Set For February Release on Public Television and the PBS App
BOSTON (Jan. 24, 2024) – American Public Television is excited to announce the release of GREGG ALLMAN LIVE: BACK TO MACON, GA, coming to select public television stations and on Passport in the PBS App beginning February 22, 2024. The stellar program captures the legendary Gregg Allman and his eight-piece solo band in a high-energy performance that was recorded on January 14, 2014 at the venerable Grand Opera House, a 1,000 seat jewel of a theatre that was built in 1884 in Macon, the Middle Georgia town where it all began for the Allman Brothers Band over 40 years ago.
The broadcast program features nine tracks and the PBS Passport version features an additional seven songs, including selections from the Allman Brothers Band (ABB) catalog, tunes from Allman’s solo albums and several dynamic cover songs. Hits performed include “I’m No Angel,” “Melissa” and “Midnight Rider.”
ABB historian and Hittin’ the Note editor John Lynskey captured the emotion and historic power of the extraordinary event in the album liner notes. “Gregg took to the Grand Opera House stage with a group that, as he put it, ‘is a real kick-ass band.’ Featuring Scott Sharrard on guitar, bassist Ron Johnson, Ben Stivers on keyboards, drummer Steve Potts, Allman Brothers veteran Marc Quinones on percussion, saxophonists Jay Collins and Art Edmaiston and Dennis Marion on trumpet, these eight players plus special guest, Allman’s son Devon, formed one of the best solo units Allman had fronted in years.
Gregg summarized the experience of recording live in Macon thusly: “Macon is a wonderful town with wonderful people, and I still have some dear, dear friends there. Macon holds a special place in my heart; it comes with a lot of different memories, but the good ones are all that matter to me now. I’m so proud of this album; boy, we were smokin’ that night.”
Gregg Allman is one of the most acclaimed and beloved icons in rock and roll history. As a founding member of the legendary Allman Brothers Band and in his own storied solo career, Allman was a gifted natural interpreter of the blues, his soulful and distinctive voice one of the defining sounds in the history of American music.
At the 54thAnnual Grammy Awards in 2012, the Allman Brothers Band was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, in part a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the group’s seminal album Eat a Peach. Gregg himself, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, was also nominated for Best Blues Album for his acclaimed first solo record in 13 years, Low Country Blues.
Gregg died due to complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, Ga., on May 17, 2017. He played his last show October 29, 2016 at his own Laidback Festival in Atlanta.
GREGG ALLMAN LIVE: BACK TO MACON, GA is supplied by White Light International Media Ltd in association with American Public Television’s Premium Service, a co-production, co-financing and acquisition fund that provides fundraising specials to member stations, now in its 35th season. With the financial backing of their public television client stations, APT Premium Service has secured many of public television’s most prestigious and highest-rated programs.
About APT:
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, The Indian Doctor, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, Front & Center, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. APT’s newest venture, APT Podcast Studios, presents podcast productions including “If This Food Could Talk,” “Armchair Explorer” and “Gravy.” More information at APTonline.org
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SONG LIST
GREGG ALLMAN LIVE: BACK TO MACON, GA
ACT ONE
“Statesboro Blues”
“I’m No Angel”
“These Days”
“Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More”
ACT TWO
“Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’”
“Melissa”
“Midnight Rider”
ACT THREE
“Whipping Post”
“One Way Out”
EXTRA SONGS ON PASSPORT
“Queen of Hearts”
“Can’t Be Satisfied”
“Brightest Smile in Town”
“Hot ‘Lanta”
“I’ve Found a Love”
“Before the Bullets Fly”
“Love Like Kerosene”
