Gregg Allman’s final LP “Southern Blood” will be released posthumously on September 8th and the first track is now available to stream in the form of the song “My Only True Friend.”
Co-written with longtime musical director Scott Sharrard, The song recalls stories from Allman’s past with brother Duane. “I never told him because I didn’t want to spook him,” Sharrard said of writing the song with Duane in mind. “Since his brother was such an important figure in his life.”
The album also includes a number of covers including the Grateful Dead’s “Black Muddy River” along with songs from Bob Dylan, Little Feat, Jackson Browne and others. “He loved the guys in the Dead,” Sharrard said of Allman’s relationship with the band. “But I don’t know if that writing style was his bag in general. But he warmed up to the tune and in the end he thought, ‘Man, I kinda love this song.’”
Produced by Don Was with the help of longtime friend and manager Michael Lehman, Southern Blood is the first new material from Gregg Allman, who died this May.
Gregg Allman’s final studio album “Southern Blood” – coming September 8th, 2017.
September 23rd marked 45 years since the release of the Allman Brothers Band’s second studio album, “Idlewild South”, on Atco and Capricorn Records, which followed their 1969, self-titled debut. While that first album had little commercial success, the band’s relentless touring behind it led to a buzz that led Eric Clapton to enlist Duane Allman to take part on his 1970 Derek and the Dominos album which produced “Layla.” Produced by Tom Dowd, marking his first album with the band, Idlewild South was recorded in a variety of cities, including New York, Miami and Macon, GA, the band’s adopted home, because of their hectic performance schedule. Most of the songs, including two of their most iconic – Gregg Allman and Kim Payne’s “Midnight Rider” and Dickey Betts’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” – were road-tested before they were ever recorded. The album’s title comes from the group’s name for the run-down, isolated hunting cabin the band used for rehearsals and partying. The farmhouse, which they rented for the princely sum of $165 a month, was located on a manmade lake outside Macon, and people came and went with such frequency, the band compared it to New York’s airport of the same name (later changed to John F. Kennedy International). Much of the material on the album was first created in that cabin, where the band’s “brotherhood came to pass,” according to Allmans roadie (and “Midnight Rider” co-writer) Kim Payne. The album didn’t sell well at first, but eventually peaked at #38 on Billboard, setting the stage for their 1971 breakthrough, At Fillmore East.
The additional tracks include session outtakes of “Statesboro Blues” and “One More Ride,” an alternate take of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” an alternative mix of “Midnight Rider” and a mono single version of “Revival (Love Is Everywhere).” There are also nine tracks from the 1970 Live at Ludlow Garage album, remastered for the first time since 1990, including the previously unreleased song “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” now making this concert recording complete for the first time.
Idlewild South has since gone on to become one of the Allman Brothers Band’s most iconic releases. Rolling Stone named it one of the “40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of All Time” in 2014: “The Allman Brothers transmogrified from mere blues-rockers to an assemblage creating an entirely new kind of Southern music.” Allmusic’s Bruce Eder called it “the best studio album in the group’s history, electric blues with an acoustic texture, virtuoso lead, slide and organ playing, and a killer selection of songs.”
Disc One:
1. Revival
2. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
3. Midnight Rider
4. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
5. Hoochie Coochie Man
6. Please Call Home
7. Leave My Blues at Home
Additional Material:
8. Statesboro Blues (Session Outtake) – Previously Unreleased New Mix
9. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (Alternate Take) – Previously Unreleased
10. One More Ride (Session Outtake) – Previously Unreleased New Mix
11. Midnight Rider (Alternate Mix) – Previously Unreleased
12. Revival (Love Is Everywhere) (Mono Single Version)
Disc Two:
1. Dreams (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
2. Statesboro Blues (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
3. Trouble No More (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
4. Dimples (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
5. Every Hungry Woman (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
6. I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
7. Hoochie Coochie Man (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
Disc Three:
1. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970) – Previously Unreleased
2. Mountain Jam (Live at Ludlow Garage 1970)
Blu-Ray Pure Audio, 5.1 (96kHz 24-bit Surround & Stereo)
1. Revival
2. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
3. Midnight Rider
4. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
5. Hoochie Coochie Man
6. Please Call Home
7. Leave My Blues At Home
8. Statesboro Blues (Session Outtake)
9. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (Alternate Take)
10. One More Ride (Session Outtake)
11. Midnight Rider (Alternate Mix)
Duane Allman’s memorial service was held at Snow’s Memorial Chapel on November 1, 1971. Nearly 300 friends, musicians and relatives attended. Duane’s guitar case stood in front of the floral-wreathed casket, and the band’s equipment was set up in the rear. At 3pm, the five remaining band members and Thom Doucette took their places. They began with an introduction of slow blues, before Gregg started to sing The Sky Is Crying from behind dark glasses. They played Key To The Highway, then Stormy Monday and In Memory of ElizabethReed. Dickey Betts played for Duane in the places where Duane would have normally been heard. Dr. John and Bobby Caldwell joined the band, along with Delaney Bramlett for a hair-raising Will The Circle Be Unbroken, which left many in tears. After a brief tribute by Delaney Bramlett, Gregg sang a few songs by himself, the last being Melissa, introduced as a favorite of his brother. “I never much cared for it, but I’m going to sing it to him.” The rest of the group returned for one last song, Statesboro Blues. When they had finished, Dickey took the Les Paul he was playing – it was Duane’s guitar – and stood it up next to Duane’s guitar case.
Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler gave the eulogy. His moving portrayal of Duane’s dedication to Southern gospel, soul and blues music, and the place he attained alongside the great musicians and blues singers from the South captured the magnitude of his musical achievements. At the end of the service, Gregg looked at the assembled guests and said, “I’m very proud that you all came.”
Berry Oakley, Jaimoe, Delaney Bramlett and Dickey playing in front of Duane. Snow’s Memorial Chapel. Macon, GA. November 1, 1971.
R.I.P Duane Allman, Howard Duane Allman was born November 20th, 1946 in Nashville, Tennessee to mother Geraldine Alice and father Willis Allman. Duane faced many obstacles growing up but the worst was his father’s murder by a shell- shocked veteran that Willis was kind enough to give a ride to…
Understandably so, Duane’s mother sent the Duane and Gregg to Castle Heights Military Academy before moving them to Daytona Beach, FL for work which was a lot of change for Duane and Gregg. Eventually the family settled back in Nashville where Gregg started to express interest in the guitar while Duane wanted to ride free along the highway with the wind in his face on his motorcycle.
In his early 20’s Duane finally started to show interest in the guitar, which him and Gregg would fight over until Geraldine bought him a Gibson Les Paul Junior and it was all up hill from there…
The two boys grew up idolizing legends like BB King and really gravitated to the deep, raspy tones carried through the blues.Duane soon became the better of the two brothers, quit high school to focus on his passion at his fingertips and played shows in the area as the Escorts, later known as the Allman Joys. It’s hard to think that Duane Allman was all of 24 years old when he tragically died in a motorcycle accident on October 29th, 1971. How is it possible for a man to accomplish so much in so little time? In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Duane Allman has the second greatest guitarist to ever play, with only Jimi Hendrix ahead of him. Second greatest guitarist ever. And he didn’t even make it to 25. That’s almost unfathomable. And yet, we have the proof. “Skydog”, as he was affectionately known, left behind a body of work that is simply breathtaking. Much of that work, perhaps the most beloved by his fans, came as a member of the band he co-founded with his brother Gregg Allman, The Allman Brothers Band. But he also left behind a host of session work backing up musicians like Aretha Franklin and King Curtis. And there’s also his simply stunning contributions to Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Eric Clapton. “Layla” itself would simply not be the paragon of rock music that it is without Duane Allman’s immaculate slide guitar contributions. Eric Clapton found a kindred spirit in Duane Allman, and even tried to convince him to become a regular member of his band.
After teaching himself slide guitar with a pill bottle, Duane’s sound eventually caught the ear and eye of Fame Studios which led him to Wilson Pickett. Even Clapton was mesmerized by his iconic lead break at the end of Wilson Pickett’s “Hey Jude.”
After a year with Muscle Shoals,Duane felt frustrated with the limits the studio time brought him so he decided to call Gregg and bring buddies Betts and Oakley to finally form the Allman Brothers Band in 1969.
The Allman Brothers Band played with Clapton’s Derek and the Dominos and the two became fast friends, bonded by their talents but the two never had the chance to tour with each other due to Duane’s untimely death…
On October 29th, 1971, Duane took a spin around Macon, Georgia on his motorcycle, but while headed down Hillcrest Avenue he unexpectedly met a large flatbed truck and had to swerve out of the way to miss it but unfortunately made some type of contact with either the crane or the bed of the truck which threw him from the bike with a dangerous force. The motorcycle was also launched in the air from the crash and ended up landing on Duane and crushing his internal organs. Although Duane was alive when he was found, he passed away hours later from internal bleeding and other internal complications.He changed our lives forever with his musical influence and wonderful talents.
The Fat Angel Sings 