30 Years Back to Where it All Begins

Remembering the Allman Brothers Band's final studio album with Dickey Betts; one that stands as tall as their classics.

Where It All Begins completed a trilogy of fantastic return-to-form albums that showcased the talents of not only the ABB foundation of Allman, Betts, Jaimoe, and Trucks but also the mighty string section of Warren Haynes and Allen Woody who, along with drummer Matt Abts, formed Gov’t Mule the same year as this album’s release.

For those who may have been too young to fully appreciate the Duane and Berry years in real time, Seven Turns, Shades of Two Worlds, and Where It All Begins exposed the brilliance of the ABB to a new generation in the early '90s. These three albums had no business being as good and powerful as they were, but they were. I was a huge devotee in the 1970s, but the band dissolved at the dawn of the '80s, sparing us from attempts - like many veteran rockers of the era - to conform to the drum machines and synths of the time. (Allman brushed up against that temptation on his I'm No Angel solo effort in 1987, returning more to form on its follow-up Before the Bullets Fly.)

Where It All Begins was again produced by the mighty Tom Dowd, the Allmans’ most intuitive and instinctive producer throughout their run. Looking back now, the album fittingly serves as a swan song to Betts’ involvement with the band while featuring several of his contributions, including the now-classic 9-plus-minute Betts-penned title track, which recalls the country/jam/jazz of "Blue Sky", "Jessica", and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." Wistful nostalgia meets improvisational virtuosity.

Betts wrote or co-wrote half the album, turning in the motivational "Everybody's Got a Mountain to Climb", the fierce “Mean Woman Blues” (featuring a strong Haynes vocal), and, as it turns out, the prophetic blues rave-up "Gonna Change My Way of Livin'". Betts co-wrote with John Prestia the Allmans’ final big rock radio hit, the Bo Diddley-inspired "No One to Run With" (coming full circle as Betts had penned their first - and only - top ten single, “Ramblin’ Man”, over 20 years before).

It wasn’t just Dickey’s show, though. With this album, many were first exposed to what became a modern standard, Haynes's "Soulshine," here sung by Gregg (who also sang lead on “No One to Run With”) in prime soul fashion.

Speaking of Gregg Allman: for the man who gave us “Melissa”, “Whipping Post”, and so many other ABB evergreens, his songwriting contributions on Where It All Begins were few and far between, contributing co-writes to three tracks (and each of those bearing three or more writers, including “Temptation is a Gun”, written with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain … yes, of Journey). The best of these, “Sailin’ ‘Cross the Devil’s Sea”, served as a show-opener on the summer tour that followed.

Where It All Begins is the sound of a Sunday summer afternoon; the sound of a road trip down long, wide stretches of highway; of green grass and magnolias gently swaying in big rural backyards where children play and dance while the adults prepare dinner on the grounds. Later, the grown-ups sit on the back porch and spin tales while staring off across the field, grateful for a brief respite before returning to the Monday grind while the kids chase lightning bugs as dusk ascends.

This album was released under a month after my son was born, so, yeah, it’s special. In fact, he now owns the shirt adorned with this album cover that I bought on the Allmans’ tour that year as they made their annual stop at Walnut Creek (now Coastal Credit) Amphitheater in Raleigh. (I would see the Allmans perform there annually through all of the '90s and into the 2000s. I may have missed one or two shows…and maybe they did, too. I think I was there more than Warren.)

Little did we know that this would be the last studio album Dickey would record with the Allmans, and they wouldn’t release another one for nine years - the fierce Hittin’ The Note, which would be their last. Yes, it’s the only one without Dickey, but fittingly, it included Derek Trucks (whom I’d seen years before at the Creek when he was just 13.)

The Allmans called it quits for good - and on their terms - in 2014 as they celebrated their 45th anniversary with a run of shows at what became their second home, NYC's Beacon Theater. This year marks 55 years since their debut album and 30 since Where It All Begins. Sadly, Dickey passed last month, but his legacy is secured, thanks in no small part to the work he put into this album.

When we argue about America's greatest rock band, the Allman Brothers Band should always, always be in the conversation (as should CCR, Little Feat, and Los Lobos, but that's for another day). That a band can survive through the loss of two of its founding members, then hit it big when the “second” guitarist steps up, plus survive lawsuits, infighting, and break-ups only to rebound with a run of three (make that four) incredible studio albums through their second and third winds, and still grow and expand on stage up until and including their last show, it’s not only a rare feat, it’s only been done once.

Of the founding members, there’s now only one left to run with, and long indeed may Jaimoe run.

Bonus track: If you liked the Allmans’ footage from Woodstock ‘94 above, find their full set below. I originally recorded the entire 3-day festival on several VHS tapes the weekend it happened. Ah, video cassettes! Those were the days…