Remembering Widespread Panic’s Michael Houser: Performing ‘Sandbox’ Songs With Barbara Cue

Michael Houser sadly died on this date in 2002 from pancreatic cancer. He was just 40 years old. The beloved guitarist co-founded Widespread Panic in 1986 in Athens, Georgia along with guitarist John Bell, bassist Dave Schools and drummer Todd Nance with percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz and keyboardist JoJo Hermann later rounding out the classic lineup. For 16 years Mikey lent his unique lead guitar stylings to the band until his final show with Widespread Panic on July 2, 2002.

Just months prior to Houser’s death, the guitarist sat-in with his WSP bandmate Todd Nance, who tragically died on August 19, 2020, to perform with the Nance co-founded supergroup Barbara Cue on December 12, 2001 at the Georgia Theatre in Athens. Barbara Cue — Nance, William Tonks, John Neff, Jon Mills and Paul “Crumpy” Edwards — backed Mikey on two songs that would land on Houser’s posthumously released solo album, Sandbox, which arrived on January 24, 2006.

Recorded in Houser’s home studio in Athens between Fall 2001 and Spring 2002, WSP members Nance, Ortiz and Bell made guest appearances on Sandbox. Houser and longtime Widespread Panic collaborator John Keane added the rest of the instrumentation. Keane produced the album following Houser’s death.

The late 2001 Barbara Cue performance in Athens, an opening slot for longtime WSP associates and fellow Athens band Bloodkin, saw the band deliver the Sandbox songs “Can’t Change The Past” and “She Drives Me To Drink” towards the end of the set. Mikey leads the group through both songs on guitar as well as lead vocals. Widespread Panic has performed “Can’t Change The Past” once on August 10, 2006, the same year Sandbox came out. Panic has never performed “She Drives Me To Drink” in public.

To remember Michael Houser, watch him perform Sandbox songs with Barbara Cue in 2001: