Gregg Allman .......I cannot believe it has been 5 years.

Saw Gregg a number of times post AM. always very nice shows. I love nearly all genres and eras of music,its likely majority of music I listen to is from artists no longer with us. I know about the life tragedies of many of these artists, may bring about greater insight into lyrics, which can sometimes have emotional effect upon me. Still, in the end, death is necessary to life, the artist leaves a living legacy in their music, and we can experience at least a part of that life on audio systems that present them as flesh and blood performers.

“I’m no angel” and “Just before the bullet fly”  are the 2 most endearing albums (CD’s) in my collection.  I cruised many nights listening to both of those and also played along to them on my B3. 

What a great era of talent that we grew up with….

I crossed paths with Gregg in the late-90’s. It was about 10:30 A.M., in the Tower Records on Venture Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, California (the same blvd. upon which Tom Petty saw vampires moving west ;-). From across the store’s floor I heard a raspy voice bellow "HEY, LONG HAIR!" I turned around (I was indeed a long hair, the only one in the store), and saw Gregg, leaning against what appeared to be an assistant, who was preventing him from falling on his ass. Gregg was completely smashed, at 10:30 in the morning.

I walked over to him and stuck out my hand, and he reciprocated, his hand shaking mine. He was at a loss for words, so I just said "Nice to meet ya", and turned and walked away. I don’t know if he was already drunk, or still drunk from the night before, not yet having been to bed. I suspect the latter.

Wow, that 5 years sure flew by, crazy.  I remember the day I bought Allman Brothers Beginnings double album at Luskin's appliance store back in MD when I was a kid in the early 70's.  Later I moved to FL where I'd see the Brothers play on South Miami Beach around '81 or so.  I can still see Gregg's blonde hair blowin in the seabreeze right on the beach behind his Hammond.  South Beach then was all dilapidated old hotels filled with old jewish retirees not particularly affluent.  Later I moved upstate to college and the Brothers would play all the time at our college outdoor band shell - all great performances.  As the band was on it's backslide in the mid 80's a bunch of us piled in a car and drove to Lady Lake to a little club and saw him w/his band at the time.  Again great show.  He was throwin' back during the show just like the enthusiastic crowd.  We learned the next day he had gotten a DWI leaving the show.  I don't know how we didn't either LOL.  A couple years before his passing we were lucky to see him play at the local performing arts center what a great performance that was.  His solo versions of Melissa and These Days on acoustic guitar were in top form.  I'd forgotten what a great acoustic guitar player he was.  Don Was did a great job on his last record Southern Blood.  Gregg's rendition of Tim Buckley's "Once I Was" sends chills and about cracks me up every time I hear it.  The other one that is on The Brothers Dreams 4 cd set is Gregg's version of Beatles "Rain".   Thanks for the reminder w/this garebear, cheers.