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RIP Johnny Neel

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porkchopbob
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Former ABB keyboardist Johnny Neel passed away yesterday. Lots of kind words from his music pals Warren and Duane Betts and others he sounded like a beloved figure.

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Posted : October 7, 2024 8:42 am
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islalala
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RIP Johnny --- Had to repost this clip of a funny story Warren told about him

 

 
Posted : October 7, 2024 9:28 am
robslob
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I am bummed to hear this news.  Here's Johnny Neel jamming on harmonica with the Brothers at a 1990 acoustic show.  Not many blind musicians accomplished what Johnny did.  He was an excellent keyboard player as well.  OOPS.......video disabled here.  Go to YouTube and search for Allman Brothers Come On In My Kitchen.

This post was modified 4 weeks ago 2 times by robslob
 
Posted : October 7, 2024 11:42 am
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porkchopbob
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Posted by: @robslob

I am bummed to hear this news.  Here's Johnny Neal jamming on harmonica with the Brothers at a 1990 acoustic show.  Not many blind musicians accomplished what Johnny did.  He was an excellent keyboard player as well.  OOPS.......video disabled here.  Go to YouTube and search for Allman Brothers Come On In My Kitchen.

Johnny Neel was an exceptional musician. It's no surprise his style didn't really fit with the ABB, but I'm glad he was still in the band when they played that MTV Unplugged show. It's an absolute gem with the whole band taking part.

 

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Posted : October 7, 2024 2:14 pm
Stephen
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Sad news - rest in peace Johnny, such a key part of the 1989 reunion

 
Posted : October 7, 2024 4:25 pm
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robertdee
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When you play At Fillmore East or Eat A Peach now ONLY ONE person on those albums is alive now. Jaimoe. 

But look at the album Seven Turns here in 2024 with Johnny gone. 

Johnny Neel is gone plus Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks and Allen Woody. 

Only Warren Haynes and Jaimoe are left. 

 
Posted : October 8, 2024 7:15 pm
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robslob
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@robertdee:  Look hard at the 3:46 mark.  A very young Derek Trucks is shown, playing a guitar.  It only lasts one second at most.  Makes sense, this was 1990 and Derek would have been 11 years old by then.

 
Posted : October 10, 2024 2:07 pm
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robertdee
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@robslob Derek has a acoustic guitar!? That is cool. 

I listened to an interview with Gregg and the guy asked Gregg when was the first time you heard Derek Trucks play? And Gregg said it was in Miami and he was there with the Allman Brothers working on the album Enlighten Rouges and Butchie talked him into going over to a little bar to see his nephew and his slide on songs such as Statesboro Blues with remind Gregg of his brother Duane. 

But the interviewer said " Wait a minute. That album was recorded the same year Derek was born!!" 

And Gregg then said. " Oh I guess you're right. That couldn't have been my first time to see Derek. I guess I don't know when it was. I'll have to think about that for a little".

I am rather sure it was 1990 and they were recording the Seven Turns album

Johnny Neel wrote Good Clean Fun to a point then let Dickey work with it and Gregg eventually got it and polished it and got it sounding like it does now. 

 
Posted : October 10, 2024 6:58 pm
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matt05
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Huge loss, he was an important part of the reunion era 

 
Posted : October 11, 2024 10:53 am
robertdee
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Johnny Neel gets a solo in Blue Sky in 1989. This tour was put together to promote the Dreams Box Set and to see how a new ABB would sound for the A&R people at Epic Records who had signed Gregg and Dickey to separate solo contracts and they wanted the ABB to try an album. 

The tour according to Warren surprised Gregg and Dickey because not only did the band sound good again with some new players, Gregg and Dickey Warren said made the most money off a tour they had in years. So naturally they decided to put their solo bands aside and record a new album and tour again in 1990. 

Johnny Neel solo on Blue Sky from 1989. 

This post was modified 1 week ago by robertdee
 
Posted : October 21, 2024 9:21 pm
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robertdee
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Just listened to this again. Johnny Neel did good on Blue Sky. 

Had my headphones on and man o man Dickey Betts' tone is absolutely amazing. Fantastic tone. 

I have a 1994 Hitting the Note magazine and Jaimoe is being interviewed and he's ask about Warren Haynes and how he has energized the ABB. 

Jaimoe was complimentary toward Warren as he should be as Warren was great in the band from 1989 to 1997. But Jaimoe added " Warren ain't no Betts though. Betts is a m** f**. Just listen to Dickey's tone".

 
Posted : October 24, 2024 7:54 pm
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