The death of Gregg Allman on Saturday has been an uncountable tragedy for music as we know it today. Allman was a pioneering force and a true rock star whose influence is truly immeasurable. The storied and frequently heartbreaking history of the Allman Brothers Band has long been a part of our culture and with the loss of Gregg, yet another legendary musician from the group passes on. The impact of Gregg’s loss is tangible for fans, but most deeply felt by those who knew the great musician personally. Over the weekend, a number of his bandmates, more regularly referred to as his extended family and friends, paid their respects to the musician.

Rest in peace, Gregg. You will be sorely missed.

[Photo: Phierce Photo]

Warren Haynes

Via Facebook:

RIP Gregg Allman – I am at a loss for words. I was moved by Gregg’s voice when I first heard the Allman Brothers Band in 1969. I was nine years old. I had not even picked up a guitar yet but thanks to my to older brothers I had been exposed to a lot of great soul music with the best singers in the world. But this was something different. This music was making a deep emotional connection with me even though it was too complex for me to really understand. Somehow, though, it had this “common man” quality that allowed that music to connect with people on so many different levels without analyzing the ingredients that went into it-soul, blues, rock, country, jazz-all mixed together in a way no one had ever done before. And on top of it all was this beautiful voice that could be soothing, terrifying, mellow, angry, and amazingly natural and soulful all at the same time-and instantly captivating. It drew me in. It drew us all in.

Over the next few years I would begin to play guitar as everyone of my music loving friends became Allman Brothers’ freaks. That music spoke to anyone who heard it but in the South it resonated with us. It spoke volumes. It brought a voice to people like myself in the midst of some confusing, ever-changing times. Here was this group of Southern hippies with an integrated band coming out of the Deepest South with equally deep music on the heels of some extremely deep changes. We didn’t realize how heavy that was at the time but we sure realized how heavy the music was. Every guitar player in every Southern town was listening to the Live at Fillmore East record and worshipping at the altar of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. But the icing on the cake was always Gregg’s voice. That’s what separated the ABB from being a band that only connected with music freaks. Women whom previously had only listened to the radio would tolerate the long jams to get to the parts where Gregg melted their souls with that angelic voice. It turned casual music fans into fanatical fans who were discovering a new multi-dimensional music that a few years prior wasn’t even in existence. And it was all due to Gregg’s voice-and the songs.

He wrote these amazing songs that were as natural as his voice was. The words and melodies felt so perfectly unpretentious and, when delivered by him, made an emotional connection that only happens when music is genuine and honest. I learned an enormous amount about singing and songwriting from him-most of it before we ever met.

I am truly honored to have been fortunate enough to have written many songs with him and equally honored to have traveled the world with him while making the best music the world has ever known. I will never, ever take that for granted. And on top of all that-he was my dear friend.

My fondest memories will always be of Gregg, myself, and Allen Woody sharing a tour bus together-listening to great music and laughing our asses off mile after mile. Traveling- like life- is so much better when you’ve got friends to share the experience with. I’ve lost too many lately and this one is gonna be hard to get past. There is some comfort in knowing that millions of people all over the world feel the same way.

I love you Gregory – WH

Via Rolling Stone:

He was a shy, kind soul. He hated the thought of anybody being hurt. And he had an uncannily deep connection with losing people at such an early age that manifested itself in the way he sang and the way he chose his words in the songs he wrote. He lived a lot of life when he was still a young man – most of that before I ever met him. But he was just a unique, natural talent. When he opened his mouth and started singing, especially his own songs, there was this honesty that made a connection with people that was undeniable.

Dickey Betts

Via Facebook:

It’s too soon to properly process this. I’m so glad I was able to have a couple good talks with him before he passed. In fact I was about to call him to check and see how he was when I got the call. It’s a very sad thing. I, along with the entire Great Southern family, pass along my deepest sympathies to Gregg’s family, friends, and fans.

Chuck Leavall

Via Facebook:

Gregg Allman was not only a friend and brother, but he was a strong inspiration to me very early on in my career. I used to go see the Allman Joys at the Fort Brandon Armory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama when I was a young aspiring musician of 13 and 14 years old. He mesmerized me with his talent…that incredible voice, his understated yet strong stage presence. As he developed as an artist and songwriter, I continued to follow his career…and when the Allman Brothers Band was formed, I thought…”Now they have figured it out…” That first record was ground-breaking and a new style of music, Southern Rock, was born. Little did I think at the time that I would be so fortunate to eventually be a part of it, I was just a fan and admirer of what he, Duane and the rest of the band had done. Opening up for the ABB in 1970 and ‘71 when I was with Alex Taylor and later with Dr. John, I would hang around after our performance and listen to them. Sometimes, when the piano I used on our set was pulled back to the back part of the stage, I would sit there at it and play along with what the ABB was doing. It was just for my own enjoyment and to try and learn…but it gave me a chance to get a feel for the incredible music they were producing.

After Duane’s tragic accident and death, I admired how they went out with no replacement for Duane…as a five-piece band, knowing that they were emotionally and physically drained from the loss. But they did it so admirably…Dickey did himself proud to take on the role of now sole guitar player, and I have always admired him greatly for that. All of the band did what had to be done, and it had to be painful and difficult, but they did it with grace. It wasn’t long after that tour that the band decided to take a break and that Gregg embarked on his first solo effort. I was so fortunate to get the call from my pal Johnny Sandlin to play on that project, and as a then 19-year old keyboard player trying to find his way, it was the dream offer of a lifetime. Playing on “Laid Back” was a life changing experience for me, but even more was to come, when the jam sessions after hours with the other members of the ABB resulted in me being asked to join the band.

During that time, Gregg was much like a big brother to me, as Dickey was in his own way. Gregg was always gracious to me…making sure I was included in everything from photo sessions to various parties and events…and even sometimes asking me to accompany him to events not related to the band’s duties. We finished recording “Laid Back”, and soon after, “Brothers and Sisters”…and these are probably the two records that I am most proud to have my name on. Both garnered strong success, and I found myself in the middle of a whirlwind over the next several years.

As we know, that whirlwind eventually resulted in changes for all of us in the band. But through all the changes that were to come, Gregg and I remained friends and he was always kind and gracious to me.

In 2014, I was more than pleased to get the call to be in the core band to pay tribute to Gregg at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. The result was the presentation, CD and DVD called “All My Friends”. It was such a fitting homage to Gregg, and I was honored and thrilled to be there for him. But also during that time, I had personally been asked to put together a special program for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall. I reluctantly asked Gregg if he would participate, and without hesitation, he agreed. That was one of the most special and memorable shows I’ve ever done, and Gregg’s participation certainly made it a major event. That just shows the kind of friend Gregg was. He certainly didn’t have to do that, and he didn’t take a dime for his participation.

Thank you, Gregg…for your inspiration, for your talent, for your loyal friendship and for the amazing human being you are. I am forever grateful for my relationship with you, for sharing the stage with you so many times, for the honor of recording with you on some records that have stood the test of time. You will always be my hero and I am your biggest fan. Rest easy, my Brother.

Oteil Burbridge

Via Facebook:

Our musical family has suffered another huge loss with the passing of Gregg. Again it has all happened so fast. And much too soon.

His songs never got old. You didn’t outgrow them, you grew into them more fully. It’s a rare occurrence. Every single time I played Cross To Bear it felt better than the first time. He had many other songs that made me feel the same way. The back of my neck would tingle.

Gregg played as many shows as he was physically able to before he left us. It defines him. The road does indeed go on forever. He can travel faster than the speed of light now. I wish you peace and the end of all restlessness Gregg.

Jack Pearson

Via Twitter:

It’s been a long sad day. Thank you so much for your music and friendship Gregory, Love you brother.

Derek Trucks

Rather than issue a formal statement, Derek Trucks and Tedeschi Trucks Band paid tribute to Gregg during the group’s show at Daily’s Place Amphitheatre in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday. You can read more about the performance here, which opened with a cover of “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” off the Allman Brothers Eat A Peach. Susan Tedeschi later gave a little speech about the loss before a cover of Leon Russell’s “Song For You,” which led into “Statesboro Blues.” Derek Trucks then performed a highly emotional rendition of “Amazing Grace” solo, before the band closed out with “Bound For Glory.” The next night, Tedeschi Trucks Band hit Orlando, where the group debuted “Chevrolet” and “Whipping Post.” You can read more Sunday’s performance and hear the full audio from the show here.

