“It’s a symbolism for my life,” Duane Betts tells American Songwriter of his debut solo album, Wild & Precious Life. “It’s an appreciation for the moment.” Despite only being 10 tracks, the album covers some ground – lyrically and sonically.
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The shortest song on the record nears the four-minute mark and the longest spans a sprawling seven minutes. The extended runtimes are courtesy of Betts’ skill on the guitar, which is woven into his genetic code.
Betts is the son of Allman Brothers Band icon Dickey Betts. The younger Betts has had many musical pursuits over his tenure including picking up his dad’s banner in the Allman Betts Band. He finally decided to embark on a solo project this year with Wild & Precious Life – though he credits many collaborators as having helped shape the record.
“I have artists that I have a lot of respect for [on the record],” he explains. “I always ask ‘What does the song need? Is this needed?’ I don’t want to have someone play because they are a name. But, it’s good to have a collaborative experience.”
Among the list of collaborators are Nicki Bluhm and fellow guitar slingers Derek Trucks and Marcus King. “Marcus is so soulful and fiery,” Betts says of King’s involvement in the album. “I have such a respect for what he does and where it comes from – what he represents. He’s the genuine article as they say.”
The 10 songs on this record were born in different spaces and times over the last few years. Because of that expanse, the lyrical content is varied. “This album was sessions taken from different years and different places,” Betts says. “I wanted to do a full-length record, but I was just waiting for the right time to do it.”
From his sobriety journey to his marriage, Betts digs deep on this record and polishes his songwriting abilities tenfold. When asked whether or not being vulnerable in the writer’s room was hard, Betts responds, “I mean, writing songs is hard.
“Frankly, when I write a song that I think is pretty decent, I feel like I’m ahead of the game,” he says. “You’re lucky when you get one.”
One of the most vulnerable songs on the record, “Saint and Sinners,” touches on Bett’s struggle with sobriety. I swore I loved you / But I woke up all alone, he cites as his favorite line.
“It’s talking about that moment when you don’t mean to do the thing that hurt people but, you do it anyway,” he says. “That is part of addiction.”
Betts previewed the album with three tracks: “Saints to Sinners,” “Waiting on a Song,” and “Stare at the Sun (feat. Derek Trucks).” Though the songs come in a variety of flavors, one common theme amongst the record is Betts and his collaborator’s commitment to keeping the energy of their live shows alive in the studio. Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Betts on stage will know how hypnotizing he is running up and down the fretboard. He plays extended solos with the same ease as breathing.
“If there’s something that is inherent to the live performances that are strong, you want to try and capture that the best that you can,” Betts explains. “There’s bands that have this amazing thing live and they don’t really capture it on record ever.
“That’s part of the idea of having a song that has an extended jam in it,” he continues. “You don’t want it to be all jam but, you don’t want to get rid of one of your strong suits either. Bands like The Allman Brothers Band or Grateful Dead, have really great songs but they jam a lot too.”
Along with his “live” approach in the studio, some of the songs on the record are specifically inspired by his father and the work he did with the Allman Brothers Band. “Stare at the Sun” is one such song.
“Derek Trucks said this thing about my father’s playing, ‘He was a guitar player that wasn’t afraid to stare directly at the sun,’” Betts recalls. “It’s kind of a deep thing, watching my dad. He’s such a large presence. He was around during some of the writing so it’s hard for that to not seep into the songs.”
It took a while for Betts to get into songwriting as he was more into arranging songs as a teen. He says “going through life” helped him to embrace writing more. The spoils of those lived experiences are scattered throughout Wild & Precious Life.
“I got my act together, as it were,” Betts concludes.
Watch Betts’ full interview with American Songwriter below.
Photo Credit: Kaelan Barowsky / Courtesy Shore Fire Media
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