Guest Book

Allman Family, I would like to share with this wonderful family my experience of this year's Allman Brothers Band Beacon run. As you are all aware, the Beacon run this year was absolutely amazing and the love and the vibe of the music was in the air and in the streets of New York City. Since the very beginning, the music of the Allman Brothers Band has always transcended my spirit and soul to a place of love and enlightenment that I will forever be grateful. Every time I listen to the music of The Allman Brothers Band or attend a show, I always come away with a sense of enlightenment and spirituality that continues to bring positive changes within my life. The energy and light that is created through the blessings of these musicians is truly channeled from the light of angels. You have all been reading of the awesome music presented to us during the Beacon run and you will continue to read of the music for days to come. It is not necessary for me to expound upon you the experience of the music. What I choose to share with you is my experience of family, love, and friendship that I had the opportunity to be a part of during this years Beacon run. It has been an experience that has forever changed my life. In the past year or so, I have shared with this family some of my short stories and experiences in my life that have been moments close to my heart. This list and this family has made it a very safe home for me to share my stories with you. The love and appreciation this list has giving me has been overwhelming to say the least. The sharing of these moments of my life with this family has been momentous along the journey of my personal growth. In my heart, I am, and will forever be grateful to this family for giving me the opportunity to share my life with you. And it is for these reasons that is was essential for me to meet as many people from the list this year during my Allman Brothers Band run at the Beacon Theater Sunday night, prior to my flight to NYC was a night without any sleep what so ever. I waited until the last minute to pack and the evening was spent with a woman who has recently come into my life that I have come to care about deeply. I will share with you all in another story at another time what this women means to me and how important she is in my life. It is necessary that it is mentioned at this time because she was one of my main topics of conversations I had with many of you from the list during my Beacon run. It was during my time in NYC for the Beacon run that I realized the magnificence of this woman's involvement in my life and that I feel I may be falling deeply in love with her. The moments I share with this woman are moments within the experience of love. She doesn't know this yet so this is our little secret. I think she may already know, I just haven't told her yet, so please, hush hush. In the past six years, my heart had forgotten what it was to love a woman and what it was to have a woman love me. This woman has shown me the way to remembering me. She has reminded me of the one person I had forgotten to care about, which was myself. And now, after many years of closed eyes, I can once again see myself through the eyes of my own being. I met an amazing woman, a woman that makes me feel. Her name is Deanna. Having this information, you now know that I entered NYC on an emotional high with my heart open to all of you. This will explain to some of you why it was so difficult for me to say goodbye. It was especially difficult for me to say goodbye to Lana. Lana your spirit and friendship has touched my soul and you are without a doubt, a remarkable woman. This was the first time for me traveling into NYC after 9/11 and that in itself was an emotional roller coaster. For me, the feeling in the city sang out like the lyrics to the song Revival, "People can you feel it, love is everywhere, people can your hear it, love is in the air." The feeling in the city for me was a feeling of unity. Upon my arrival into NYC and after a bit of a journey to make my way to the Beacon Hotel in cold wet weather, I finally made it to meet up with my close friend from LA, Mark Kienlen. The reunion was welcomed and we decided it would be a good idea to get some lunch, drink beer and then nap before Monday night's show. We returned to the hotel from lunch with three beers into the afternoon and we were looking to crash for a couple of hours. Mark flew into NYC on a red eye flight Sunday night and he also hadn't slept for two days and was ready for a nap. He set the alarm clock to wake us at 7:30pm before the show and I was quick to question his actions due to the pre-show activities I had planned. His reply was, "I'm sure we will wake up before then and if we don't then good for me." I guess you had to be there, it just sounded funny. We were actually awakened by the knock on our room door around 6:30pm and it was none other than Gail Packer and Mark Berner to welcome us to NYC and the Allman Brothers Band Beacon run. Those of you who know Gail and Mark, you already know how wonderful these two people are. One day, I hope the rest of you have and opportunity to meet them. Gail, your warm smile means much, continue to share that with the world. As expected, Monday night's show was great. Tuesday morning came too soon and I had realized that I missed a message on my cellular phone from Paul Kaytes. I called him back and I was on way to his room to meet him in person. Before I could even enter into the room, Paul was embracing me in a hug telling me how glad he was to meet me and how he felt that he had been apart of the life of my daughter and I through my stories. It was at that point that I knew I had meet a man that was to become a friend of mine for life. Mr. Kaytes, I thank you for your friendship and support. Paul then lead me into the parlor of the room to meet Lana and again I was greeted with a hug and a genuine appreciation for our meeting. Lana and Paul are great peeps. They had introduced me to so many wonderful people that afternoon that I was finding it difficult to hold back my enthusiasm for all of my newly found friendships. That afternoon I was introduced to Ray Hutchinson and the most awesome couple from Pittsburgh, PA, and that would be Donna and Frank Lagana. Donna and Frank, you two are beautiful people