In an upcoming biopic, “Midnight Rider,” Variety reports that Academy-award winner William Hurt will play the role of present-day Gregg Allman. Furthermore, Tyson Ritter, lead singer/songwriter of the All-American Rejects, has been cast as the Allman brother in his earlier days. Wyatt Russell will portray Duane Allman, Gregg’s brother who was tragically killed in 1971.
The movie is based on Allman’s autobiography, My Cross To Bear, a reference to the original blues song “It’s Not My Cross To Bear” from the Allman Brothers’ self-titled debut album. Allman told Rolling Stone that he reserves final veto power for the script, and is working closely with the screenwriters Randall Miller and Jody Savin to accurately portray the history of the southern rockers.
The film will feature original and reinterpreted ABB music. And, speaking of ABB music, the band recently announced their annual ten-show run at the Beacon Theatre. Allman will also be performing in Atlanta for a tribute concert in his honor, “All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs and Voice of Gregg Allman.”
-David Melamed (@DMelamz)