THERE’S BETTER HOME AWAITIN’
Southern-rock legend Allman dead at 69
Gregg Allman, the hard-living, whiskey-voiced linchpin of Southern rock’s legendary Allman Brothers Band, died Saturday at his home in Savannah, Ga. He was 69. Allman died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones, said his manager, Michael Lehman, who said cancer was the cause.
In March, the soulful singerkeyboardist-guitarist-songwriter canceled his performances for the rest of the year, citing his health. After years of heroin abuse, Allman contracted hepatitis-C and in 2010 underwent a liver transplant.
As recently as last month, reports surfaced claiming Allman was in hospice. Lehman previ- ously denied those reports to Variety — but Allman then substantiated them in a Facebook post.
Tributes poured in Saturday, including one from his ex-wife, Cher, who used their pet names.
“I’ve tried . . . Words are impossible Gui Gui . . . Forever, Chooch,” she tweeted.
Country legend Charlie Daniels tweeted, “Gregg Allman had a feeling for the blues very few ever have. hard to believe that magnificent voice is stilled forever.”
Allman’s bluesy vocals and wizardry on the Hammond B-3 organ helped rocket the group to stardom. And songs such as “Whipping Post,” “Ramblin’ Man” and “Midnight Rider” spawned Southern rock, opening the doors for such acts as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band.
Allman and older brother Duane formed the nucleus of The Allman Brothers Band, which spotlighted the guitar harmonies of Duane and Dickey Betts, a pair of drummers and Gregg’s smoky voice.
Born in Nashville, Tenn., Gregg and Duane were raised in Florida by a single mother after his father was shot to death.
Gregg idolized Duane, eventually joining a series of bands with him.
In his 2012 memoir, “My Cross to Bear,” Gregg described how Duane was a central figure in his life. Although Gregg was the first to pick up a guitar, it was Duane who excelled at it. So Gregg later switched to the organ.
Their self-titled debut album came out in 1969, but it was their seminal live album “At Fillmore East” in 1971 that catapulted the band to stardom. The band was also famous for its extended jams.
Duane died in a motorcycle crash in 1971 at age 24.
Gregg’s marriage to Cher was short-lived even by show-biz standards. They married in 1975, three days after she divorced her husband and singing partner, Sonny Bono. Cher requested a divorce from Gregg just nine days after their Las Vegas wedding, although she dismissed the action a month later.
They had one child together, Elijah Blue, before Cher filed for legal separation in 1977.