I asked Justin Corgan, bass guitarist, pictured here wearing our silk scarf, a few questions about what it's like to live the life of a musician on tour.
Can you tell us how long it took you to hone your craft as a guitarist and what other instruments you play ?
The honest pursuit of any art form is an ongoing lifelong process, as I'm sure you know! There's the technical proficiency hurdle every musician must overcome, and that took me thousands of hours and years of practice. After that, the goal became to freely play my instrument without thinking, allowing for pure self-expression. Being in that "flow" or in the "zone," as some say, isn't something that always happens, but I'm continually reaching towards being truly in the moment musically. Pragmatically speaking, I started playing bass when I was 9, had my first paying gig at 14, and around 18, I started to feel like I was playing at a professional level. I grew up in a very musical family and even have a cousin who founded the Smashing Pumpkins, so I was immersed in music as far back as I can remember. My main instrument is bass, but I also sing, play guitar, guiro, and piano.
How long have you been playing for Allman Betts and what was your lineage of band history to arrive at your current gig ?
By the time I finished college, I was playing five nights a week at local pubs, events, and venues in St. Louis, Missouri. I started doing smaller domestic tours in the American Midwest with a few local bands, one of them being Jackson Stokes. In those days, we toured in a van, tried to get free food at the venues, partied after the gigs, couch surfed, or lodged five of us in one cheap hotel... It was a quintessential early 20s no-budget touring phase. We started to gain some traction, and Devon Allman ended up producing Jackson's first album. During the recording of that album, Devon and I built a rapport, and about a month later, he called me and asked if I'd like to join The Devon Allman Band and go on a world tour! Since then, Devon has started several different projects, including The Devon Allman Project, The Allman Betts Band, and The Allman Betts Family Revival. I've been fortunate enough to play in all of them and with many amazing bands along the way, including Nicholas David (season 3 finalist on The Voice) and Duane Betts.
What music do you listen to on a road trip?
On road trips, I like to make playlists that match the scenery of where we're going. When my wife and I drive to South Florida, as we leave and hit the open road, I'll play bluegrass, classic Americana, and country, and then soul and Motown as we get closer to Atlanta. By the time we see our first palm trees, it'll be Caribbean, salsa, and reggae. For smaller road trips, I always end up landing on Classic Motown, Funk, and R&B.
Do you follow any tailors and do you have an aesthetic you subscribe to both in every day attire and suits
I'm a real enthusiast of the Golden Age of menswear. That being said, I love many different style movements; everything from the American Southwest and early US Workwear to '90s Skaters and high-tech outdoor/camping fabrics. I try to incorporate different elements and pieces from everything I like for my daily attire. For suits, I'm pretty conservative and lean heavily on French and Italian sartorial style. I love double-pleated high-rise trousers, wide peak lapels, structure, layering, stripes on stripes, and mixing patterns and prints. Some of my favorite tailors are Cifonelli, vintage Canali, Ralph Lauren, Oscar De La Renta, and of course, Le Noeud Papillon.
What other hobbies or passions do you have outside of guitar and what do you do for exercise ?
Fishing is my favorite hobby whenever I have free time. I love to seek out remote stretches of rivers and creeks and wade or canoe them. It's very therapeutic for me to get out in nature and thrilling when I hook into a good fish! I also enjoy cooking, hiking, camping, family BBQ on Sundays, and volunteering with my parents' non-profit, Rich Harvest International.
There is a line from Supertramp which is “when you’re up on the stage it’s so unbelievable, oh unforgettable, they adore you” - I’ve seen the way comics feel that too when they are running the audience - do you get that buzz and can you describe it for our readers ?
It feels amazing when the crowd is completely engaged, going bananas, and the entire band really locks in almost sounding as one instrument. When it's like that, time really slows down for me on stage. The music becomes effortless, and I'm not really thinking about much. I can just open myself up to become a vessel for the music. I'm so absorbed by the moment in these instances; it's hard to describe, but the main emotion I feel is overwhelming gratitude. There are a lot of emotions on stage. Sometimes you start a popular song and everyone cheers; it feels like a big warm hug. Certain situations leave you with tons of nervous energy or slight hesitance, and that can often bloom into pure adrenaline and joy when things go right or total embarrassment and disgust if things go awry.
What are you hoping to see whilst in Australia ?
The last time I was in Australia was 2018, and I stayed near Mount Warning. I really wanted to do the sunrise hike up the mountain, but time didn't permit. I would love to do that this time or at least see more of Australia's natural wonders.
Can you tell us two dishes to eat and two places to see if an Australian made it to Nashville ??
Nashville is known for its Hot Chicken. It's deep-fried chicken smothered in hot sauce, and there are several places that specialize in it, but the most famous is Hattie B's. Nashville also has decent BBQ and good Soul food. The desserts to try there are chess pie, pecan pie, and banana pudding. Since I'm not from Nashville, I'm probably not the best tour guide, but the Grand Ole Opry and Downtown area are definitely worth checking out.
