Condolences to Skip's family. He was arguably one of the best fans the ABB had and they have/had some great ones. When I think about those we've lost I'm saddened though I know my life is richer for having known them.

So sad to hear this news. Rest in peace, Capt. Skipper. 🙁

Rest Easy Skipper.......

Fair winds and following seas to a man who was a lesson on how to live. Your spirit and generosity will live on through the music you so graciously shared. Thanks Skipper....

I echo all here in conveying my deepest sympathies to Capt Skipper's family.
I have enjoyed countless hours of pleasure from his releases.
Thank you for sharing your gift...

RIP Skip. He brought some serious listening pleasure to our household. Prayers to his family and friends.

R.I.P. my friend

You are already missed

I don't even know if I have any of his recordings (maybe one or two) but I did get to meet him years ago at Red Rocks. He was a kind soul with a deep knowledge of the ABB.

God Rest His Soul.

Rest peacefully Brother. Thanks Captain Skipper for sharing your talents and gift of remastering the great music we all so love in this community. In your honor I'm going to give a listen to some of your fine work today.

RIP to the Captain, one of the most beloved members of the community here and elsewhere.

May the four winds blow you safely home.

Oh man. What sad news! Skip was so generous, friendly, dedicated and had the deep love for the Allman Bros that only those in this community truly understand. Farewell, Skipper, and thanks for being you!!! You will be missed!!! 🙁

Does anybody know anything about final arrangements?

They have already taken place ... privately and quietly as Skip wanted ...

It's taken me a while to roll some thoughts around my head about Skip.

I will start with he was truly one of the finest people that I've ever had the privilege of knowing and calling a
friend in my entire life. He was completely down to earth, as straightforward and honest as a person could be and loyal to a fault.

His love and dedication to the original lineup of the ABB is surpassed by no one. I remember calling him one Sunday afternoon to chat and have some laughs like we so often did. He had been working all afternoon on a remaster of an original lineup show. As we talked, he played back to me what he had been laboring over and then he realized that he had spent six hours working on a 12 second segment of Elizabeth Reed, just to get it right.

I had the pleasure of going to Yuma and spending a weekend with Skip and his Arizona family. We'd already been friends, but, that was when I really got to appreciate all that Skip Littlewood was as a person.

He laughed about the origins of The Republic of Tea, a splintered piece of wood from a food crate that had those words on it. "It just seemed right to call this place."

We talked about everything in our lives. The highs. The lows. Being fathers. Everything.

Few would know that Skip was a star athlete in high school and actually went to the University of Maryland on a football scholarship. He made it a semester there (:)) because he wanted to play football as opposed to studying.

He went to Vietnam and served this country proud. That is where the moniker "Captain Skipper" came from. He talked generally about the war, very openly and honestly, but I could always tell it had changed him profoundly. All of those stories will stay private.

After the war I think Skip was looking for a calmer life. He settled in in Yuma and actually didn't like leaving his "safety zone" (my words) not his, very often.

Finally, one year I talked him into traveling with some old service buddies to an ABB show at Red Rocks. Not only did I want to see him again, I wanted to introduce him to many people in attendance so that they could see the man behind the remasters, how much more that he was than just an offer of music on this website. He was his always humble self, but, I could tell that he appreciated meeting so many other diehard ABB fans and to realize what he meant to them.

Back in 2005, a number of us from this site went to Pittsburgh in support of Bob O'Brien (Bobo as he was known here). We attended an ABB concert but that was only an excuse for us to be there to support Bob who was struggling with cancer, exactly what took Skip from us. It was an incredible experience and something with people from all over the US and Canada that were drawn there because of our love of Bob, who we had all "met" from some website started by Rowland and Lana. What magic that weekend was!

As we were in the parking lot honing our listening skills (translated that means drinking beer :)) I thought of Skip because the vibe that weekend was so special. I called him because I wanted him to know that I was thinking of him and knew he couldn't be there. Still, I wanted him to somehow share in the experience. When we were finished talking, I said to everyone "Hey, who wants to talk to Captain Skipper?" And, there were so many takers that I didn't get my phone back for maybe an hour. I think that may have been the first time that PhotoRon talked with Skip and they eventually forged a great friendship. That's the kind of guy that Skip was. He was instantly your friend.

Along those same lines, Skip had just gotten a copy of the 5/23/70 ABB featuring the 54 minute Mountain Jam that diehard fans had been hoping to one day hear. Skip called me to let me know that it was actually in his hands. It was rough and he hadn't had a chance to yet work his magic on it. I asked him a big favor. I knew Bobo's health was in serious decline and I asked Skip to send Bob a copy so that he could have the chance to hear it. Skip was more than happy to do so. It meant so much to Bob.

I could mention Skip was a little league teammate of Jimmy Ibbotson, later of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and
that they maintained a long friendship. I could mention the "Barry Manilow" prank I pulled on Skip (and that he subsequently pulled on others). I could mention so many other things too but my main reason to post all of this is to try in some small way to give folks here a small feel for what we all lost when Skip passed from us.

