Allman Brothers Band (Official Thread)

Groovy Man

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Allman Brothers Band Official Website

Discography:

1969 The Allman Brothers Band
1970 Idlewild South
1971 At Fillmore East (Live)
1972 Eat a Peach
1973 Brothers and Sisters
1975 Win, Lose or Draw
1976 Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas (Live)
1979 Enlightened Rogues
1980 Reach for the Sky
1981 Brothers of the Road
1990 Seven Turns
1991 Shades of Two Worlds
1992 An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set (Live)
1994 Where It All Begins
1995 An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: 2nd Set (Live)
2000 Peakin' at the Beacon (Live)
2003 Hittin' the Note
2004 One Way Out (Live)


Believe it or not, here's a short edited version of the history of the Allman Brothers Band from Wikipedia. I'll let them tell the long history of this great American band....

The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida on March 26, 1969, and consisted of Duane and Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny Johanson.

The Allman Brothers Band released their debut album, The Allman Brothers Band to critical acclaim, though the blues-rock album found few listeners, attracting only a cult following. Most of the record had a blues-rock sound, but "Dreams", a spacy number in 12/8 time, would provide the framework for some of their live jams.

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Idlewild South (1970), the followup, produced by Tom Dowd, was a critical success, and managed to be quite lucrative, as well. The upbeat "Revival" and the moody-but-resolute "Midnight Rider" showed the band getting more adept at shorter, radio-friendly song forms.

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1971 saw the release of a live album, At Fillmore East, recorded on Friday and Saturday March 12 and March 13 of that year at the legendary rock venue the Fillmore East. The album was another huge hit. Rolling Stone listed At Fillmore East as one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It showcased the band's mix of jazz, classical music, hard rock, and blues, with arrangements propelled by Duane's and Betts' dual lead guitars, Oakley's long, melodic "third guitar" bass runs, the rhythm section's pervasively percussive yet dynamically flexible foundation, and Gregg Allman's gritty Ray Charles-like vocals and piano/organ play which all completed the band's wall of sound.

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Duane Allman died not long after the Fillmore East album was certified gold, killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 in Macon, Georgia, when he collided with the rear of a flatbed truck that had turned in front of him. The group decided to carry on. The album continued to gain FM radio airplay, with stations even playing 13-minute and 23-minute selections.

Dickey Betts filled Duane's former role in completing the last album Duane participated in, Eat a Peach, released in February 1972. The album was often softer ("Blue Sky", "Little Martha") and wistful in tone ("Melissa", "Ain't Wastin' Time No More"), capped by the 34-minute "Mountain Jam" reverie taken from the Fillmore East concerts.

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The group played some concerts as a five-man band, then decided to add Chuck Leavell, a pianist, to gain another lead instrument but without, however, directly replacing Duane. This new configuration debuted on November 2, 1972, on ABC's In Concert late-night television program.

Days later, on November 11, 1972, Berry Oakley died from head injuries he received in another motorcycle accident near Napier Avenue and Inverness Street, only three blocks from the site of Duane's accident the previous year. The common retelling that it was at the exact same site as Duane's death is incorrect, as is the legend that the Eat a Peach album is named for what was being carried by the truck involved in Allman's accident.

Oakley was replaced by Lamar Williams at the end of 1972, in time to finish the next album, Brothers and Sisters, released in August 1973.

Dickey Betts was becoming the group's unofficial leader. Brothers and Sisters included the group's best known hits, "Ramblin' Man" and "Jessica", both written by Betts; the former reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a single, while the latter was a seven-minute instrumental hit.

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The Allman Brothers Band had become one of the top concert draws in the country. Probably their most celebrated performance of the era took place on July 28, 1973 at the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen outside Watkins Glen, New York, in a joint appearance with The Grateful Dead and The Band. An estimated 600,000 people made it to the racetrack where this massive outdoor festival took place.

In the wake of the Allman Brothers Band's success, many other Southern rock groups rose to prominence, including the Marshall Tucker Band (who played as the Allman Brothers Band's opening act for many shows on their 1973 tour) and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Another peak of the Allmans' success came on New Year's Eve, 1973, when promoter Bill Graham arranged for a nationwide radio broadcast of their concert from San Francisco's Cow Palace. New arrangements of familiar tunes such as "You Don't Love Me" went out over the airwaves, as the show stretched out over three sets, with Boz Scaggs sitting in, along with Grateful Dead members Jerry Garcia and Bill Kreutzmann (Allmans and Grateful Dead members guested at each other's shows multiple times in the early 1970s).

Personality conflicts started to tear the band apart. Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts both began solo careers, while Allman married Cher, separated quickly, reconciled, and eventually separated again, all in a storm of publicity; drug abuse took its toll on the entire band. Musically, Betts and Leavell were pulling in opposite directions, with Allman trying to mediate.

The tension resulted in the uneven Win, Lose or Draw (1975), with some members not participating on all tracks or doing so only from afar. The few stand-out tracks included a stop-start take on Muddy Waters' "Can't Lose What You Never Had", Betts' instrumental "High Falls", and Allman's title track song.

The band managed to limp along until 1976, when Gregg Allman was arrested on federal drug charges and agreed to testify against a friend and tour manager and bodyguard for the band, John "Scooter" Herring. Leavell, Johanson, and Williams formed Sea Level, while Betts worked on his solo career. All four swore that they would never work with Allman again.

Meanwhile, Capricorn Records released a compilation album, The Road Goes On Forever, and a live album, Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas.

