By the time Duane Betts began working on Wild & Precious Life — his triumphant debut solo album — he’d already spent the better part of two decades creating his own version of guitar-slinging, story-driven American rock & roll.

“It felt like the right time to make something that was entirely my own vision,” he says. “This is a record that guitar players will love, but at its core, it’s really a song record. It’s an album about who I am, where I come from, and what I believe in.”

Duane had spent 10 years playing guitar alongside his father, legendary Allman Brother Dickey Betts. He’d release an EP, Sketches of American Music and co-found Allman Betts Band.

Even so, the need to create a full-length solo LP gnawed at him; one that nodded to his roots while simultaneously pushing ahead. Following his instincts, Duane assembled Johnny Stachela, Berry Duane Oakley, John Ginty and Tyler Greenwell, and took up an offer from friends Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks to record at their Swamp Raga Studio in Jacksonville. The album was cut to 2-inch analog tape during a series of live studio performances in 2022.

Wild & Precious Life offers up a timeless version of American music — a mix of blues, rock, folk, and country that could’ve blanketed the FM radio airwaves during any number of decades. It’s a modern album inspired by some of the best parts of the past, full of sharply crafted songs written in a state of deep reflection and Duane’s journey toward sobriety. Wild & Precious Life captures the emotional release of overcoming struggle, appreciating the fleeting nature of life, and celebrating the joy of being present.

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