He was so, so much, more than just some remasters that he shared to all that we interested.

I will miss you Skip. Rest in Peace my friend.

I was extremely remiss in not mentioning in my earlier post how very thankful I am that someone as kind and caring as Renee was with Skip helping him through this ordeal.

I cannot begin to imagine her pain and that of all the children and grandchildren involved.

As always, Coot* finds the words that escape the rest of us.

Pixberg was the first time I talked to Skip on the phone.

Years before, Skip, KCJimmy and micelf would burn the midnight oil posting in one thread, it was our version of chat.

Lots of comparing notes on raising kids, the struggles some of them had, and much hilarity one upping each other with plays on words.

We were a Firesign Theater of the ABB site.

When Jimmy left the site for an extended time that's when I decided to honor those great times with the "memorial" KCJimmy Lounge.

It grew from there.

I regret not talking on the phone to Skip more often.

When his wife was sick we talked a bunch but my hearing isn't great and my phone at that time sucked ass.

You could tell he was trying to downplay my wrong answers to simple questions or my asking him to repeat himself.

Sadly, by the time I got a decent phone I could hear on, he wasn't really up to long conversations.

I will miss him.

Anyone who doesn't have a copy of his YDLM, JFA, let me know.

I've given away over a hundred copies of his almost hour long compilation/splice of Duane era versions of the song.

It's a guitargasm of early ABB music, I have kept a copy in every vehicle I drive.

Captain Skipper.
A true fan of the music.
My condolences to Capt. Skipper's family and to his extended family on this board who are obviously hurting right now.
May the music work to heal.

oldcoot* has a PM in his message thingy.

I'm so sorry for everyone, for all of us.
God Bless you Capt. Skipper

So sorry to hear..My condolences to his friends & family..He spread a lot of joy....

Prayers for Skip's friends and family. Another great one gone too soon. My few pm's with him were treasured

Words cannot express how thankful I am for the time that Skip spent talking, messaging and giving to my wife & I during the most difficult time we have ever had. As Coot described so well I felt an instant friendship the first time I talked to Skip. He really cared enough about what was going on in my life (a stranger but for the postings on this site) to spend time sharing his thoughts and encouragement on matters he could relate too.

I remember so well staying up way too late goofing off on this site with Ron, Skip Clay and sooo many others. I am so thankful for the support from Skip and everyone for that matter. There were times I would log off and feel guilty for a second or two because I was actually having fun even though I had all kinds of things to be worried about and focused on. I learned though with the help of friends like these that it is important to have faith and know that our God has things under control. We may not understand why things happen the way they do. One thing Skip taught me was that getting caught up in all the negativity of what's going on was not going to help at all. Do what you can and stay positive. Have faith that things will work out.

God bless Skip, his family and all those touched by him.

Besides all the great music. Skip was just a nice guy and great family man. He will be missed and never forgot.
Ed

any of us who owns all this great music can only feel great gratitude to Skip...a very generous man who made many of our lives,mine included,a heck of a lot more fun,enjoyable and gratifying through all the music he gave us....RIP and condolences to the many who loved him.

So sad to read this ... 🙁 Thoughts go out to Renae who had entirely too short a period of time with her Captain Cutie. What a blessing that they found each other. And to his daughters who he always showed love and pride for. And to all whose lives he touched ... the list is long. Others have said so well what kind of man Skip was and the impact he had on all of us here through his gifts of music and his friendship. I know I have some CDs that were delivered with kind notes from the Skipper and these are now even more cherished. Safe travels, Skip ... you were (are) well loved...

good evenin yall,,,i cant member my password no more so im usin cowboys page,,,,i wanna thank all yall for the kind, beautiful words bout my cowboy,,,,i also wanna thank yall for the prayers and all the love sent his way in all the differnt forms it was sent,,,,,,he the best thang to ever happen to me,,,he give so free of his self, his time, his talent and his love,,,,he was peaceful and pain free when he passed thru the lite,,,he was home wit me and our girls,,,he is mourned,,,he is missed,,,he is loved,,,but most of all he is now and forever capt. skipper,,,,my cowboy and i love him,,,,god bless all yall,,,,,,,,,,,renee

Glad you and Skip found your way to each other, Renee.

Thank You Renee.............

Thank You Renee.............

As I still consider myself to be one of the new guys here, at least compared to some of you long timers, I have been struggling with what to say about Capt. Skipper and his untimely passing.

I did not have the history with him that many of you did, but I was able to chat with him a couple times by PM, and like many of you, I have been able to enjoy several of his remasters often, and I just knew then and know now, from reading some of the posts about him what a labor of love these remasters were to him, and how valued they were and are here.

I wish I had had the opportunity to know him better, but as that sadly will never be possible, I am glad nonetheless that I will always be able to own a part of what he was and will always be reminded of his former presence here, whenever I play one of his shows ..

RIP Capt. Skipper

And God bless you Renee. You are in my prayers and thoughts ...

[Edited on 6/28/2015 by les_paul_sunburst]