Widespread Panic

Of all the groups that have been the pretender to the jam-band throne abdicated by the beloved Grateful Dead when Jerry Garcia died in 1995, Widespread Panic most deserves it. The Georgia jammers have dominated the improv-mad live scene since the early '80s, combining their monstrous chops with equally huge helpings of soaring melodies.

As the jam scene blossomed in the early '90s, thanks in part to the H.O.R.D.E. tour, so too did Widespread Panic's potential, and they gathered up one of the most devoted fan bases in all of rock. As they grew, they turned their early jam mantle into gold, with essential albums like Ball and Don't Tell the Band.

Like a field of wildflowers, Widespread Panic's reputation as a crack live act never stopped growing, and their flourishing canon of guitar-based, Southern-flared fireworks has never disappointed the band's legions. Not even the death of gifted founding guitarist Michael Houser could hold back this creative hippie-jam juggernaut.

Loyalty is a two-way street. And few bands on today's rock scene are as loyal to their fans as Widespread Panic. In fact, we feel like this is one of the reasons for the Athens act's incredible, two-decades-plus career. Not only have they amassed an impressive musical legacy in song; they have also demonstrated an immense affection for their audience, whom they repay with lengthy, pleasing gigs chock-full of great and powerful performances.