DUANE BETTS: Wild & Precious Life (2023)

After his six-track EP "Sketches of American Music" dating from 2018, with a very good version of "California Blue" by his
illustrious father, then a break with The Allman Betts Band, here is now a complete album of ten tracks with the sleeve full
of tranquility, with the title “Wild & Precious Life” which gives food for thought in these times when Mother Nature rebels
against our blunders. Duane Betts is well surrounded with musicians from The Allman Betts Band, with the famous slide
hits of Johnny Stachela, bassist Berry Oakley as well as organist John Ginty, and with prestigious guests like Derek
Trucks and Marcus King. The opening of the record is magical on "Evergreen" with celestial guitar harmony that paws at
the best, all well anchored in the family tradition of master Dickey Betts who can be proud of his son. The same recipe
applies to the titles “Waiting on a Song”, “Forrest Lane” and “Colors Fade”. The Betts/Stachela duo will make you hair
stand on end on the very Allmanian "Saints to Sinners", and Derek Trucks intervenes with panache on "Stare at the Sun".
The instrumental "Under the Bali Moon" arrives, filled with ease and mastery, the "Sacred Ground" sets the stage for a
very lively Johnny Stachela with his slide meows, then Marcus King and his fiery guitar come to make you tremble the
house on “Cold Dark World”. A gentle epilogue with the nonchalant voice of Duane Betts on "Circles in the Stars" closes
this totally successful album which is a real source of pleasure for ears sensitive to the sound of the South.
Jacques Dersigny

Translation : Y. Philippot-Degand