The Allman Brothers Biography

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The Allman Brothers
Classic Rock | 3 CD Set
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The ongoing saga of The Allman Brothers Band is more than just the story of a musical group. It has a lot to do with a way of life that involves strength, directness, positivism, and a special "one-to-one" kinship with the root music of the South that often achieves spiritual peaks. Their music has always reflected the intensity with which they embrace life. Anyone who has had the privilege of spending even a small amount of time within proximity of the band knows how true this is. Duane and Gregg Allman moved to Daytona Beach early on and started their first teenage band there. Dicky Betts and Berry Oakley played there in a band called "The Second Coming" just prior to joining up with Duane. Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson were both gigging around Florida before they made the final hookup as the powerful dual rhythm section of The Allman Brothers. After an abortive group experiment known as "The Hourglass" in Los Angeles, and a series of dynamic guest appearances by Duane on albums by Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter, Aretha Franklin, and others as premier guitar session man for Rick Hall's studiosin Muscle Shoals, he returned to Florida. On an impulse he decided to jam with Dicky (Dickey Betts- vocals/guitar), Berry (Berry Oakley - bass), Jaimo (Jai Johanny Johanson - drums), and Butch (Butch Trucks - drums). The jam stretched on into hours of total interaction and left everyone stunned. They all knew immediately that it was right. The rapid rescue of brother Gregg from the tentacles of the L.A. music scene completed the cycle and the Allman Brothers Band was born". The Allman Brothers' self-titled debut album sold well in the south, but remained unnoticed elsewhere. The group grew their fan base on the strength of their live shows. By 1971, they were being called "America's Best Rock and Roll Group". The Allman Brothers recorded the double album "Live at the Fillmore East" and it quickly reached the top-20. Tragically, in October 1971, just three months after the release of the live album, Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Ga., as he swerved to avoid a truck. Before Duane's premature death, he had already recorded three new songs with the band that appear on their 1972 album, "Eat a Peach". This album climbed to the Top-10 and peaked at number 4 on the charts. Later that year, the Allman Brothers were twice cursed when Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle crash just three blocks from where Duane's fatal crash had occurred. Lamar Williams took Oakley's place on bass, and Chuck Leavell joined the band on keyboards for the 1973 number 1 album, "Brothers and Sisters". In addition, a compilation of their first two LP's was released as the album "Beginnings". By 1974, the friction that had been building between Betts and Allman threatened to split the band. Both released top-20 solo albums that year, Allman with "Laid Back", and Betts with "Highway Call". Greg went on to form the Gregg Allman band with Johanson, Leavell and Williams for the Gregg Allman Tour and album that followed. Gregg ultimately broke up his own band when he testified against his manager in a drug trafficking case in 1976. His manager got a 75 year sentence, and all vowed to never work with Gregg again. His manager later got the sentence reduced to two years after winning an appeal. The members pursued varied careers; the most notable was Dickey Betts who formed Great Southern. Leavell did session work with the Rolling Stones and then was hired to tour with them beginning in 1989. The Allman Brothers reunited in 1978 with Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson, Dicky Betts, Dan Toler and Rook Goldflies. This combination resulted in "Enlightened Rogues" (1979), which reached number 9 and was certified gold. The reunion was short-lived however, and the band broke up again in 1980. The core group of Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson and Dicky Betts reunited in 1989. That same year, the box set, "Dreams" was released and included material spanning from 1966-1988. In 1995, The Allman Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Shortly after, they released "An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band 2nd Set" and won their first Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental performance on the song, "Jessica". Dickey Betts, after surviving other band break ups, was ousted in 2000 because of creative differences. He received his walking papers by fax.

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