GUITAR GOD DUANE ALLMAN | BEHIND THE ALLMAN BROTHERS’ SOUND
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October 16th, 1971, inside of two weeks before Duane's death on Oct. 29th. Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, & Berry Oakley above. Duane and Berry died in separate motorcycle accidents-- Duane in 1971 and Berry in 1972. So, I'm trying hard not to focus on the crazy shirts, but they're pretty smokin' man. Are they Nik Nik shirts?
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There’s an overwhelming feeling of worldly injustice and “what could’ve been”, when someone so gifted and young is taken from us like Duane Allman was. The only consolation we have (and a sweet one it is), are the incredible tracks he laid down with The Allman Brothers Band, Derek and the Dominoes, and his session works in the studio with great artists like Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, B.B. King, and Clarence Carter. And if you think he was just a great slide player and string bender– check out the blistering lead work on You Don’t Love Me.
I can’t believe that 38 years have already passed since the day Duane Allman hopped on his Harley after a party in Macon, Georgia– not knowing it would be for the last time. He only got a few miles down the road, when a truck turned in front of him and Duane clipped it’s back end. Allman lost control, and the Harley landed on top of him, sustaining injuries that would take his life within a few short hours. The lead guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band, who was gaining huge acclaim for his exciting and innovative sound and style, was dead at age 24.
Jerry Wexler’s eulogy for Duane sums it up best: “This young and beautiful man who we love so dearly but who is not lost to us, because we have his music, and the music is imperishable.”
Amen, brother. Amen.
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November 24th, 1969, Muscle Shoals, Alabama -- Wilson Pickett and Duane Allman.
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The Allman Brothers at Fillmore East
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Berry Oakley & Duane Allman, July 1971
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May 5th, 1969, Muscle Shoals, Alabama -- Members of the Allman Brothers Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Gregg Allman, Jaimo, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks.
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Duane Allman on acoustic
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Duane Allman Fishing, circa 1971
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Duane Allman in the recording studio
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The Allman Brothers Band members perform at Duane Allman's funeral in Macon, Georgia 1971 -- Image by © Jeff Albertson
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The Allman Brothers Band live at Fillmore East 09/23/1970. Unaired set from a PBS-TV special with Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson–
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October 16th, 1970, Muscle Shoals, Alabama -- The Allman Brothers, Gregg & Duane Allman/
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Duane Allman smokin' his Gibson Les Paul.
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Greg Allman, circa 1970s.
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Duane Allman passed out with his favorite guitar-- '57 Gibson Goldtop Les Paul.
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Gregg Allman on guitar, circa 1970s.
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Duane Allman on a Gibson SG.
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Dickey Betts, circa 1970s.
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Duane Allman wailin' on his Les Paul
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REMEMBER DUANE ALLMAN-- Memorial to Duane Allman on a roadside embankment outside of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Great post! Rarely a week goes by that I don’t listen to the ABB in some form (8.26.71 A&R Studios with a sweet You Don’t Love Me>Soul Serenade>You Don’t Love Me, is a favorite). I believe it was Warren Haynes who commented that anyone who grew up in the 1970s and wanted to learn to play slide had to grapple with the style of Duane Allman. Very well done tribute to a giant.
I haven’t seen the ABB perform since Duane’s death.
once…when i was a little girl i got into a hotel elevator with the allman bros.. i worked up the nerve to ask duane if he was in fact DUANE ALLMAN…he smiled and said yes just as the elevator doors opened… my girlfriend and i burst into giggles and ran away….lol
xoxo
Thanks for all the effort to bring this together. Listened to the ABB in the car on the way into work. Duane’s my morning OJ, and seeing your work was like getting a free refill. Long live the spirit of Brother Duane Allman.
Thanks, bro.
Long live Duane and ABB.
Great post & great pictures. If memory serves correctly, 1971 is pre- Nik-Nik – probably started in 72-73. Anyway, The Allmans are still playing regularly with Butch Trucks’ nephew Derek Trucks & Warren Haynes doing the guitars. They did a great run last Spring at the Beacon Theater in NY to celebrate their 40th anniversary with guests including Eric Clapton, Phil Lesh, Levon Helm, Buddy Guy, etc, etc. Pretty amazing shows!
Thanks for the info, Scott.
Happy trails,
JP
Great post on a band that musically is incredibly diverse. None other then Eric Clapton recognized how great Duane was and the stories of their recording session from Layla are Miami legend Many have attested that Clapton’s most notable riff from Layla was a Duane throw away. I really think that the Allman Brother’s catalog is influenced by and is sort of a total tour of American Southern Music-from deep blues, the Stax Sound, Muscle Shoals, the Opry ( Dickie Betts influence ), some Sun records influence, and blue grass. When you blended it all together it was this great gumbo. I can still turn on “Blue Sky” and listen to Duane and Dickie go dueling guitar solo’s and it always makes me feel good.
Eli,
Dude, you should put those writing chops to work.
Excellent post. I picked up my guitar and started playing again after listening and really HEARING Duane’s guitar playing a while back. I grew up with it and never really took the time to hear what it was, I always blew it off as my dad’s music. Now that I’m long passed the stage of disliking things simply because it’s something my parents enjoyed I can see the genius in it. (Funny side note: I have had a toned down version of Duane’s mustache sideburns combo for a few years now and never knew what to call it, when I saw the man himself with it in some pictures it became the Duane Allman)
I was a kid in the 70s, and all the guys in my parent’s circle of friends looked like they stepped straight out of the Allman Brothers Band– complete with beard/cop combos, ’staches, etc. Like you, I definitely think of Gregg/Duane whenever I see this look.
Where do you find all these amazing photos?
Great post and pictures — great comments from readers. I am a huge fan — the ABB are on regular rotation on my ipod (mostly Live at the FE and Eat a Peach). I’ve saw them a number of times in the late 1990s with Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes trading licks. I am a big Dickey fan, actually (love his style of playing). They are one of the best live bands of all time, IMHO. The ABB stuff with Duane obviously is their best stuff, and his playing with Clapton on the Layla album truly is remarkable.
I was listening just this morning on to the 1st CD from the Allman Bros Anthology. The SOUL that shines through is chilling for me. Some songs I listen to, hit the button, listen again and end up hearing one song 5 times before I can allow it to play the next one. Many know them for the rich southern music culture which they truly epitomized but they were also technically incredible and tight.