Watch Daniel Donato Join Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros For Rousing ‘Hound Dog’ & More In Memphis

The sounds of “Cosmic Country” filled the Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday, as guitarist Daniel Donato teamed with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros for large swaths of both sets and their encore in Memphis. Donato’s appearances included contributions to Weir’s first take on the Elvis Presley-popularized “Hound Dog” since a 1998 The Other Ones concert.

Guitarist Bob Weir was backed by the core Wolf Bros unit of bassist Don Was, drummer Jay Lane, pedal steel guitarist Barry Sless and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti for last night’s “Hell In A Bucket” opener. Sless and Chimenti each had ample opportunity to shine on the covers of Bob Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately” and Johnny Cash’s “Big River” that followed before Donato as well as The Wolfpack horn and string section took the stage for the first time on Tuesday.

“We’re gonna bring a young friend of ours, Daniel Donato, out here for a couple of tunes,” Weir told the crowd. “We’ll see just how quick a study he is,” Bobby added ahead of the large ensemble tackling “Ashes & Glass.” Donato weaved hot licks from his Fender Telecaster into the mix as the collective fit “Don’t Let Go” complete with the “Eleanor Rigby” theme via The Wolfpack within the RatDog era original.

Donato, who has named Weir as his favorite musician in multiple interviews and sat-in with Bobby last December at Nashville’s Third Man Records, stuck around for the trifecta of “El Paso,” “Candyman” and “Hound Dog” to end Tuesday’s first set. Bobby went unplugged for “El Paso” and the ensuing “Candyman” before the high-octane “Hound Dog” bust out played in Elvis Presley’s hometown. The last known version of the song featuring Weir came during The Other Ones’ set at the Furthur Festival stop in Las Vegas on July 21, 1998.

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros celebrated Mardi Gras with a horn-driven “Iko Iko” to get last night’s second set underway. The full ensemble was out for the opener as well as the versions of “Bombs Away” and “Greatest Story Ever Told” that followed. Donato returned for an adventurous “Dark Star” along with the oft-paired “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.” The Nashville-based guitarist then vacated the stage for a set-closing run of “New Speedway Boogie,” “Black Peter” and “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad.” Weir invited Donato to help the group say farewell with a “U.S. Blues” encore.

Stream official audio of last night’s show shared by nugs.net below:

Watch fan-shot video of Donato adding to “Hound Dog” and “El Paso”: