Johnny Stachela, Allman Betts Band guitarist unveils new single "Pills & Liquor"
ALLMAN BETTS BAND GUITARIST JOHNNY STACHELA UNVEILS NEW SINGLE
“PILLS & LIQUOR” - OUT NOW
NEW EP THE STROLL DUE OUT LATER THIS YEAR
Today, Johnny Stachela, guitarist and singer-songwriter best known as a charter member of The Allman Betts Band, and Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, releases “Pills & Liquor,” the second single from the musician’s forthcoming four-song EP, The Stroll. The track, now available on all streaming platforms, is the next in a series of cuts recorded in collaboration with JD Simo, at Simo’s Nashville-based House of Grease studio, and follows the earlier issued “All Because of You.” Backed by a trio of sizzling, studio vets, Stachela and his guitar flow smooth and easy through a shuffle that borrows, in kind, from either side of the riverbank- Duane Allman’s delta blues, and the desolate Texas flats of ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons.
Says Stachela, “It’s a song about how the party's over, and it’s time to go home. For the lead character, it’s confessional, about knowing when to put down the drugs and booze, and the discipline of keeping a promise. I think making a change and sticking to it is a universal challenge for us all. Ultimately, that deeper realization turns out to be a lot more fun.”
About Johnny Stachela:
In 2018, Johnny Stachela and Duane Betts partnered with the Devon Allman Project as guests, supporting and sitting in on a nine-month Allman/Betts World Tour, with stops at such iconic venues as NYC’s Beacon Theater and Colorado’s Red Rocks amphitheater. The European leg took Stachela to Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, UK and Germany. Additionally, he performed on the second single, “Downtown Runaround,” and subsequent video from Betts’ debut EP, Sketches of American Music.
Stachela joined The Allman Betts Band as a charter member- recording at the famed Muscle Shoals Sound studio- for their 2019 debut LP, Down to the River, and their 2020 follow-up, Bless Your Heart, touring internationally with the group, including dates in Europe and multiple summer festival stops. Subsequent tours with the ABB and the Allman Betts Family Revival have included appearances at New Orleans’ famed Jazz Festival, as well as overseas dates in Australia and Japan- at Byron Bay and Fuji Rock, respectively.
Among the myriad guest spots Stachela has made include jams with Little Feat, Gov’t Mule, and North Mississippi Allstars. With Betts, he’s also welcomed Derek Trucks and Mike Campbell (Tom Petty) for notable onstage collaborations. As a solo artist, Stachela joined the legendary Wet Willie on the band’s 2020 Rock Legends cruise. As well, in the spring of 2023, Stachela released the single, “County Farm Blues”, a cover of the 1930s Son House folk blues, across all digital platforms. He is slated to record further solo material, estimated for release in 2025.
Additionally, Stachela contributed writing, performing, and production work for Betts’ second solo project. Recording sessions for the new effort commenced in Spring 2022 at Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi’s Swamp Raga Studio in Jacksonville, Florida. The resulting album, “Wild & Precious Life,” issued by Royal Potato Family Records, arrived in the summer of 2023 to much critical acclaim, making several year-end “Best of” lists.
Stachela joined Betts as a founding member of his new band, Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, embarking on an extensive U.S. tour including festival dates and headlining appearances, and a noteworthy night at the Grand Ole Opry. Touring in support of the LP continued throughout 2024. A follow-up LP produced by Dave Cobb is slated for 2025.
With his well-crafted style of bottleneck slide evoking favorable comparisons to his heroes, influenced and inspired, never imitating, Johnny Stachela has become one of the more highly respected guitarists in modern blues and rock.
