Widespread Panic & Billy Strings Pay Tribute To Jimmy Cliff & Ozzy Osbourne On New Year’s Eve In Atlanta

Widespread Panic rang in 2026 last night with the finale of their three-night New Year’s Eve run at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Billy Strings sat in for portions of the concert, as he did on the previous night of the run, including two-song tributes to Jimmy Cliff and Ozzy Osbourne.

The sextet — guitarists John Bell and Jimmy Cliff, bassist Dave Schools, percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz, keyboardist JoJo Hermann and drummer Duane Trucks — got the show on the road with a first set featuring Bell seated and playing acoustic guitar. Panic reeled off unplugged versions of “Blue Indian,” “Wondering,” “We Walk Each Other Home” and “Don’t Be Denied” to start. Next up was the band’s second-ever cover of the Alice in Chains classic “Down In A Hole,” which they debuted on Halloween in Savannah.

Billy Strings came out to lend a hand on the subsequent “Fishing.” Strings played acoustic guitar for the song about his favorite hobby. He also added to the pairing of “Who Do You Belong To?” and “Travelin’ Light” that wrapped up the acoustic first set.

Widespread Panic kicked off the second set of the Wednesday night New Year’s Eve show by performing “Big Wooly Mammoth.” Fairly new original “King Baby” came next and bled into a version of “Ribs & Whiskey” featuring special guest Nick Johnson on guitar. The Massachusetts native and Atlanta resident is a longtime collaborator of Jimmy Herring as they both graduated from the school of the late Colonel Bruce Hampton. Johnson stuck around for a one-two punch of “Tall Boy” and “Diner” before WSP went it alone for “May Your Glass Be Full” and a set-closing “Love Tractor.”

After a balloon drop, Widespread Panic had Billy Strings in tow to begin 2026 and the third set with the beloved “Ain’t Life Grand.” Billy Strings then traded vocals with JB on Panic’s first cover of “Sitting In Limbo” since December 29, 2015. “Sitting In Limbo” faded into another Jimmy Cliff cover, “I Can See Clearly,” which was last played by WSP on February 26, 2016. Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff died in November at age 81.

Widespread Panic and Billy Strings then honored Ozzy Osbourne by covering the Black Sabbath classics “Paranoid” and “War Pigs.” Ozzy Osbourne passed away in July at age 76. “Paranoid” had been on the shelf since Halloween 2016, while “War Pigs” was played by Panic just once prior a few days after Osbourne's death.

Billy Strings remained on stage for the blistering versions of staples “Disco,” “Tie Your Shoes” and “Porch Song” that wrapped up the third set. Strings also added both vocals and guitar to the evening’s “Ride Me High” > “All Time Low” encore, which ended a special night and run at The Fox.

View audience-shot video of Billy Strings in action with Widespread Panic on New Year’s Eve 2025 below:

Photos by Ian Rawn

Official Audio (via nugs)

Setlist (via Hometeam.FM)

Set One: (8:45p – 9:36p) Blue Indian, Wondering, We Walk Each Other Home, Don’t Be Denied, Down in a Hole, Fishing ⧫, Who Do You Belong To? ^, Travelin’ Light ^

Set Two: (10:19p – 11:31p) Big Wooly Mammoth, King Baby > Ribs & Whiskey %, Tall Boy % > Diner %, May Your Glass Be Full, Love Tractor

Set Three: (12:02a – 1:04a) Ain’t Life Grand ^, Sitting Here in Limbo ⧫ > I Can See Clearly ^, Paranoid ⧫, War Pigs ⧫, Disco ^, Tie Your Shoes ^, Porch Song ^

Encore: (1:09a – 1:30a) Ride Me High ⧫ > All Time Low ⧫

Notes:

• ^ with Billy Strings on guitar
• ⧫ – with Billy Strings on guitar and vocals
• % – Nick Johnson on guitar
• Sitting Here In Limbo – LTP 12 / 29 / 15
• I Can See Clearly – LTP 02 / 26 / 16
• Paranoid – LTP 10 / 31 / 16
• War Pigs – 2nd time played
• Down in a Hole – 2nd time played
• 1st set acoustic