Hello to all. I was wondering if anyone knows who is singing along with Gregg on 'Midnight Rider', or if in fact the background vocal is an overdub of Gregg singing along with himself. Thanks.
Thought I remembered reading a long time ago that it was Berry
Hey thanks for letting me know. I will do some more digging around on the internet to confirm. Anybody else have any ideas? Thanks.
I pretty sure it's Duane. Duane sang very high harmony in the Hour Glass and Allman Joys. You can hear him clearly on Down In Texas and Home For The Summer, among others, on the Hour Glass Power Of Love album.
The recorded version could be Gregg overdubbing the harmony vocal. Not sure if it was B.O. My best guess for live versions would be B.O. Then again once in a while I might think it's Dickey?
[Edited on 6/25/2017 by spoonbelly]
What I find interesting that considering that this is such a classic nobody seems to know for sure. I believe Berry sings on the Fillmore East track, so he probably also had the same role on the studio version.
Back in the 90s Butch began to take these kind of questions. Butch said Gregg did his own overdub on Midnight Rider but Berry sang it live. So that should be Berry on the Duane Allman anthology vol. 2. Butch confirmed what Dickey once said about Revival. The backing vocals on that is Duane, Gregg, Dickey, Berry, Butch and Jaimoe. And the same on the first album for the chant on Black Hearted Woman with Berry Oakley laughing at the end of the chant. But a fan pushed back on Butch's memory and said her friend Joe Dan Petty always claimed that was him and the Roadies recorded that chant with the band. I asked Red Dog who said the Roadies we're recorded but they used the version with just band members so that would make Butch correct?? Butch also said that is him (Butch) laughing at the fade of Pony Boy on Brothers and Sisters. Gregg and Chuck sing backing on Ramblin' Man. Butch didn't know who is talking at the fade of Blue Sky but it sounded like Gregg who did backing vocals. Duane does all the talking on At Fillmore East except after Stormy Monday. That is Berry Oakley. Hope that clears up some of these musings.
On the original recording Gregg overdubbed himself, apparently he came up with the idea and if you listen, you can hear that it isn't anyone but Gregg.
Back in the 90s Butch began to take these kind of questions. Butch said Gregg did his own overdub on Midnight Rider but Berry sang it live. So that should be Berry on the Duane Allman anthology vol. 2. Butch confirmed what Dickey once said about Revival. The backing vocals on that is Duane, Gregg, Dickey, Berry, Butch and Jaimoe. And the same on the first album for the chant on Black Hearted Woman with Berry Oakley laughing at the end of the chant. But a fan pushed back on Butch's memory and said her friend Joe Dan Petty always claimed that was him and the Roadies recorded that chant with the band. I asked Red Dog who said the Roadies we're recorded but they used the version with just band members so that would make Butch correct?? Butch also said that is him (Butch) laughing at the fade of Pony Boy on Brothers and Sisters. Gregg and Chuck sing backing on Ramblin' Man. Butch didn't know who is talking at the fade of Blue Sky but it sounded like Gregg who did backing vocals. Duane does all the talking on At Fillmore East except after Stormy Monday. That is Berry Oakley. Hope that clears up some of these musings.
Great post - lots of good info here. Thanks!
Here's a real different cover of MRdr, by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings -- the power & joy of music, just great -- can even deal w/Lincoln commercial
[Edited on 6/26/2017 by Stephen]
Regarding backing vocals on Black Hearted Woman: years ago when Kirk West arranged for back stage passes for those subscribing to Hittin' the Note, I had a chance to go backstage at Pine Knob in Clarkston, Michigan. I nervously thought of a question I could ask that would show I was not your average fan, I was a deep down died in the wool fan from 1969. So I asked Greg: who was doing that Jungle Call at the end of Black Hearted Woman? His first response was " What?" Then he laughed and said " That was all of us!."
I remember meeting Butchie that night as well. He was very friendly and genuinely nice. Still wishing I had the nerve to ask Warren for his autograph that night. Fun memories, great post!
Yes Gregg confirmed what Butch wrote when answering my question back in the 90s on the fan website then. Butch had a space on the site and he was online there often answering questions. I met Dickey and Gregg at a little night club in 1986 and Dickey's band played first and after Gregg played, the two bands merged and played an Allman Brothers set. Dickey was friendly offered me an orange and a bud. He was not happy with the club owner who advertised the show as the Allman Brothers and announced at the beginning of his set that he and Gregg were on tour together and we're playing Allman Brothers songs together in the 3rd set but Butch Trucks and Jaimoe we're not on the tour so that don't promote it as the Allman Brothers so if you feel ripped off go talk to the club owner. I told Dickey I had been following him and Gregg since 1970. And then said after years of listening to the albums, never figured out who is on backing vocals on Revival. Dickey said " I know it doesn't sound like it but that is the entire band." I said you mean Butch is singing on that? And Dickey said " yeah man. It's Duane, Gregg, Oakley, Butch, Jaimoe..all of us. I remember us gathered around the mic doing that and laughing as we were trying to sing different notes in harmony." I guess he meant tenor, bass, baritone etc. He said Oakley kept cracking up on several passes.
When I discussed that with Butch he said Berry did the same of Black Hearted Woman on the vocal chant and they left it in so that is Oakley laughing at the end of the track. Then Butch said that was him cracking up on Pony Boy. He and Dickey did a leg slap thing to tag on at the end and Dickey suddenly changed it around on Butch causing Butch to chuckle which you can hear on the fade.
I ask him if he knew who is talking at the end of Blue Sky on Eat a Peach. Butch said he didn't know anyone was. But with headphones on you can hear it. He later said it sounds like Gregg saying " that's good". That Gregg sang backup and must have talked on the fade while his mic was open. Oh and it was during that time he admitted they couldn't get everyone together for Win, Loose or Draw. Gregg wouldn't leave LA because of Cher. Johnny had to rent studio time in LA and took the tapes and recorded Gregg out there. Dickey was a no show too back in Macon then did show late on night demanding they record Louisiana Lou and Sweet Mama. Chuck and Lamar just happened to be at the studio so Dickey told Bill Stewart who was there too and producer Johnny Sandlin to play the twin drums. So Butch said he and Jaimoe didn't get to play on those two songs. That was a surprise to me.
