Southern rock music star Gregg Allman was a soulful vocal made the Allman Brothers Band one of rock’s top acts in the 1970s with songs such as “Ramblin’ Man”. He died on Saturday at the age of 69, his official website said. “It is with deep sadness that we announce that Gregg Allman passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia.” it said.
He was the band’s lead singer, keyboardist, and a key songwriter
The Allman Brothers Band was started in Macon, Georgia, in the late 1960s by Gregg and older brother Duane. He became the band’s guiding force and one of the rock’s most revered guitarists before he was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 24. Southern rock music star Gregg Allman was the band’s lead singer, keyboardist and a key songwriter as it put out a string of hits. He wrote several of them such as “Whipping Post,” “It’s Not My Cross to Bear,” “Midnight Rider,” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” and “Melissa”. While others were renditions of old blues songs, including “One Way Out” and “Statesboro Blues.”
“He sounded like he’d already lived a thousand lifetimes”
“He sounded like he’d already lived a thousand lifetimes,” singer Sheryl Crow told Rolling Stone magazine. The band members developed a family-style relationship, bonding while hanging out at Macon’s Rose Hill cemetery, with Duane in what Gregg said was the father role. The band’s first three albums – including “At Fillmore East,” considered a groundbreaking live recording at the time – made them stars. But shortly after that, groundbreaking live recording at the time – made them stars, but shortly after that, Duane had his fatal motorcycle crash in Macon in 1971.
The rest of the band was stricken. But carried on and put out another well-regarded album, “Eat a Peach.” Then 13 months after Duane’s death, bassist Berry Oakley was killed in a similar motorcycle accident only a few blocks from where Duane had been killed. Then 13 months after Duane’s death, bassist Berry Oakley was killed in a similar motorcycle accident only a few blocks from where Duane had been killed. They were buried next to each other in Rose Hill.
The trap of rock star excess
Drugs became so prevalent that the first time they entered their new private plane. They were greeted by the words “Welcome Allman Brothers” spelled out in cocaine on the bar, Gregg wrote in his memoir, “My Cross to Bear.” By the mid-’70s the cloud over the band grew darker as Gregg became a heroin addict and Betts assumed leadership. When Allman’s valet, Scooter Herring, was arrested for drug dealing in 1976, Allman, then married to singer-actress Cher, accepted immunity and testified to a grand jury against the man who acquired drugs for him. What had once been a familial group split up over what was seen as Allman’s betrayal.
He would go on to a solo career. As well as taking part in reformations of the Allman Brothers before bringing down the curtain on the group in 2014 with a four-hour show in New York that included original members Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson. The band went into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. But Allman said in his book that he was too drunk to enjoy it.
Southern rock music star Gregg Allman was a Motorcycles Lover
Gregg Allman was also a great lover of motorcycles. Mitch Omar of Os Custom Paints reworked his legendary Harley-Davidson Street Glide making it even more unique. The singer will miss the whole world of bikers and not only.