“When he started soloing he turned every knob up on the amp – all the way up. It was great!”: Sadler Vaden on when he and Jason Isbell jammed Little Wing with Pearl Jam's Mike McCready

On the left, Sadler Vaden (in white T-shirt) jams with Jason Isbell. On the right, Mike McCready plays his Strat onstage with Pearl Jam.

Picture the scene. You are playing a sold-out show at Seattle’s legendary Paramount Theatre, playing in Jason Isbell’s backing band, the 400 Unit, and to close out the set Isbell has an idea. Why not invite Mike McCready onstage to jam on a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing?

Sadler Vaden has been there, four years ago now, but the 400 Unit guitarist can still picture it in his mind’s eye – it’s an experience he is not likely to forget any time soon. For a start, covering Little Wing is no gimme. You’ve got to do the song justice. But then you’ve got the guitarist from Pearl Jam up there with his Fender Stratocaster, too.