that I am really glad I've had the opportunity to meet, I had a blast at Tribecca Blues Wednesday night and Donna, I'm sorry girl, but you can not have my hair. Donna wanted my hair and I'm just not willing to let her have it. Once again, as expected, Tuesday night's show was amazing. I have always been a fan of the shows in the middle of the week. During Tuesday night's show, I ended up sitting in front of Yossi and he introduced me to the ever so popular Taper Todd Hinden. Todd and I hit it off great and he and his friend Kevin ended up hanging out in our room until 5:30am listening to the entire second set of Tuesday night's show. Which by the way, was one of the most awesome versions of Whipping Post I have ever heard. Yossi is so great. At one point, while I was getting my dance groove on, he said to me, "man dude, you are smoking yourself and totally getting off on you, it is so great and it's a blast watching you having such a good time." Yossi's smile had to have been the biggest smile I had ever seen on anyone's face. He was having an awesome experience as well. Also during that evening, Mark Berner introduced me to the one and only, Josh Chasin. My friends, to meet Josh Chasin is as awesome an experience as you would think it would be from reading his posts. He is certainly a gentle man. Thank you Josh for your participation. Wednesday afternoon my friend from LA was heading home and he had such a great time. He wanted me to be sure to let you know that he was so glad to have had the opportunity to meet those of you he had meet and he is looking forward to meeting you all again in the future. While standing at the hotel front desk Wednesday afternoon, I had the most awesome opportunity to meet the chrispy Christine King. If you have never meet Christine, she is everything you would imagine. She is so wonderful and really cute too. Be careful, her smile is contagious. Miss Chrispy, the pleasure of meeting you is certainly all mine, thank you. Wednesday night was the off night for the Brothers, so Paul, myself, Donna and Frank Lagana went down to Tribecca Blues to check out The Yonrico Scott Band. We hooked up with my friend Russ from Chicago and it was a relaxing evening shared with new friends. As Thursday rolled around, I continued to meet more and more beautiful people at the hotel, the show and backstage. And please forgive me if I have forgotten to mention any of you, the experience for me has been so overwhelming I know I have forgotten to mention all of the wonderful peeps I came in contact with. Throughout the day I meet up with many others including my friend Brenda Griffin and her friends Rachel Naugle and Helen. Brenda, thank you so much for your friendship and guiding me along the way to this year's run through the roadfun group. Of course there were the Kringle sisters, Meg and Julie. Meg was the one who introduced me to the listserve, I can't tell her enough how grateful I am to her for hooking me up. Many hugs go out to Big Chief Bill Proudfoot, Jeff Griffin, Mariann, Nate Rosen, Kirby and Lisa Woodard, and to Brian and Stacey Orzell. Brian and Stacey, Thank you for the cool pictures. A big hug goes out to Captain Ron Everhardt. Ron you are way too cool for school brother, peace to you my friend. Miss CeeCee Russell, you are so sweet and as you know, I am always grateful to you for being there to take good care of me with great show trades. Thank you so very very much. And to the one we all know as Glenn B, another huge hug. Thank you Glenn for the company over Saturday's breakfast. Still again, I would like to thank Lana and offer up another big hug to Miss Lana Mama. Thank you for introducing me to Paul and Barbara Barbieri. They are so great and it was a pleasure for me sharing with you and them the story of how I met Deanna and how I felt at that moment. I would also like to thank you for introducing me to your friend, Pete, the NYC police officer. Pete the cop is a hero that goes beyond what any words or emotions can ever describe. His being has been an inspiration to my life. The biggest hug and thank you goes out to the one who has made this family and dream a reality for me. The one who has made it possible for me to be a part of this wonderful family that comes from a place of love and compassion. The one who has made it possible for me to grow within the love that this family has provided me. The man that I can not say thank you to enough and that man is Kirk West. Kirk, I have told you before, I would like to tell you again, you have been an angel to me and I am forever grateful to your friendship. Within my experience, the music of The Allman Brothers Band has always transcended beyond the music to a power of love which is much greater than you and I. The evolution of the music and the band has been an evolution based in love, family, brotherhood and friendship. I am grateful to the band and to the extended family for all of the music and the love that it has to offer. The road does indeed go on forever. Peace 🙂 Billy Hollems thesweetriver@earthlink.net Ain't Wastin' Time No More Ain't Wastin' Time No More by Gregg Allman (c) 1972 & 1974 by No Exit Music Co. Last Sunday morning, the sunshine felt like rain. Week before, they all seemed the same. With the help of God and true friends, I come to realize I still had two strong legs, and even wings to fly. And oh I, ain't wastin time no more 'Cause time goes by like hurricanes, and faster things. Lord, lord Miss Sally, why all your cryin'? Been around here three long days, you're lookin' like you're dyin'. Just step yourself outside, and look up at the stars above Go on downtown baby, find somebody to love. Meanwhile I ain't wastin' time no more 'Cause time goes by like pouring rain, and much faster things. You don't need no gypsy to tell you why You can't let one precious day slip by. Look inside yourself, and if you don't see what you want, Maybe sometimes then you don't, But leave your mind alone and just get high. Well by and by, way after many years have gone, And all the war freaks die off, leavin' us alone. We'll raise our children in the peaceful way we can, It's up to you and me brother To try and try again. Well, hear us now, we ain't wastin' time no more 'Cause time goes by like hurricanes Runnin' after subway trains Don't forget the pouring rain.