For My 6000th Post...
I'd like to add my thoughts & memories about one of my all time favorites who passed today, Gregg Allman.
I saw the Allman Brothers the first time in Denver when they opened for Elton John. I had never heard of them but they just blew us away. It was also the only time I have ever seen an opening act have two encores. I went out and got their album the next day and a few months later Idlewild South was released.
I got to meet him in the late '80s in Clearwater, FL, when he was playing smaller clubs. A good friend of mine knew Gregg, but he knew his road manager real well & he put us on the 'guest list'. When we got there (with our dates) right before he went on they actually set a table up for us right in front (on the dance floor) just like in 'Goodfellas'. Gregg recognized my buddy and after the show he waved us to follow him backstage. We went back to his tiny dressing room and we hung out with him for about an hour. Then he invited us to come up to Orlando with him to party some more, but we all had to work the next day so we had to take a pass.
I got to see him a couple more times, once after The ABB reformed with Dickey Betts and once later on after Warren Haynes & Derek Trucks joined.
He was one of the greatest song writers of all time and his soulful voice was incredible. His music has been a big part of my life for many years, but today I keep thinking about that time in that small club when his sidemen left the stage and he sat five feet away singing 'Midnight Rider' and playing an acoustic guitar alone in the spotlight.
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And congrats on your 6000th post.
You tell the story so vividly that I feel as though I'm right there.
It's a wonderful memory.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
You're one of the best!
OMGOSH........you were so lucky. So happy you wrote this story. He was so human, right?? Thank you so much for sharing.
I will always Love him, & his music.
Always.
I turned on M$NBC and I noticed rolling across the bottom of the screen they had several "factiods" about Gregg & The Allman Brothers in the announcement of his passing. They only mention two of their songs, 'Ramblin' Man' & 'Statesboro Blues', which made me chuckle. That night in Clearwater sometime over the course of the evening some guy shouted out 'Ramblin' Man' between songs and Gregg got this funny look on his face and quietly said, "That's Dickey's song" and played something else.
