Devon Allman

Devon Allman (born August 10, 1972) is an American guitarist, vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He is the son of musician Gregg Allman and has appeared occasionally as a guest musician for Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers Band. Allman was the founder and bandleader of Honeytribe, also known as Devon Allman's Honeytribe, with whom he released two albums and toured across North America and Europe. Prior to Honeytribe, Allman contributed to several other musical recordings, notably Vargas Blues Band and the '' A Song for My Father'' compilation album. He was one of the original members of Royal Southern Brotherhood and contributed to their first two studio albums and toured with them. In 2013, Allman launched his solo career as the Devon Allman Band, and has since released three albums. His latest tour, branded as the Devon Allman Project, features special guest Duane Betts.

Early years

Allman is the son of Gregg Allman (of The Allman Brothers Band) and Shelley Kay Jefts. His parents divorced when he was an infant, and he grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, as well as Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, raised by his mother.

Allman began playing music as a teen, but was not influenced by his father. He did not meet his father until he was in his teens, but they then bonded instantly. For several years in the 1990s he performed around the growing St. Louis blues and rock music scene, while also managing a suburban Guitar Center store where he met his future Royal Southern Brotherhood bandmate, Mike Zito.

In his twenties, Allman tried various musical styles and sounds to distance himself from his father's sound and avoid obvious comparisons, though his father did not meddle in Allman's career. In his thirties, Allman embraced the blues and rock genres.

Influences

Allman grew up on classic, blues-inspired rock music, and has specifically mentioned Santana, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and The Allman Brothers Band as influences, as well as heavy metal acts such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth and Testament.

When asked if there was one record that he could cite as the definitive recording that has influenced and inspired him, Allman responded with Layla, by Derek and The Dominos. He explained, "Although it's not straight blues, it's obviously dripping with soulful blues guitar. Layla has always appealed to me because you can really really ‘feel’ what Clapton was going through. That man was straight up in love. It brought out a burning passion in his throat and fingers that is undeniable, and it obviously soaked into the other players on the record. My uncle Duane just sounds like a bird on it as well! It has so much raw energy and passion that it sounds ultra fresh every time I put it on. Front to back, one of the few records that can bring me to tears if I let it."

Musical career

The Dark Horses

In the early 1990s Devon Allman headed up a band in St. Louis called ''The Dark Horses''.

Honeytribe

Allman formed Honeytribe in 1999. In 2001, the band broke up so Allman could spend time with his newly born son. They re-formed in 2005 with their original lineup, and have since toured in the United States, Europe, and Canada, and have recorded two albums. They recorded ''Torch'' in 2006 and played up to 300 shows a year in 42 states and ten countries. Allman eventually grew restless with the original Honeytribe sound and pared the band down to a power trio in 2008 with bassist George Potsos and new drummer Gabriel Strange. This incarnation of Devon Allman's Honeytribe released ''Space Age Blues'' in the fall of 2010.

Royal Southern Brotherhood

In October 2011, Allman began working on a project titled the Royal Southern Brotherhood. The blues-rock supergroup includes Cyril Neville, Mike Zito, Grammy-award winning drummer Yonrico Scott and bassist Charlie Wooton. Allman was skeptical of joining the group at first, telling his manager "Dude are you crazy? Thats like putting five quarterbacks in a room and saying 'go play football'. What the Hell are you talking about?" However he soon changed his mind and the group recorded their first album in December 2011, over five days at Dockside Studio, a estate on the banks of Vermilion Bayou, in Maurice, Louisiana. The group made its stage debut in September 2011 at the Rock ’n’ Bowl in New Orleans