Page 33 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

evon Allman is extremely proud of the Allman
Betts Band. Justifiably, given that the group’s
introductory statement, Down To The River, ranks
among the finest debut albums of 2019. What the
D 47-year-old guitarist doesn’t like too much is people
comparing the Allman Betts Band to the Allman Brothers Band,
the legendary southern blues-rock band formed 50 years ago by
Devon’s late keyboard-playing, honey-voiced father Gregg. His
frustration is understandable. Devon, who didn’t even meet his
father until he was 17, has spent two decades carving out a career
of his own, in a solo capacity and with the groups Royal Southern
Brotherhood and Honeytribe.
Eighteen months ago he reached out to another descendent of
the ABB dynasty, Duane Betts, son of their co-founding guitarist
Dickey, to form the Devon Allman Project Featuring Duane Betts,
which became the Allman Betts Band when the duo committed
to what Devon described to Classic Rock as “the goal of making
a classic record,” adding: “We know that’s a tall order but we’re up
for it, man.” The Allman Betts Band name was retained even after
the integration of yet more of the ABB’s ancestral roots: bass player
Berry Oakley Jr, whose father was also in ABB.
The conversation with Devon begins good-naturedly enough.
We share a laugh over the improbability of having called the
group the Devon Allman Project Featuring Duane Betts And
Berry Oakley Jr (“There’s only so much room on a marquee”), and
he talks with fondness of the Allman Betts Band’s triumphant
appearance at Ramblin’ Man Fan Fair this summer, and voices his
disappointment that the band had to cut short a further run of
dates after he was hospitalised to have his appendix removed.

“This is a brand-new band, but
we know we have a lot to prove.

The cool thing is that there are

so many places we can go”

Devon Allman

Allman talks animatedly of the instant chemistry he discovered
with Betts, and how the songs that appear on Down To The River
began to flow out of them almost immediately. “I think the first
thing we wrote for the record was Long Gone, and All Night and
Melodies Are Memories weren’t too far behind, so we ended up riding
the wave,” he explains. “Right from the start it felt natural and
authentic. Both of us know that there’s a million people in the world
that would like to hear an Allman and a Betts doing a project and
being on stage together, but if there’s no real spark then what would
have been the point? But luckily it felt organic and the material
THE ALLMAN came real quick, otherwise Duane would have been off making his
18 BETTS BAND second solo record and I’d have begun my fourth. And that would
Down To The River BMG also have been okay; our friendship would have carried on.”
The pre-eminent Allman expresses happiness that with Oakley in the band
southern rock dynasty Allman-Betts signed a worldwide deal with BMG Records. Oakley
does more than simply joined too late to make any meaningful contribution to the writing,
renew itself with the but, as Allman points out: “He’s such an incredible player. He holds
debut album by Devon down the bottom end and, unlike so many bass players, he knows
Duane, the sons of when to play and when lay back. He’s a consummate musician. The
and
Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts Oakley thing [the name] is great, but if he wasn’t such a wonderful
respectively, it grows vigorous new musician then we wouldn’t have invited him on board.
branches and bears sumptuous fresh fruit. “It all goes back to 1989, when I met Duane for the first time on
Both the bandleaders have fine singing the Allman Brothers reunion tour,” Allman continues. “That’s also
voices, and the title track is a stunningly where I met Berry too. So it feels like going back in time to come
soulful tune in a Robert Cray vein. But it’s forwards again. We’re the three amigos.”
the duo’s long, free-flowing guitar Nevertheless, a discernible coolness enters Allman’s voice when
exchanges, rising and falling like ocean mention is made of the presences of Peter Levin (his father Gregg’s
waves, that truly set band and album Hammond organ player) and Chuck Leavell (current keyboard
apart. Glorious. DS player with the Stones and a member of the Allman Brothers
Killer track: Autumn Breeze Band throughout the 70s) on the album, and how they could

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