Allman Betts Family Revival comes to Vail

As sons of the legendary Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman — co-founders of The Allman Brothers Band, which defined Southern rock in the 1960s and 1970s by fusing blues, country, jazz and rock into their signature sound — Duane Betts and Devon Allman are talented musicians in their own rights. That’s why they only tour as the Allman Betts Family Revival about three weeks a year; the rest of the time, they focus on their own projects.

The three-week period usually takes place in November and December; this November celebrates 10 years of Revival tours, along with a revolving lineup backing Betts and Allman.

The Revival currently has only one summer show scheduled, and it’s in Vail this Saturday. Musicians include Luther Dickinson, Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, Anders Osborne and Lamar Williams.

“We have so many friends, and it’s just such a fun thing to do … we all love playing in the mountains during the summer,” Duane Betts said.

It’s especially meaningful for him because he first played guitar with The Allman Brothers at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater at age 15. He had previously sat in as a drummer with the band, but they had multiple drummers, and the instrument didn’t demand the responsibility or pressure that stepping up and playing a guitar solo carried under the spotlight.

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The musicians devote the show to The Allman Brothers’ catalog, which they grew up both listening to and eventually playing with their dads.

“It’s very important for us to do that with class and really do it to the utmost of our ability,” he said.

They only tour for three weeks because they want freedom to explore their own projects.

“We don’t want to overdo it. I suppose we could, if we wanted to — we could just do that year-round — people love hearing The Allman Brothers songs — but I don’t think that’s what we would be happy doing. But this is a really special occasion, and it’s great to have so many of our friends with us to help out,” he said.

He and Devon Allman met as kids in 1989 during The Allman Brothers 20^th anniversary and reunion tour (after an eight-year hiatus). Duane Betts was four years younger than Devon Allman — and at age 11, that’s quite a span.

“So the older guys — him and Barry Oakley Jr.—  would hang out and do stuff that I wasn’t doing yet, but we became friends, and then, throughout the years, we would always run into each other in different places on tour. He opened up some shows for my dad when I was playing in my dad’s band, or he would come through where I was living, and I’d come sit in with him,” Duane Betts said.

In 2017, as he was working on his first EP, “Sketches of American Music,” released in 2018, Greg Allman passed away. Devon Allman asked him to be a part of the first Allman Family Revival in San Francisco at the Fillmore to celebrate what would have been Gregg Allman’s 70^th birthday.

“That was really the impetus of going on tour together,” Duane Betts said.

It also birthed The Allman Betts Band.

“Our families had been intertwined for years, and we always knew we might form a band at some point in our lives. That show proved we had the chemistry to do it,” Devon Allman said.

Their chemistry grew musically through their own takes on the soulful, guitar-driven music their dad’s had been known for.

“The Family Revival started as a celebration of my father, but it evolved into a Last Waltz-style reunion of players from our generation, as well as up-and-coming talent,” Devon Allman said. “It has become a chance for all of us to come together, play this precious catalog and galvanize our own generation of musicians. It’s something my dad would’ve been proud of. I know that Duane’s dad is proud of it, too.”

Their fanbase built quickly — something Devon Allman attributes to the craving for such music as The Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones and The Grateful Dead.

“Those fans were excited to hear a newer band doing music in an old-school vein,” he said.

Inspiration from their legendary dads

Duane Betts had already been touring with his own band in Los Angeles in his late teens and early 20s, not joining his dad’s band full time until he was about 25.

“I learned a lot from watching him — the way he commanded a stage and just being around him when he would get in a zone. I would know the difference from when he was kind of off to really getting into a comfortable place with his playing and when he wasn’t quite there yet — and sometimes he might not get there that night,” he said. “Now, I know that feeling. Sometimes, you’re having an amazing night, and then the next night, you might not feel like you’re quite as comfortable, or it’s not coming quite as easy. You have to know that not every night it’s going to be magic, and that was one of the things he would tell me. When I would be hard on myself thinking I didn’t play good or something like that, he would always give me words of encouragement.’

He has also learned that even when he doesn’t think he completely hits the mark, “it’s still probably pretty good. If you hear it later, you’re surprised at how good it is,” he said. “So you try not to put too much investment into your thoughts. If you have any negative thoughts, you just kind of let them pass by — in life, and on stage, that same thing applies. You don’t want to get caught up in one little minutia about something because there’s the whole show left to play.”

Devon Allman last performed tunes inspired by The Allman Brothers at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek with the Devon Allman Blues Summit — though Betts didn’t play in that lineup.

Devon Allman didn’t get to know his dad, Gregg Allman, until he was a teenager, due to his parent’s divorce when he was an infant. Nevertheless, his father weighted heavily in his music, and he eventually performed with his dad in The Allman Brothers.

“(He influenced me) by developing a sincere work ethic and singing and playing with soul,” Devon Allman said. “I worked hard to build relationships, learn from heroes, ask questions and try to improve yearly.”

Now, he enjoys collaborating with friends and other musicians to serve the song and push for greatness, he said.

Together and separately, the two sons continue to develop the American Southern sound with resonate lyrics, killer guitar playing and a blend of rock, soul, blues and more.

And this Saturday, Duane Betts and his friends intend to transport the audience out of their daily stressors.

“We want to see everybody up and dancing and having a good time,” he said. “They’ll hear some favorites, and they won’t be disappointed. It’s gonna be a really fun one. It’s gonna be great to see everybody there.”