Last night Gov’t Mule kicked off the U.S. portion of their 20 Years Strong Summer Tour at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, MN; where the band started the show by paying tribute to just two days after the legendary blues man was found dead in a Swiss hotel.

[Photo by Dino Perrucci]

Warren Haynes and Co. opened the show with a cover of “Good Morning Little School Girl” that was dedicated to Winter. Johnny performed “Good Morning Little School Girl” often throughout his career and recorded a version of the Sonny Boy Williamson blues standard for his self-titled, second studio album in 1969. Gov’t Mule then covered another song off Winter’s 1969 album -“Be Careful With A Fool.” B.B. King and Joe Josea wrote “Be Careful With A Fool,” which Gov’t Mule had never performed in the past before last night.

On Thursday, Warren Haynes posted some thoughts about Winter’s passing on his website:

I am saddened to hear of the passing of Johnny Winter. I grew up at a time when there was a lot of great guitar-based music and Johnny was one of my first guitar heroes and a huge influence. He was an influence of every guitar player of my generation, consequently if you were a guitarist from a younger generation you were influenced by Johnny Winter whether you knew it or not. He was one of the few guitarists who created a style of playing that everyone who came later recognizes. I treasured the few times we’ve played together over the years, and I was proud to call him my friend. He will be missed.

-Warren Haynes

If you missed it, be sure to check out our list of 10 amazing Johnny Winter performance clips.

Here’s a look at the complete setlist from Gov’t Mule’s Friday night show:

Set One: Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (For Johnny Winter), Be Careful With A Fool (For Johnny Winter; First Time Played), Time To Confess, Painted Silver Light, Devil Likes It Slow, Whisper In Your Soul, Captured, The Shape I’m In, Blind Man In The Dark

Set Two: Scared To Live, No Reward, Birth Of The Mule > Drums > Unring The Bell (with Get Up, Stand Up & Eleanor Rigby Teases), Endless Parade, Brand New Angel, Soulshine

Encore: Going Out West (with Peter Gunn Tease)

[via Mule.net]