Gregg Allman's son embraces musical background, looks to the future

'My job description has the word 'play' in it. It doesn't get any cooler," Devon Allman said.

Allman is the frontman, guitarist and vocalist for Honeytribe, a St. Louis-based rock-blues-jam band. The band is on an indie label and remains low-key, Allman said.

But, they've earned enough of a following to book hundreds of shows a year, even though they've only officially released one album, Torch in 2006. And it's under their terms.

"That's the cool thing about being under the radar like this," Allman said.

"Not only do you get to wake up every day and play guitar, you don't have anyone telling you what to do. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing to do."

Allman is the son of Gregg Allman, one of the Allman Brothers. Honeytribe and Allman walk a delicate line: While Allman recognizes and stays true to his musical background, the band strives to create its own name without overusing the Allman link.

Allman began fiddling around with music when he was a teenager.

"I was searching for my identity because I figured I shouldn't do anything Allman-esque," Allman said.

"So whenever I played something bluesy or soulful, it came ultra easy, but I ran away from it. I guess I was a stubborn guy. With a little maturity and age, it was kinda like, wait, that's kinda who I am, and it's OK to sound like your family."

Allman and his band mates, George Patsos and Gabriel Strange, developed the sound and essence of Honeytribe to be easygoing, inclusive and enjoyable.

"It's a little trippy and bluesy and soulful and rock, it really is a lot of things in one," Allman said of the Honeytribe's style.

Allman said he plays to give back to music. His two main purposes are to share that musical experience with his audience and to give something back to the music industry. Music is an escape, a chance to "turn off the world," and a chance to share an experience or a feeling, Allman said.

Honeytribe is currently working on their sophomore album, Space Age Blues, to be released in early 2010. Until then, they've booked a few dozen shows in the next couple of months.

"The show is very loose," Allman said. "It's very visceral. It's very improv. I've never written a set list ever, which is a lot of fun cause I can wig my band mates and go on a tangent."

Honeytribe audiences can be split fairly equally as hard-core blues followers, rock lovers and jam band fans. But, generationally, Honeytribe brings everyone out, Allman said.

"Definitely some 45 to 60s come because of the Allman Brothers connection, but there's a ton of 18s," Allman said.

"And a lot of the 50-year-olds will bring their 22-year-olds, and that's just good parenting. A lot of 22-year-olds won't go to concerts with their parents, but that's a really good bond."

Honeytribe plays the Windjammer at 9 p.m. tonight.