Their previous studio album, entitled “Dirty Side Down”, dated back to 2010. In the meantime, among hundreds of live shows and the many side projects involving single members of the band, Widespread Panic have established their reputation, above all among fans of so-called “jam bands”.
“Street Dogs” was recorded live-in-the-studio (apart from minimal overdubbing interventions) in the Echo Mountain Studios (a former church, renowned for its marvelous acoustics) in Asheville, North Carolina; the album was produced by the band itself, alongside John Keane (who also sings and plays guitar on the record), while all drums and percussions were played by Duane Trucks, younger sibling of the well-known Derek.
Out of “Street Dogs”’ 10 tracks, not all are penned by Widespread Panic. Opener “Sell Sell” was written by Alan Price, “Honky Red” was penned by Murray McLauchlan, while “Tail Dragger” and “Welcome To My World” were written, respectively, by Willie Dixon and the aforementioned John Keane.