Scott Sharrard

Via Facebook

On Saturday, we all lost an icon of true rock and roll musical expression. Gregg Allman and his visionary brother Duane, created the band that was essentially the Beatles for every kid in America that wanted to play the blues, and beyond…The Allmans were the big bang moment for me. Their concerts and albums were a regular fixture of my childhood in the late 80s and into the 90s. Their band has always been the template for a seamless fusion of groove, improvisational propulsion, incendiary hook laden song craft and of course, those world weary and iconic vocals of our man Gregg. Does anyone doubt that he is the greatest white blues singer of all time? I certainly do not.

But to the end, Gregg and I would have endless listening sessions, Howling Wolf or Muddy or Bobby Bland blasting over his speakers, and Gregg would still marvel at that mastery. He was a humble and dedicated song craftsmen and song interpreter to the bitter end. And that is the key. I have so many personal thoughts and memories at this time. Over the last few years, we became very close. Sure I started out as a fan, then his guitarist, but our relationship grew to become songwriters, band leaders and friends together. There were many many laughs and late-night conversations either on that bus blazing down another lost highway, or on his back porch in Savannah with a raging red sunset over the boat slip as our backdrop. Those talks would veer all over but one of our themes was the state of music in the last several years.

There were always signs of hope but the general feel from this musical master who participated in one of our greatest moments in the American musical renaissance was that we had to all find our way back to being an original. Gregg was not just obsessed with blues, by the way. We would also often listen to Pharaoh Sanders, he adored Tim Buckley and played just about the most heart renching version of “Once I Was” you could ever imagine.

With each passing legend from our musical renaissance, I end up asking “what now?” and again and again the lesson is clear. If you’re a fan, buy a record or a ticket. If you’re an executive in entertainment help a band, a band with their own sound who needs some real help, and not another hollow tribute to what was, but what can be.

And, if you’re a musician and you really want to pay tribute to this great man, his brother and their bands legacy, learn every precious note of the masters and then go your own way. Also remember, Gregg was all about the song and capturing the beauty and expression in a perfect lyric, chord change, voicing and groove. We need more of that spirit in our creations.

As much as the guitar solos of this music were life changing epic improvisations, without the compositions and the groove they mean nothing. I’m sure Duane knew that. After all, he was the shining star for all the men of the Allmans. He was a master curator and deep philosophical searcher from what I’ve heard. My sole comfort today in losing my friend is that he is back with his brother and beloved Mama A. Play the big and true notes and support them with all your heart, hug and love those around you every day, even the ones with whom you disagree. What these men did was rain truth daggers of love and unity in every salvo of sound from the stage. One true note can slice into every heart. I truly believe this was Gregg’s goal every time he took the stage or stepped to a mic, I never saw him miss.

Alan Paul

Via Billboard:

The news of Gregg Allman’s death got me listening to his music on repeat. In that regard, today isn’t much different than any other day — just more so.

It’s hard to describe how much Gregg’s music has meant to me, as both a fan and a journalist who interviewed him dozens of times over 25 years. For me as for so many, Gregg and The Allman Brothers Band weren’t background music, and they weren’t a passing fancy. They were a touchstone to many of our lives’ happiest and saddest moments, and thus his loss resonates profoundly, like the loss of a family member.

Gregg’s easy mixing of folk, blues and rock, genres that don’t usually go together is one of the hallmarks of his music. “A certain side of me has always viewed myself as a folk singer with a rock and roll band,” Gregg told me in 1995. “I developed that perspective when I lived in Los Angeles and saw people like Tim Buckley, Stephen Stills and Jackson Browne, who was my roommate for a while. All I had known was R&B and blues and these guys turned me on to a more folk-oriented approach and it’s always stuck with me, even if a lot of Allman Brothers fans never realized it.”

