Ramblin’ men Devon Allman, Duane Betts bring Family Revival back to Atlanta

The Allman Betts Family Revival tours that began nearly a decade ago to celebrate what would have been Gregg Allman’s 70th birthday have become a tradition that shows no sign of stopping.

Each year, Allman’s son Devon and Dickey Betts’ son Duane have taken to the road to pay tribute to the music of their fathers’ band, the Allman Brothers.

Along the way, their Allman Betts Family Revival has packed concerts at noteworthy venues, including Atlanta Symphony Hall, Nashville’s Ryman Theater and the Fillmore in San Francisco. This year’s edition returns to Atlanta Symphony Hall on Friday.

"The chemistry is something we really lucked out on because you can be the next generation of amazing musicians and not have it," said Devon Allman (left) with Duane Betts of the Allman Betts Band. (Courtesy of Kaelan Barowsky)

As with past tours, Allman and Betts won’t be the only sons of famous fathers onstage. This year’s bill includes the North Mississippi Allstars’ Cody and Luther Dickinson, whose father Jim Dickinson produced Big Star and played piano on the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.”

Also onboard is Alex Orbison, son of the late Roy Orbison, the Traveling Wilburys member known for timeless hits like “Oh, Pretty Woman” and “Crying.”

We recently caught up with Devon Allman …

Q: You and Duane have a long friendship. How does that history shape your musical chemistry and creative decisions when you’re writing and touring together?

Allman: Chemistry and creative decisions are two different worlds. The chemistry is something we really lucked out on because you can be the next generation of amazing musicians and not have it. But we found we had quite a bit of chemistry from the get-go when we started the Allman Betts Band.

As far as creative decisions, our family connection makes it much easier. We’re bound by the music, the history and the spirits of those before us. When we pay homage to the Allman Brothers Band with this tour, the music is the boss. There’s no power struggle. It’s all about honoring them and their catalog. It’s sacred for us. I’ll be thinking, “Man, Duane is just killing ‘Blue Sky’ tonight,” but then there’s the other half of me that’s like, “Damn, I just wish it was Dickey doing it.” As much of an honor as it is to perform these songs, it’s half heartbreak that they’re not here to do it themselves — which is a big impetus for why we do this.

Q: Will the live set include any Allman Brothers songs that might be lesser known to casual fans — the deep cuts?

Allman: A good magician doesn’t give away his tricks. We never reveal the set list beforehand. But what I can say is this: The folks that loved the radio hits will be pleased, and the die-hard fans that loved deep cuts will also be pleased.

Devon Allman (second from left) said "there are rumblings in the camp" about when to work on a third Allman Betts Band album. But first, he and Duane Betts (center) need to put time into their solo releases. (Courtesy of the Allman Betts Band)

Q: The Allman Brothers Band was famous for its extended improvisations. How do you balance that with keeping the set dynamic and focused on this tour?

Allman: I’d say over the course of a 2½- sometimes three-hour Revival Show, a good third leans toward improv. … We love exploring that classic jazz component to the Allman Brothers sound.

Q: Early in your career, you spoke about wanting to run away from the “Allman sound.” What was the turning point where you fully reconciled or embraced your heritage?

Allman: When you’re starting out and looking for your voice, it’s already difficult enough. But when you multiply that difficulty by 10 because your father is a successful musician, and then multiply it by another 10 because your father is someone as iconic as Gregg Allman, the initial response is to run away and do something polar opposite.

But I think I just got to a point of maturity where I was like, “I don’t care what anyone else is doing, so I just need to do my own thing.” And if my own thing happens to sound like my family, then so be it. It’s my family. It was really more of an awakening that brought a lot of relief.

Q: You spent a lot of time playing with your father. Beyond musical technique, what is the single greatest life lesson you learned directly from him that continues to guide you?

Allman: He wasn’t a hands-on teacher; he really respected my path and wanted me to find my way. I spent 14 years in local clubs and the next 13 in a van going coast-to-coast and over to Europe, so I was definitively doing my own work.

Any lesson I learned from him that was of magnitude wasn’t taught directly; it was observational. He had this thing that so many people strive their whole career to have, where the music just oozes out of you without effort. He had that magical thing. That’s something I always strive for. If I’m ever in my head too much, I just try to let the music flow.

Q: It’s been a few years since the Allman Betts Band’s last record, “Bless Your Heart.” What’s the update on the next record?

Allman: We just celebrated the fifth birthday of “Bless Your Heart,” so that’s been the hot question for a couple of years. … I just put out a record, Duane is going to put out a record, so it’s just not the right timing yet. We definitely have our eyes on the future for that third record.

Q: Is there anything else about this year’s Allman Betts Family Revival tour that people should know?

Allman: Yes. It’s really special that we’re taking my dad’s Hammond B3 organ out for this tour to use, and we’re taking his acoustic guitars out to use, as well. I know he would be so happy that they were being used and playing his songs to his fans. It’s just a high honor. I’m sitting here looking at his Gibson acoustic and thinking about it — it’s very special to do that.

CONCERT PREVIEW