The Allman Brothers Band: The Road Continues
Several weeks ago I wrote an article called Still Feeling the Groove. In that post I drifted back almost 40 years; recalling a time where change was occurring in the TheBluesBlogger household. The lively place I called home wasn’t so much fun anymore. We moved out of the house I grew up in and into a small apartment. The vibrant household was now filled with a close stressful silence. But it was always the music that made the hard times of growing up go away… So I filled my new bedroom with the sweetest sounds I could get… And in the process drove my poor impatient father crazy…
The Year Was 1969
and this was the time frame towards the end of the year, that both my sister and brother left town. I can clearly remember when I snagged my brother’s copy of The Allman Brothers Band self titled 1969 album debut. It seemed the album helped fill the void I felt when he moved out from the room we had shared all our life. At the time I certainly had a chip on my shoulder, but I do have to give my family credit for being the influence of so much music back then. Until this day, I have continued to hold on to some of those albums, The Allman Brothers Band’s first LP is one of them…
“Yes Bro it was me who took your album! Close to 40 years has passed and the mystery is finally over.”
I can’t remember the last time I heard this album, but it must be at least 25 years ago. So this weekend I gave it a spin; converting it to an MP3 format so I can be more active and mobile when listening. Right from the very first cut Don’t Want You No More, I was hooked once again. And for the next 35 minutes I took a reflective trip back through time.
I recall how my father thought it was just plain strange that a 9 year old could get so into listening to this stuff. But my father never shared a room with a guitar player who practiced these blues and jazz riffs all day and night. It must have been an innate necessity for me. It also helped me focus my nervous energy on something. Besides… somebody had to play some tunes, because the silence was far too deafening.
Since we moved to the apartment and my brother moved out of town, the Saturday afternoon rehearsals with his band were no more. There were no real instruments in the house for me to pretend with, so I replaced them with chop sticks, different size glasses of water, a comb and plastic film. This of course fueled my dad’s neurosis as I’m sure it sounded bad and the apartment was much closer quartered than our house… It would take over 8 years of separation, but eventually my brother and I did hook up when he moved into my apartment in NYC when I moved there in my late teens. The music would once again continue and a new found respect and partnership would form…
It’s impossible to sum up the almost 40 years of The Allman Brothers Band illustrious history in a few paragraphs. One thing for sure, right from the start, the band had so many challenges… In the beginning years of the bands existence, they endured the deaths of band members Duane Allman and Berry Oakley. Drugs would take its toll on most of its members. On again off again separations and re-unions resulted…
Throughout All the Years
from their 20th Anniversary re-union in 1989, to 1995’s Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction, 1996’s Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental performance for “Jessica,” the band has endured the test of time… In 1999, The Allman Brothers Band celebrated their 30th anniversary with an 18-night stand at New York’s Beacon Theater… The 21st Century also saw the Dickie Betts part ways, but still the band continues to this very day playing their special blend of genius for their fans and curious newcomers.
It is interesting to note that in 2003 out of Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 100 guitarists of all time, four are Allman Brothers alumni:
#2 Duane Allman
#23 Warren Haynes
#58 Dickey Betts
#81 Derek Trucks ( the youngest player on the list )
The Allman Brothers Band were the principal architects of Southern Rock. They combined many elements of music and helped advance the rock genre as a medium for improvisation along with bands such as Cream. To this day, the band remains a force to be reckoned with. As I write this, the band is currently on tour. I strongly suggest if you’re in the area that you check them out. They are an amazing band with a rich history and incredible musicians that will soulfully rock you through the past and into the future… You can find their current tour schedule by clicking the link here:
I must admit I have listened to their debut release several times while writing this piece. After all these years, it really was a great listen and a real blast reflecting on. What an inspiration they are …
The videos I chose in this post show two songs from their debut album; a then and now perspective of this amazing band. Notice original drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson as they continue to shoulder the band after nearly 40 years…
Now I think it’s best to turn the ball over to the readers of this article. You can help by filling in those gaps with your comments… So do you have a favorite song? Or a favorite year and lineup that appealed to you the most? Where we’re you in 1969 as The Allman Brothers Band were carving their niche on the music world?
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