Matt Abts | |
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Background information | |
Born | September 30, 1953 Oklahoma, United States |
Genres | Rock, blues rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion |
Years active | 1984–present |
Member of | Gov't Mule |
Website | mattabts |
Matt Abts (born September 30, 1953) is an American drummer, [1] best known as one of the founding members of the rock band Gov't Mule.
Abts attended high school in Panama where he started playing music. After moving to Virginia, he played in local bands for eight years, most notably, the band Orphan, [2] and then moved to Florida. There he played in and recorded an album with Chuck & John and the News, a local bar band from Bradenton, Florida, during the early 1980s. In 1984, he played drums for Dickey Betts and Chuck Leavell. Abts recorded Pattern Disruptive with the Dickey Betts Band in 1988 which also included guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes. Abts joined Haynes and Allen Woody, who had both been members of The Allman Brothers Band, to form Gov't Mule in 1994. [3]
Abts has also played in the Pink Floyd tribute band Blue Floyd which was known for its blues versions of Pink Floyd songs, [4] and with bassist Jorgen Carlsson in Planet of the Abts, a 2011 offshoot of Gov't Mule. [5]
The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, as well as Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). Subsequently, based in Macon, Georgia, they incorporated elements of blues, jazz and country music and their live shows featured jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals.
Gregory LeNoir Allman was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman Brothers Band fused it with rock music, jazz, and country at times. He wrote several of the band's most popular songs, including "Whipping Post", "Melissa", and "Midnight Rider". Allman also had a successful solo career, releasing seven studio albums. He was born and spent much of his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee, before relocating to Daytona Beach, Florida and then Macon, Georgia.
Gov't Mule is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as Mule.
Gov't Mule is the self-titled debut studio album by southern rock jam band Gov't Mule. The album was produced and mostly recorded live by Michael Barbiero at Bearsville Sound Studios with many tracks running into each other. "Mule" is still a concert favorite, and "Rockin' Horse" was later recorded by The Allman Brothers Band when Warren Haynes rejoined the group for the album Hittin' the Note.
The Deep End, Volume 1 is the fourth studio album by American rock band Gov't Mule. It was released on October 23, 2001, by ATO Records and Evangeline Records.
Forrest Richard Betts was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer and founding member of The Allman Brothers Band.
John Lee Johnson, frequently known by the stage names Jai Johanny Johanson and Jaimoe, is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band and, with the death of Dickey Betts on April 18, 2024, he is the last surviving original member of the band.
Warren Haynes is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his work as longtime guitarist with the Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey Betts Band. Haynes also is known for his associations with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, including touring with Phil Lesh and Friends and the Dead. In addition, Haynes founded and manages Evil Teen Records.
Charles Alfred Leavell is an American musician. A member of the Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the band Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and musical director of the Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on every Rolling Stones studio album released since 1983 with the exception of Bridges to Babylon (1997). He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer.
Douglas Allen Woody was an American bass guitarist best known for his eight-year tenure in the Allman Brothers Band and as a co-founder of Gov't Mule.
"Blue Sky" is a song by the American rock band The Allman Brothers Band from their third studio album, Eat a Peach (1972), released on Capricorn Records. The song was written and sung by guitarist Dickey Betts, who penned it about his girlfriend, Sandy "Bluesky" Wabegijig. The track is also notable as one of guitarist Duane Allman's final recorded performances with the group. The band's two guitarists, Duane Allman and Dickey Betts, alternate playing the song's lead: Allman's solo beginning 1:07 in, Betts joining in a shared melody line at 2:28, followed by Betts's solo at 2:37. The song is notably more country-inspired than many songs in the band's catalogue.
Where It All Begins is the eleventh studio album by the Allman Brothers Band. "No One to Run With" obtained the most album-oriented rock airplay, while "Soulshine", written by Warren Haynes, gained success as a concert and fan favorite. Gregg Allman also started to confront his substance abuse problems in the past on songs such as "All Night Train". The album sold considerably better than its predecessor, Shades of Two Worlds. In 1998, the album went Gold. Nevertheless, critical reception was weaker. This was also the last studio album the group recorded with original guitarist Dickey Betts.
An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set is the thirteenth album by the rock group the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded live in December 1991 and March 1992, and released in 1992.
"Soulshine" is a song written by American musician Warren Haynes and originally recorded by Larry McCray on his 1993 album, Delta Hurricane. It is best known as a recording that The Allman Brothers Band released on their 1994 album, Where It All Begins, featuring Gregg Allman on vocals. The song's title originates from Haynes's nickname, given by his father.
Wanee Festival was an annual event held 2005 - 2018 at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, in Live Oak, Florida. The festival was hosted by the Allman Brothers Band until 2014 and was managed by Live Nation. On November 5, 2018, it was announced via the Wanee website that the festival would not be occurring at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in 2019, citing the religious holidays of Easter and Passover as the reason the festival was cancelled. No plans for future Wanee Festivals have been announced.
Johnny Neel is an American vocalist, songwriter, and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and being a member of the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band.
The Peach Music Festival is a music festival started by the Allman Brothers Band and Live Nation Entertainment that has been held annually since 2012 at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Montage Mountain Ski Resort in Scranton, Pennsylvania. One exception was in 2020.
Duane Betts is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He leads Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, and is a co-founding member of The Allman Betts Band. He was also a guitarist and singer for Dickey Betts & Great Southern, led by his father, Dickey Betts. He was previously a member of several other groups, including Backbone69, Whitestarr, Brethren of the Coast, Dawes, Jamtown, and Duane Betts & the Pistoleers.
Pattern Disruptive is an album by the Dickey Betts Band, a rock group led by Dickey Betts. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Betts is best known as a long-time member of the Allman Brothers Band. Pattern Disruptive was his fourth album as a solo artist. It was released by Epic Records on LP and CD on October 18, 1988.