On Tuesday (Sept. 14), Devon Allman—son of the American music legend, Gregg Allman—announced that the annual Allman Family Revival shows will take the form of an 18-city tour kicking off in late November.
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First held in 2017 on what would’ve been Gregg Allman’s 70th birthday, the Allman Family Revival has grown into a yearly tradition featuring family members, world-class musicians, and the timeless tunes of the Allman Brothers Band. With backing-band duties being filled by the Allman Betts Band—Devon’s project with Dickey Betts’ son, Duane—the shows take on a “Last Waltz format,” with guests coming out and joining the band for a few songs.
This year, the tour will feature Robert Randolph, Donavon Frankenreiter, Lilly Hiatt, Eric Gales, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Jimmy Hall, Lamar Williams Jr., and more. Plus, in select cities, you can even catch the show with Kenny Wayne Shepherd, G. Love, Samantha Fish, Alex Orbison, and Kenny Aronoff.
“I like having artists that knew Dad—played with him, maybe were an opening act or were really influenced and inspired by him,” Devon said in a press release. “I also want to make sure there’s some ‘sonic ginger’ to cleanse the palette amidst all those guitars. I really enjoy working with the guests individually on setlists to make each show a very special night. It’s a daunting task, for sure, but a labor of love every time.”
Kicking off with a November 27 show in St. Louis, the tour will wind its way from coast to coast, eventually reaching its final destination in Los Angeles on December 19. Five years since the passing of his father and well over a year since the pandemic severely impacted the live music industry, Devon is looking forward to finally being able to bring the music of the Allman Brothers to fans again.
“My favorite part is just the joy of the audience,” he said. “I can tell they are touched and getting every penny’s worth. Knowing Dad is looking down saying, ‘Damn, son, all that hot jammin’ for me?!’ I know he’s tickled that we celebrate him. Because none of us has to do this. We all have busy careers. This is a ‘want to’ situation; absolutely, 100% about music and celebration and tribute.”
The Allman Family Revival tour will kick off in November—watch a video of the Allman Betts Band playing “Midnight Rider” below:
