By the time Duane Betts began working on Wild & Precious Life — his triumphant debut solo album — he'd already spent two decades creating his own version of guitar-slinging, story-driven American rock & roll. "It felt like the right time to make something that was entirely my own vision," he says. "This is a record that guitar players will love, but at its core, it's really a song record. It's an album about who I am, where I come from, and what I believe in." The years leading up to Wild & Precious Life's creation were a whirlwind. Duane cut his teeth with the bands Backbone69 and Whitestarr, then spent the better part of ten years playing guitar alongside his father — legendary Allman Brothers co-founder Dickey Betts — as a member of Dickey Betts & Great Southern. He’d also travel the world as a touring member of Dawes before releasing an EP of his own songs, Sketches of American Music, in 2018. As the decade drew to a close, Duane co-founded The Allman Betts Band, releasing two records in 2019 and 2020.

Sean Walsh's Americana combo the National Reserve have been kicking around Brooklyn, evolving their strain of rugged, heartfelt rock & roll. Walsh and his crew strike an easy balance between earthy '70s country-rock, earnest balladry, and rowdy bar band energy. It's Walsh's songwriting prowess, coupled with a voice that's been soaked in whiskey and worn through the years – that's what brings the swagger to their sound.