment is the best thing I’ve ever felt. That’s what we chase.
Soul Shakedown
Last sentence perfect 👌
Francine Hughes Wilson
Absofuckinglutely! 23 years for me in November (Calvin '98). Very few bands give the live performance that these boys do and somehow they never fail to surprise us. I TRUSTED YOU The fans are at least half the experience, though. I have met some of the kindest & most genuine freaks following this band where ever I can! God damn I miss these shows more than anything right now & can't wait to Get the Show On the Road!!! XOXO