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Guitarist Michael Houser was the longtime leader of the Athens, GA-based jam band Widespread Panic before sadly passing away in 2002 after a bout with cancer. Born in Boone, NC, on January 6, 1962, Houser formed the nucleus of Widespread Panic while attending the University of Georgia in Athens during the early '80s (the group's name was based on Houser's nickname at the time, "Panic"). By 1988, the group was signed to the Capricorn label -- issuing a total of seven albums for the label over an 11-year span (including such early band classics as 1988's Space Wrangler and 1991's self-titled sophomore effort). Although the group never reached the same commercial heights as some of their peers (Phish, Blues Traveler, etc.), the band amassed a large cult following on the strength of its live shows. It was Houser's diverse guitar playing that many seemed to focus on (resulting in accolades from such talented fellow guitarists as Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes), as he incorporated bits of jazz, ...