yup a great discussion

Man that was a tough one. Great sentiment from Scott and Chank.

Glad we got Southern Blood. Its a great body of work.

Beautiful

This seems to confirm what we use to hear in the 1970's and later in the 90's and even in the 2000's Gregg's interviews would tip it. Gregg was not a big fan of jam bands and was not into the Allman Brothers like his brother, Dickey, Berry and Butch. Jaimoe would have rather been in a jazz band but did bond with Duane and knew he would make a better living with Duane.

Gregg Allman was most satisfied with his solo efforts and his last band was finally the band he had always wanted.

Gregg wasn't that thrilled with what the ABB did with several of his songs such as Wbipping Post and Dreams. The different arrangements and long, long guitar solos. Sometimes more time would pass before Gregg got to sing the next verse than the total time of the song when Gregg wrote it. If they did Blue Sky followed by Liz Reed, Gregg would be relegated to a side man for 15 minutes. It's not how musician/singers such as Gregg, Mick Jagger, Bob Seger etc like to play.

Gregg was in the Allman Brothers out of respect to his brother even years after Duane's death. But I think Gregg folded his solo band in 1989 to the big disappointment of Dan Toler and the others because that Dreams box set tour in 1989 took in more money than Gregg solo had un the last 10 years. Gregg had filed bankruptcy in the early 1980's, Jaimoe was living at the poverty level, Butch wasn't making any money. Only Dickey was a multimillionaire in 1989. Duane's band made all of them wealthy again in just 4 years. Even though Dickey believed what he accomplished with Brothers and Sisters is what really put them on the map, they all knew Duane Allman was why they were famous and able to make very good money in the 1990s. Dickey said then that he would like to think his writing and guitar would have allowed him to eventually get some kind of success if he had not met Duane, but he couldn't be sure. He felt lucky he met Duane and became part of a great band.

There were several times Gregg wanted to get away from Dickey due to creative clashes and Dickey's drug and alcohol problem and temper made Gregg want to leave the band more than once. But it would cool and Gregg and Dickey would become tight again. Even three years before Gregg passed he began to miss Dickey, began mentioning Dickey on stage before Southbound and that led to Dickey calling Gregg and they became friends again the last three years of Gregg's life.

After it came to a head and exploded in 2000, Butch moved in to capture more control of the band and to get his personal business ventures involving the band rolling and Gregg began to clash with Butch Trucks. That is a big reason the long lasting last lineup only got one studio album out the gate.

At the time I doubted the accuracy of info I was hearing from a long time reliable source but if correct, Gregg wanted to fold the Allman Brothers in 2009 and he found out Derek and Warren did too. But Butch had a lot of irons in the fire by then and needed the band to keep going. Butch agreed to cutting way back after the Beacon each year so Gregg, Derek and Warren could do the projects they enjoyed the most. Even Butch agreed 2014 would be it but when it arrived Butch got cold feet about breaking up but Gregg, Derek and Warren wouldn't go for another extension. I wish they had given Butch one big tour. They promised one but it was postponed due to Gregg's health then never happened. Things ended at the BeaconButch desperately needed that income.

Well that's my take, a major fan since early 1970. I think my close following of this band and Capricorn friends I made in 1972 when I got into radio and album promotion allows me to be accurate on much of the way the band worked and evolved and their internal dealings, fights and celebrations. I could be wrong on some of my guesses as I try to tie things together though. Alan Paul knows more but much of what was in his excellent book I already knew. It was nice to have those stories confirmed. The story I heard about Dickey pulling a knife on Allen Woody being the big reason Warren and Allen left in 1997 was right but I heard it happen back stage. But Alan Paul's book said it was actually in front of a hotel at the busses. Now Dickey also liked Woody alot and went to his funeral. Drugs and alcohol are why Dickey was hard to handle much of the time. Even Duane had to tread easy with Dickey at times. Dickey refused to play on the bands first album because there were no windows in the recording studio. Duane got that settled when he posted a roadie Duckey trusted to be outside ready to alert those inside if they needed to hit the exit. We old fans heard that one from a roadie in 1970. It was fascinating to learn things about how your favorite band acted off the stage. But for the most part, in 1970 everybody associated with the Allman Brothers were very, very tight and were more or less disciples of Howard Duane Allman.

Blackey, There's a lot of truth in your overall statement, certainly about Gregg's feelings about the band, treatment of his songs, etc. He basically said this to me and others in interviews over the years. But the final conclusion here is not correct. I really don't think Gregg ever wanted to end the ABB. He wanted to do both, and did so.

Don't you think he was ready to sunset the ABB by 2009 Alan? Thank you for responding.

Hello Al, I hope all's well, I know you're doing an interview for the 25th w/Scott and the GA band focused on the making of Southern Blood. Is that going to be a Guitarworld thing or for any other available entity, possibly streamed? Just wonderin'? Thanx.

Don't you think he was ready to sunset the ABB by 2009 Alan? Thank you for responding.

No, I really don't. I'm sure he had those thoughts, but if he wanted to do so, he would have done so. And I don't think Warren was looking to do so either.

I know you're doing an interview for the 25th w/Scott and the GA band focused on the making of Southern Blood. Is that going to be a Guitarworld thing or for any other available entity, possibly streamed?

No, I don't think so. This isn't really my event. I'm just the hired gun so to speak.

Thank you Alan. I got the impression from what several in the band said in 2014 they talked about stopping in 2009 at the 40th anniversary then Butch talked then into going another 5 years but after the Beacon they would cut way back with the shows each year so Gregg, Warren and Derek could do their solo and other band projects. Then when 2014 arrived, Butch got cold feet about ending the band so Warren and Derek let it be clear they would not continue in the band after 2014.

Well enough said. I've been a huge ABB fan since early 1970 when they just had one album out and we hard core fans would hear stuff from roadies and sound men etc but it was mostly very positive info before Duane died as everyone including the roadies were very happy to be associated with the band and Duane Allman.

Take care.

Well done classy tribute to Gregg last night at City Winery . All of The Brothers knew how to cherry pick great musicians for their solo bands . Gregg did a tremendous job recruiting this group . Congratulations to Scott Sharard and City Winery for putting these shows together.

Here's the opening number...

Statesboro Blues w/Deva Mahal

Well done classy tribute to Gregg last night at City Winery . All of The Brothers knew how to cherry pick great musicians for their solo bands . Gregg did a tremendous job recruiting this group . Congratulations to Scott Sharard and City Winery for putting these shows together.

x2 on this, I made each night and these guys should be proud of themselves.
It was a real nice thing to do for everyone and I'm glad everyone enjoyed theses shows.

1st night

The complete Gregg Allman Live Back to Macon cd played in order.

2nd Night

The Complete Gregg Allman Southern Blood cd played in order. They opened with 3 songs that didn't make it on to Southern Blood then right into the full cd with a One Way Out encore.

( I'll try and backtrack the names of the 3 songs and post it.

Thanks, Thanks again to theses guys.

Pack It Up (Freddie King)
Whatever A Good Man Needs (GA & SS)
Hummingbird (Leon Russell)

3 outtakes that didn't make the album due to conditions and health)

He mentioned Leon with Hummingbird but when I took a pic of the set list preshow BB Kings version of Hummingbird excited my head. I'll have a thread up later or tomorrow. Great band playing great tunes.