Guest Book

Great to see that the ABB is getting the recognition it so rightfully deserved for their vision and musicianship. I've felt it for 40 years. I have enjoyed every version of the band for their individual talents that they brought to the group and that they played as a group. I really hope that Dickey and Warren can play together. I alway wondered why they haven't played onstage since Warren left for Gov't Mule (or have they?). They alway seemed to compliment each other so well. We'll see what happens in Feb.. Peace

Rainy thanks for posting that pic. Don't believe I ever saw that one. Duane is on a guitar I was not aware of, a Les Paul Custom with P90 pick ups, wow that would have been an interesting sound for him. Anyone know what recording that could possibly be on?

'The magic planet of no pain': Gregg Allman talks about songwriting, struggle with Hepatitis C Posted: January 20, 2012 By Linda Sickler savannahnow.com Yet another stellar award is about to be bestowed on the Allman Brothers Band. On Feb. 11, they’ll be presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy, which sponsors the Grammy Awards. The presentation will be made as part of the 2012 Special Merit Awards, an invitation-only ceremony that takes place during Grammy week. Other recipients this year are Diana Ross, Glen Campbell, Antonio Carlos Jobim, George Jones, the Memphis Horns and Gil Scott-Heron. But before heading to Los Angeles to accept the award, Gregg Allman will play tonight at the Johnny Mercer Theater. “This is with my solo band, the one that did the record ‘Lowcountry Blues,’” Allman said from his home in Richmond Hill. “We’ll be playing some of everything. We’ll play songs I wrote, and we’ll include quite a few Allman Brothers songs.” Diversity is the key, in Allman’s book. “We just kind of skip around and change everything around every night,” he said. “We do a lot of jamming. We don’t want to get bored or get people in the audience bored, either.” Allman’s adopted hometown is a great place to perform, he said. “Savannah loves music. That accounts for all the different festivals we have around here, that we have all over the Southeast coast.” Fighting hepatitis C Allman has had to take some time off from touring in recent years. In 2010, he had transplant surgery after hepatitis C damaged his liver. Last summer, he had to cancel some tour dates because of complications from the transplant. “One of my lungs started crinkling up at the bottom,” he said. “I had to go back in the hospital. I had three more surgeries last August. “It was long and painful, and it got a little scary there, but I pulled through it OK,” Allman said. “I’ve been just resting, eating right, exercising and doing everything they tell me. “I won’t be back into full form until probably spring,” he added. “I do Pilates and I do a lot of walking. I have a treadmill in the house and, if the gnats aren’t bad, I walk outside.” No one is more open about his battle with hepatitis C than Allman. “I got it from a tattoo when I was 20 years old,” he said. “In my mid to late 30s, I started drinking heavily.” Allman encourages others to be proactive. “If you think you may have hepatitis C, if you want to know all about it in the privacy of your own home, there’s a website — www.getintunewithhepc.com,” he said. “When you hit the website, you open this book and it tells you everything from start to finish about hep C, how to know if you have it, if you are at risk for it. I reiterate this — doing nothing is not an option.” In 1999, the year Allman moved to Savannah, he was first diagnosed. “The doctors watched my liver for eight years, and then a spot appeared on it. That spot turned into two spots, and one spot started getting depth to it, which means a tumor. I had to go through all kinds of preliminary operations. “The liver is in a strange place of the body,” Allman said, “and it’s hard to get pictures of every part. It’s like a loaf of bread that’s been sat on.” Back to writing songs After being laid low, Allman did some songwriting. “I’ve written a couple of things,” he said. “It takes a while to get back into the groove. I think, ‘I have time on my hands, I’ll write,’ but it’s not quite that simple. But about six weeks after the operation, I started getting the old passion back for writing.” Allman has his own style of songwriting. “I write little tiny bits at a time,” he said. “Two of them will fuse together. It’s kind of my own hieroglyphic thing.” The better the song, the higher Allman regards it. “They’re like my little babies. I’ve got some that I don’t care as much about. Those are easy to pick out.” Then there are distractions that get in the way, including Allman’s Yorkipoo, Otis, and miniature poodle, Maggie. “A blade of grass can move and they’ll bark,” he said. “I have to pull the blinds so they can’t see out.” A consummate performer, Allman refuses to let anything less than a transplant get in his way. “One time, I had an abscessed tooth and had to go on and play,” he said. “It really kicked in. “I call the stage ‘the magic planet of no pain.’ I walked out and sat down and started playing and didn’t feel any conscious pain at all. When I got off the stage and got to the wings, it came right back.” Another time, Allman had sciatic nerve pain, but still performed. “I was using a cane and holding on to this other guy,” he said. “I got out there and the pain subsided, but I was aware of it the whole time.” The downside of fame Being famous isn’t always pleasant, Allman said. “It has two or three downsides. Sometimes you don’t care to be recognized. When it’s time to have a day off, you can’t take one.” But inevitably, when Allman goes out, he gets recognized. “I’ve been on that stage and under those lights for so long, I guess,” he acknowledged. “For the most part, it’s good, most especially here. The people who pass me on the street say, ‘Hey, man, I love your music. Thank you.’ “That’s my kind of fan there. They don’t ask, ‘Can you sign these nine albums?’ and you know they’ll be on eBay tomorrow. I’ve gotten to where I sign one thing and personalize it to them. That ought to be enough.” For most people, it is. “It’s really something that they want and they’ll treasure in their heart,” Allman said. “Now people are coming up with these plastic cards and pick guards off of guitars, and I know they’re selling them,” he said. “Every town has those kinds of autograph hunters.” Allman said he’s truly looking forward to playing in Savannah tonight. “It’s been way, way too long,” he said. “I don’t know how Savannah got on the bottom of the list for the touring schedule, but believe me, these things are going to change. If you can’t play your hometown, where can you play?”

well now: Yeah Nic! Belated Happy Birthday Pam! Happy for everyone doing Beacon! A foot of snow outside and the world is still quiet out there, people hide in on Saturday mornings like this....... and The Grammys, this will be a momentous thing.

Good Morning WHOO HOO... seriously... I am so Happy .. it's about friggin time.. I can cross this off my Bucket List. If they were to play OH MY.. but to have them together for such an important award , I am grateful and happy for the acknowledgment for all the members of The Greatest Band in the Land... Duane, Berry, Twiggs, Joseph, Joe Dan, Mike, Lamar are all united with arms around each other and if there are tears of joy in heaven, then they have them on their cheeks.. Thanks for posting and sharing..made my night, year .. Dang that is some good news. :dog: :angel: :inlove:

😎

Glad to hear the good news, Leah. RIP Etta James................another good one gone too soon. so sad

RIP Etta....:cry:

Amen 🙂

thanks Mitch :wave: yes, the young man on trumpet..Have mercy! love to you & Marie Fabulous :fanfare: :fanfare: :fanfare: Reggie and Paul...great stuff the writing/new music is excellent too..How lucky for us fans Nic-y, so great to see you posting...give Pam an extra birthday hug & kiss from the McFamily Keep fighting the good fight