Devon Allman was just 17 years old when Dickey Betts, the late guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, asked him to do something that would change the course of his life. On Oct. 15, 1989, Betts requested the teenager join him and the Allmans onstage that evening at the Sunrise Theatre in Fort Lauderdale to sing one of the group’s seminal numbers, “Midnight Rider.”
“That was the night I made the decision that I wanted to be a musician, to tour and make records,” Allman tells Rolling Stone. “I came off the stage in kind of a daze of, ‘Did I really just do that?’ That was a big turning point in my life.”
Even though Allman was already playing guitar and singing in his hometown of St. Louis, he was also interested in becoming an actor. He’d only recently been introduced to his father, Gregg Allman, for the first time since he was an infant and eventually joined him on the road when he was in high school.
“I did that tour instead of my senior year,” Allman chuckles. “I’m going to go on tour and learn about what I want to do, and my dad was supportive.”
Skip ahead 35 years and Allman is by now a longtime road dog (he even set a touring record) with a vast catalog behind him. He added to it this year with the release of Miami Moon, a vibrant funk-soul album with a thick thread of rock and blues.
“It’s about perseverance and not giving up,” Allman says of one of the record’s main underlying themes. “Just getting yourself out there and believing in yourself.”
Recorded at Miami’s famed Criteria Recording Studios, the album pulled together a murderer’s row of musical talent, including George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Karl Denson, Adam Deitch, Tom Hambridge, and Jackson Stokes.
“I wanted to write a record that makes people dance,” Allman says. “And I wanted to write it on bass, to give it a good foundation and have it be funky and groovy, an uplifting record.”
In essence, Miami Moon is a rock record, but with a lean toward the Latin rock and jazz fusion stylings of Santana and War. There are also some colorful splashes of Afro-Cuban rhythms and a hearty helping of that St. Louis blues that Allman was raised on. (The track “White Horse” combines a lot of those influences.)
“It’s definitely got some South Florida energy in there,” Allman says. “This [album] felt more R&B than anything. I have a deep appreciation for the records of Curtis Mayfield, and I never really had a chance to let that shine through my writing until this one.”
Currently, Allman is preparing to head back out on tour, with the annual Allman Betts Family Revival musical extravaganza kicking off this weekend at the Arcata Theater in St. Charles, Illinois.
“We never would’ve thought that this is what it would become, ever,” Allman says of the popular Allman Brothers tribute. “It’s a kind of family reunion. We get to see everyone and celebrate one of the best songbooks in rock & roll.”
The Revival was supposed to be a one-off gig to honor Gregg Allman on what would’ve been his 70th birthday in 2017. Now in its eighth year, the showcase will once again feature Allman and guitarist Duane Betts, son of Dickey.
“I’ve told him before that my dad wasn’t the only one that has a brother Duane,” Allman says of his bond with Betts. “Our relationship is sacred to me. It’s based on history, music, love, art, and vision.”
The Revival will feature a slew of marquee names: Luther and Cody Dickinson, Lindsay Lou, Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, and more. For select dates, Sierra Hull, Grace Bowers, G. Love, and Jake Shimabukuro will also take the stage. At the tour’s Nashville stop, Dec. 16 at the Ryman Auditorium, Slash is sitting in.
“He was free and into it,” Allman says of calling up the Guns N’ Roses guitarist to perform. “His current record is a blues record, so I think he’s wanting to jump into some circles that are a little more blues-oriented. We’re just happy to have him.”
Regardless of what special guests may appear on any given night of the tour, what remains are the two faces standing center stage —Allman and Betts, forever linked by songs eternal and late fathers.
“It’s an honor to perpetuate this rock & roll story,” Allman says. “The Allman Brothers had such a depth. These songs have stuck with generations of people because they’re haunting.”
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