Most people don’t associate Gregg with California singer-songwriters but you could hear that love of folk rock in songs like “Midnight Rider” and “Melissa,” and in solo numbers like “Multi Colored Lady.” Gregg was not afraid to be vulnerable, to write and sing lyrics like “Come and Go Blues” that admitted to feeling lost, betrayed, heartbroken. Even “Whipping Post,” one of his most swaggering tunes, was rooted in a heartbreak and pain so profound that good Lord, he felt like he was dying. He sang the words night after night for 45 years, with a passion that connected with people because he embraced, rather than camouflaged, his pain. When he sang you heard his father being killed when Gregg was a toddler, and his father figure, big brother Duane, dying just before his vision of the Allman Brothers Band conquering the world came true, way back in 1971.

I interviewed Gregg dozens of times between 1990 and 2015 and I never quite knew what I would get. He could be thoughtful, funny and incisive, a fantastic storyteller and jovial presence, and he could be curt, just getting the job done. That’s not surprising for someone who spent a good chunk of his life picking up the phone to call reporters to advance a single show in Des Moines, Greenville or Irvine.

In 2013, I interviewed Gregg for the Wall Street Journal as he was promoting his memoir “My Cross to Bear.” It did not start out well. He was giving yes and no answers and I was scrambling to pull more out of him in our limited time. About ten minutes in, someone came to my front door and my little dog Meimei, resting at my feet, jumped up and started barking like a banshee. I was mortified, but Gregg was delighted.

“Hey!” he exclaimed with 1,000 times more enthusiasm than he had displayed prior. “You’ve got a little kitty, too? What is she?”

“A morkie, I think. She’s a rescue dog. What do you have?”

And then Gregg went off in a rapture about his two dogs, one of whom was also a morkie, and how much he spoiled them. I knew all this, having seen him with his beloved dogs over the years.

“Gregg, I actually use you as a defense whenever someone makes fun of me having a tiny dog,” I told him, quite truthfully. “If they say it’s not manly, I just go ‘Gregg Allman has two of them!’”

He chuckled. “I used to have giant dogs, even a St. Bernard once. I loved that dog! But you know who turned me onto little dogs? B.B. King. He told me, ‘You don’t know the love of a dog until you’ve had one who can sleep in the nook of your elbow.”

Now I had even better backup when someone made fun of my little pooch! B.B. King told Gregg Allman it was the way to go. Our interview resumed with new vigor and insight.

In 1997, I interviewed Gregg at 2 am in his Chicago hotel room after he played a solo gig at the Hard Rock Café. His then-wife Stacy and their two dogs were asleep behind us. It was a cover story for Guitar World Acoustic and I had brought an axe for him to demonstrate his finger-picked riff to “Come & Go Blues.” I handed it to him at the end of the interview, which had gone exceedingly well. It was the most relaxed, open conversation we ever had, by a long shot, which set the table for what came next.

He asked for a quarter and rounded off a couple of string ends. “You trying to take out my eye?” he inquired with a laugh. Then he re-tuned the guitar to an open tuning, took out a pouch with metal fingerpicks (which he put on) and showed me the riff, talking the whole time about how he was inspired to play in such a manner by Tim Buckley. Then he kept going, and he played and sang all of “Come & Go Blues.” Audience of one.

It was an otherworldly experience, a moment where time and space were suspended and I was just right there. In that regard, it was just a heightened version of what millions experienced listening to Gregg for the last 50 years. 

People talk about the concept of a musician having soul as if it were a phenomenon too complicated to grasp or explain. It is not. A performer has soul when he or she plays music because they feel compelled to do so, when he or she feels as if it is coming from another place and passing through them. Music has soul when it reminds listeners that they have one by stirring something within them, touching them somewhere deeper than their head. Music with soul doesn’t just entertain — it speaks. And it doesn’t just speak; it has something to say.

Gregg Allman had soul. Listening to him sing, you heard not just words or one-dimensional emotions, but determination, suffering, longing and love. This was in every note Gregg sang and played, because what he did is who he was. Gregg’s music was his life, his therapy, his means of expressing sadness and joy, of screaming in pain and gasping for breath. There was no wall between the artist and the art; everything he had went into his music, and the listeners understood that, even if they didn’t know it.