He and his backing band recorded the album with producer Don Was at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama over a period of nine days.

[4] However, his health problems and touring schedule impeded this, which led to him and manager Michael Lehman picking out songs to cover that held "deep meaning for [him].

[7] FAME held great history for Allman as one of his first groups, Hour Glass, recorded there, as did his brother Duane as a session musician in the late 1960s.

Was stated the album subtly crafts a farewell mood: "It was kind of unspoken, but it was really clear we were preparing a final statement, in many ways."

Allman was initially unsure about doing a version of the Grateful Dead's "Black Muddy River", as he felt his personal writing style was so different from the group, but warmed to it when recording it.

[5] Ronald Hart of Billboard felt the album contained a modern country music sound: "you can’t exactly figure out if it's the influence of such acolytes as Eric Church and Jamey Johnson on Allman, or the other way around.

[12] The third event is set for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Ford Theater in Nashville, Tennessee as a part of Americanafest.

"[16] Scott Stroud of the Associated Press wrote that "the album soars with arrangements built to spotlight Allman's singing [...] it reminds us of what a singular talent we just lost.

"[23] Andy Gill at The Independent gave the album four stars out of five and praised "Allman's weatherbeaten growl for every ounce of melancholy retrospection and road-weary resignation.

"[17] Bob Doerschuk, writing for USA Today, similarly singled out his vocal performance, commenting, "Allman's voice delivers in peak form.

"[20] Steve Knopper from Newsday felt the record "lacks the sharp hunger of early Allmans classics or the blissed-out soul of his recent work, but Southern Blood has a lean, bluesy persistence.

"[18] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone dubbed the album a "moving farewell statement," praising its heavy themes while also complimenting its "laid-back generosity that recalls Allman's kindest Seventies work.