Photo by Heath Robson, Mule.net

Gov’t Mule dedicated its entire performance at Westbury, NY’s Theatre At Westbury last night to the life and music of Richie Hayward. The Little Feat drummer died yesterday after a long struggle with liver disease.

The group opened its set with cover of Little Feat’s “Spanish Moon” that featured saxophonist Bill Evans, the evening’s opening act Jackie Greene and his drummer John Hofer. In addition, the song boasted Hayward’s longtime friends and veteran late-night television personalities Jimmy Vivino (guitar) and Lincoln Schleifer (bass). Warren Haynes also said a few words about Hayward and his enduring legacy.

Evans returned later in Gov’t Mule’s first set to play saxophone on the Allman Brothers Band’s “Kind Of Bird”, and many of the show’s guests took the stage again during Gov’t Mule’s second set. Evans emerged first for “Devil Likes It Slow.” Vivino and “Lincoln Schleifer” then sat in for a swirl of Tom Waits’ “Going Out West” and T. Rex’s “Bang A Gong.” The set ended with another tribute, “Brand New Angel.”

Evans, Vivino, Schleifer and Greene all returned to the stage for Gov’t Mule’s encore. The segment opened with JJ Cale’s “After Midnight” and came full circle with a cover of Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down,” a song Little Feat covered and helped make famous.