The group reformed in 1978 and released the strong Enlightened Rogues (1979). It featured new members Dan Toler (guitar) and David Goldflies (bass), who replaced Leavell and Williams, both of whom concentrated on Sea Level instead. "Crazy Love" was a minor hit single, and the instrumental "Pegasus" got some airplay along with ''Blind Love'' and ''Can't Take It With You''.

continued....
 
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Groovy Man

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Re: Allman Brothers Band

continued....

In 1980 the Allman Brothers Band were signed to Arista Records. The group released a pair of critically-slammed albums (Reach for the Sky (1980) and Brothers of the Road (1981) firing Jaimoe in the process, and then disbanded once again in early 1982.

In 1987, Epic Records signed both Allman and Betts to separate solo contracts. The Gregg Allman Band had a surprise FM hit single with the title track to the 1987 album I'm No Angel. Just Before the Bullets Fly quickly followed from Allman in 1988. The Dickey Betts Band was also formed during this time and released the album Pattern Disruptive in 1988. This series of collaboration among bandmembers and interest from a major label during the late 1980s laid the groundwork for next era of Allman Brothers Band activity and success.

In 1989 The Allman Brothers reunited and returned to popular consciousness of the American public, spurred by Gregg's recent FM radio success, the release of archival material by PolyGram, and the start of regular appearances on the American summer outdoor amphitheatre circuit. Warren Haynes (guitar, vocals), Johnny Neel (keyboards and harmonica), and Allen Woody (bass guitar) joined originals Allman, Betts, Jaimoe and Trucks. Leavell opted to go on tour again with the Rolling Stones, with whom he has been a touring member since 1982.

Seven Turns (1990), which got excellent reviews. This was followed by Neel's departure and a series of moderately-selling, but critically well-received albums including Shades Of Two Worlds (1991) and Where It All Begins (1994, certified Gold by the RIAA 1998), both featuring new percussionist Marc Quiñones. Warren Haynes and Allen Woody formed their own side project Gov't Mule in 1994. In 1995, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1996 they won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Jessica". When Haynes and Woody decided to concentrate full-time on Gov't Mule in 1997, Haynes was replaced on guitar by Jack Pearson, while Woody was replaced on bass by Oteil Burbridge. Derek Trucks, nephew of original Brother Butch Trucks, replaced Pearson in 1999.

In 2000, the band forced Dickey Betts out for "personal and professional reasons." For this tour, he was replaced by Jimmy Herring. Betts then filed a lawsuit against the other three original members and the summer separation turned into a permanent divorce. Also in 2000, former bassist Allen Woody was found dead on August 26. The band did release the live CD Peakin' at the Beacon that year which chronicled the now-annual March tradition of a many-night stand at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The band has sold out the 2900-seat Upper West Side Manhattan theatre 188 times since 1989. The tradition is known as the "Beacon Run" among fans, who travel from across the United States, Canada and Western Europe to see these annual March and April shows.

Warren Haynes began appearing with the Allmans again in 2000 and rejoined full-time in 2001, while also maintaining his active schedule with Gov't Mule. (Haynes also toured during this time and later in the decade with former members of the Grateful Dead). Haynes' return marked a new period of stability and productivity for the band after nearly four years of lineup shifts. The Haynes-produced Hittin' the Note was released in 2003 to popular and critical acclaim.

The Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks lineup continued the band's connection with younger music fans via concert pairings with popular jam bands The String Cheese Incident, moe, and Dave Matthews Band among others.

The Allman Brothers Band celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2009.

In March of 2010, The Allman Brothers Band NYC Run will be changing venues from the Beacon Theater to the United Palace Theater, at 175th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights, as a new start on March Madness.

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Mr. Shadow

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Re: Allman Brothers Band

Credit your sources please.

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One of the most laid back groups ever, and they could play a LONG time. At least one live version of Mountain Jam lasted over 42 minutes. Here's a greatly edited clip.



this is my favorite.

The song is named after a headstone Betts saw at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia,[3] a place frequented by band members in their early days for relaxing and writing songs. Considerable legend has developed about what Betts was doing at the time, some originated by a possibly put-on interview Duane Allman gave Rolling Stone.[4] The cemetery was later memorialized by the band as the final resting spot of both band leader Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley.
Wiki

 
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Mr. Shadow

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Video removed by youtube user
 

LG

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Re: Allman Brothers Band

That was one hell of an OP Groovy Man...I'll be back tomorrow to read it from top to bottom.:cheers:
 

PinkFreud

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Re: Allman Brothers Band

Great band to just chill to. They had such nice, relaxing, laid-back songs to help ease your mind
 

Rocker440

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Re: Allman Brothers Band

Excellent OP, Groovy! :tup:

The Allman Brothers Band (more specifically the first album) was the first 'southern' band that I heard! Since that point that have been a fan and also continue to have a special place for me, and in numerous ways, too! :)

The first album is full of fantastic songs! Many with great guitar playing, blues-influenced styles, excellent organ playing and vocals and also one (possibly the first) band that had two drummers. :drummin: :drummin:

Imo, several bands of the south that followed The Allman Brothers were heavily influenced in many ways with this phenomenal band! Whether with dual drummers or guitar players or both!

The combination of Duane and Dicky Betts was terrific. Duane was an extremely unique, talented and skillful guitar player. I really enjoying his stylings and structures. I also believe that some of his best playing was in the contributions he made on the Derek and The Dominos double album.

I do have many of the earlier releases of The Allman Brothers, but the first album is my very favorite! Live at the Fillmore is also super.

Mountain Jam was often played for quite a lengthy time, but what a long, great jam it is!

Many good, special memories for me of this exceptional band! :mn:
 

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