7.05.2011

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF DUANE ALLMAN...



One of the most tragic losses the rock music industry experienced was the death of Duane Allman in 1971. He barely got started and was taken in a freak motorcycle accident after leaving a birthday party for Linda Oakley. Duane hit the back of a big truck with his Harley Davidson Sportster... The bike landed on top of him and they both skidded across the road.

Duane Allman invented his own style of slide guitar by using a glass medicine bottle over his ring finger while playing. A lot of musicians adopted Duane's technique...


Lucky for me I happened to be living in Columbus GA 1969-1971. My friends and I hopped a bus and went to the Atlanta Underground on Peachtree St. just to hang out. We would pick up copies opf The Great Speckled Bird and underground newspaper that we sold to kids at school.

On one trip we happened to walk by a club that had the most incredible music coming out of it in the afternoon. We snuck into the building which was pitch dark.. We took seats way in the back and we watched Moby Grape and The Allman Brothers Band rehearse!!

We knew Moby Grape but we had never heard the Allmans before. We certainly had never heard Duane Allman or Dicky Betts before.... What a trip.... We still talk about that day as Duane didn't live much longer. The Allman's carried on with out Duane but man you should have seen them with him!

HERE is a great biography and photos of Duane Allman's grave....


Duane Allman was a much in demand studio guitarist too. He played with Clapton on Layla and with many many other famous soul musicians too like Clarence Carter, BB King, and Aretha Franklin. Duane was so ahead of his time....

Birth: Nov. 20, 1946
Nashville
Davidson County
Tennessee, USA
Death: Oct. 29, 1971
Macon
Bibb County
Georgia, USA

Gregg and Duane Allman's father died tragically in a murder.... The Allman family was living near Norfolk, Virgina, when Army Sergeant Willis Alllman was murdered on the day after Christmas, 1949. His widow, Geraldine, took her sons Gregg, two, and Duane, three, to live in Daytona Beach, Florida.

News about Gregg Allman, his liver transplant, new tour and new cd

1 comment:

francis l. vena said...

Duane was a prolific guitarist
and his body of work and different
styles are above reproach.

While he is remembered by many
fans and musicians. His place in
Rock History is under appreciated.

His prowess on the slide and
other techniques are unmatched.

The Layla sessions with EC are
historic.

As Duane would say "Eat a Peach
for Peace "

francis l. vena

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