About the Allman Brothers Band

Allman Brothers Band could arguably be called one of the 21st centurys most impressive comeback acts. Starting out in the 1970s, the band's mix of blues and rock had a Southern feel, and paved the way for a new genre, Southern Rock, which included groups such as the Marshall Tucker Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Duane Allman quit working as a session guitarist in 1969 and put together a band that included Jaimoe, Butch Trucks, Berry Oakley, and Dickey Betts. After one long jam session, Allman knew he had his band, except for a singer, until he talked his brother into joining. The band recorded their first album after touring Florida and Georgia. The self-titled debut album was guitar-heavy blues-rock, which received good reviews and gained the band a cult following.

The band played a series of shows at the Fillmore East in March of 1971 that were recorded and later released as a third album. At Fillmore East was certified as a gold record and became an instant classic. Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident 14 days after the album was certified gold. The band had been midway through work on its next album, Eat a Peach, their first album to reach the Top Ten. Instead of trying to find a new guitarist, they added a piano, played by Chuck Leavell. The group had already begun work on their follow-up to Eat a Peach when Oakley was killed in a motorcycle accident, eerily just a few blocks from the site of Allmans accident.

Lamar Williams replaced Oakley at the end of 1972, in time to finish Brothers and Sisters, which marked a shift of direction towards country music. Brothers and Sisters included the group's best known hits, including "Ramblin' Man", which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. By this time, the Allman Brothers Band had also become one of the top concert draws in the country.

Conflicts and drug abuse started to tear the group apart. Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts both began solo careers, while Allman had a highly-publicized, tumultuous marriage and divorce to Cher. The barely managed to get by until 1976, when Gregg Allman testified against an employee of the band after being arrested on drug charges. Leavell, Johanson, and Williams formed a new group, Sea Level, and Betts decided to work on a solo career. All swore to never work with Allman again.

In 1989, The Allman Brothers staged a reunion. After signing to Epic Records, the band released Seven Turns, which received excellent reviews. They released a series of acclaimed albums including Shades Of Two Worlds and Where It All Begins. Warren Haynes and Allen Woody formed their own side project, Gov't Mule, in 1994 and when they decided to concentrate full-time on Gov't Mule in 1997, were replaced. The new, younger lineup gained the band a connection with a new generation of music fans through concerts with popular new jam bands moe. and String Cheese Incident, and many more.