In The Allman Betts Band, the next generation of an American musical legacy is breaking new ground with world-class musicianship, soaring songwriting and a renewed faith in family.
Sept. 4 | 9 p.m.
Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.
Devon Allman was 16 when he joined the 1989 Dreams Tour where he first met his father, Gregg Allman, and current bandmates Duane Betts and Berry Duane Oakley, who are also sons of the original members of Southern rock originators, The Allman Brothers Band. On the final leg, Devon sat in with his dad on “Midnight Rider.”
Watch a video of The Allman Betts Band’s
“Pale Horse Rider”
“The energy exchange was palpable,” says the 49-year-old artist. “You could cut it with a knife. I felt like I was home. Once we met, we realized we had a lot in common. We had a great relationship up until the day he passed [in 2017] and I miss him with every fiber of my being.”
“If our band is the perfect suit and trousers, then the tip of the hat to the dads is the necktie.” –Devon Allman
Nearly 30 years after they first connected, Allman finally joined his musical brothers, Betts and Oakley, to form The Allman Betts Band in 2018. They recruited an all-star lineup including slide guitarist Johnny Stachela, keyboardist John Ginty, percussionist R Scott Bryan and drummer John Lum to solidify the seven-piece supergroup. The band released standout debut album “Down to the River” in 2019, succeeded by the even better, double LP “Bless Your Heart,” the following year.
“We always crossed paths and we were family,” says Betts. “You definitely understand you are part of something that goes back to before you were even born.”
While The Allman Betts Band is influenced by the signature sound of their forefathers, this project represents something distinctively different. They do play an Allman Brothers Band song or two each night, along with covers of other musical heroes such as Bob Dylan and Steely Dan, but the vast majority of their live catalog was written by Allman and Betts during the past three years.
“If our band is the perfect suit and trousers, then the tip of the hat to the dads is the necktie,” says Allman. “That’s just a little bit of who we are. We have our own songs, our own vibe, our own colors and our own band. The inspiration is there, but that’s a small part of it.”
While the jammed-out swing, polyrhythmic percussion and duel guitars of 12-minute instrumental “Savannah’s Dream” recalls 70s classics such as “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” the masterful songwriting on tunes such as Bett’s “Ashes of My Lovers” and Allman’s “Magnolia Road” evokes a modern folk-rock ethic epitomized by The Woods Brothers and Lukas Nelson.
“I think what makes it special is the really deep-rooted relationships,” says Allman. “At the end of the day, there is a cherished chemistry that is a by-product of being cut from the same tree. We want to lift each other up and cheerlead each other. There is a history, dedication and sincerity to this.”
Both of the band’s namesakes take pride in the fact that their fathers were the primary songwriters for The Allman Brothers Band. While on tour, they spend a couple of hours each day working together on new material with a little help from renowned Kentuckian composer Stoll Vaughn.
“Duane Allman was the leader of [The Allman Brothers Band],” says Allman. “Gregg followed his lead to a degree, but when [Duane] left the Earth, Dickey [Betts] was the obvious spitfire leader and my dad not so much. I think there was confusion about who was running the show. I’m sure some of their arguments were whiskey-fueled. Duane and I are clean and sober and we are partners in this. There is no ego for us. We do it for bigger reasons. This is more about teamwork. There is an inherent trust and understanding. We are now in our 40s at the peak of our powers and we are still growing.”
It all came full circle once more last month when Allman’s 21-year-old son, Orion, joined the band onstage to perform his dad’s song, “Pale Horse Rider” on Hammond B-3, the same instrument his grandfather was famous for playing in The Allman Brothers Band.
“Music is such a sacred, special gift that we all share and when it’s really hitting, it’s magic,” says Betts. “Being able to travel and play for people and make them feel good — it’s hard to beat.”
The Allman Betts Band performs on Sept. 4 at Crystal Bay Casino with Marc Ford and Jackson Stokes.
“We’re like sonic doctors,” says Allman. “We dish out the medicine. That’s why we do it.” | crystalbaycasino.com, allmanbettsband.com
