I am in a place in my life
where I am seeing the best of both worlds. What I am referring to is the coming
of a second generation claiming their pathway to stardom. In music it’s the
Allman Betts Band. Three members are not only sons of famous musicians, but all
their fathers were founding members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
the Allman Brothers. Devon Allman son of Gregg, Duane Betts, son of Dickie
Betts and Barry Oakley Jr, son of bass player extraordinaire Barry Oakley are
willfully echoing the sound of their fathers, but the musical spark is truly
their own. Along with the second generation of players are a seasoned group of
touring musicians. Johnny Stachela on slide, rhythm and lead guitar, John Lum
on Drums and R. Scott Bryan on Percussion.
The Allman Betts Band released
their debut album last year entitled Down to The River. The album was
recorded in the famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Their debut shot straight to
#1 on the Billboard Rock Charts the week it was released. I recently
photographed the band at the Wescott Theater in Syracuse, NY. They performed
several tracks from their debut album and a few signature songs from the Allman
Brothers catalogue, including the classic Gregg Allman penned Melissa. This
band is a must see live. They bring their updated version of Southern Rock into
the new millilumen with a fresh take. The band incorporates all the facets of
Southern Rock – blue eyed soul, country, delta blues and a dominate flavor of
rock “n” roll.
Allman Betts Band have paid
their dues. Duane Betts was the main component in his first musical adventures
with California bands Backbone 69 and Whitestar. He went on to form Jamtown
with Donavan Frankenreiter. Even more beneficial was playing alongside his
father for close to a decade with Great Southern. His talents as a guitarist
and song writer ascended to a higher level. Betts released his first solo album
in 2018 with Sketches of American Music.
Devon Allman formed Honeytribe
in 1999, releasing two albums. He was also one of the original members of Royal
Southern Brotherhood with Cyril Neville. The band debuted in 2011 also
releasing two studio albums. In 2013 he launched his own solo career with the
Devon Allman Band which has released three albums to date.
Barry Oakley has also paid his
dues. He was the lead vocalist and bass player along with guitarist Joe
Bonamassa in Bloodline from 1991 to 1996. In 2000, he joined Blue Floyd with
Govt. Mule’s Alan Woody. 2015 Oakley formed the Freight Train Band with former
Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks.
The new album from Allman Betts
Band – Down to the River opens with a four-count intro to the rocker All
Night. Devon Allman leads the charge with his lived-in soulful lead vocals
and the all-encompassing guitar work of Betts and Stachela. The heritage of the
Allman Brothers seeps through their pours on Autumn Breeze and Shinin,
reflecting sounds of the past. Betts time worn vocals and the slide guitar
work of Stachela are front and center. Up next is the acoustic oriented Good
Old Days sung by Devon Allman. The song lyrically and vocally shines. All
the songs are original, with the exception of Autumn Breeze and Tom
Petty’s Southern Accents. Devon Allman’s interpretation of this cover is
unexpected and brilliant. His heart felt vocals backed by Peter Levin’s
consummate piano rendition and Stachela’s laid back slide guitar captures what
it means to be a southern. Two of my favorites are the groove laden title track
Down to The River and Long Gone. The duet on Long Gone incorporates
Allman and Betts with a back and forth commanding vocal performance. The
soaring twin lead guitars closes the album better than any other song on the
album could. The whole album is filled with riff filled jams and interwoven
guitar work that fires on all cylinders. Allman Betts Band don’t reinvent the
wheel but relive snap shots of the past forging their own musical direction.
Check out the latest from
Allman Betts Band – Down to The River. As with all my reviews – if you
like what I like, you will either stream the latest from the Allman Betts Band
or end up buying their new cd.
Photos by Stage Door Images / Bill Baker
