Remembering Duane Allman

52 years ago on October 29, 1971, Duane Allman died in Macon Georgia in a motorcycle crash. He was only 24 years old and the Allman Brothers had just released the At Fillmore East album in July…it was taking off. They had toured heavily since 1969 with two studio albums and hardly anything to show for it. The live album would push them over the top into stardom. Duane died right when it was beginning to happen. The album was just certified gold 4 days before the crash.

In a Rolling Stone top guitarist poll around 2000, Duane came in 2nd behind Jimi Hendrix. His slide-playing influenced so many musicians after he died and when he was alive. To be that good at such a young age is incredible.

1 year and 13 days later on November 11, 1972, the bassist for the Allman Brothers Berry Oakley died a few blocks away from where Duane died in a motorcycle crash.

He also met Eric Clapton in 1970 and played on the Layla sessions with Derek and the Dominos with his slide guitar on Layla and throughout the album.

Rolling Stone magazine named him No. 2 on its list of the greatest guitarists of all time in 2003, trailing only Jimi Hendrix.

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The above was made in 1973 by four young men from Vicksburg. They were college students who carved a roadside icon into a bluff along Interstate 20, at the time a new highway. The monument, which simply read, “Remember Duane Allman,” would later appear in Rolling Stone publications and continues receiving attention today

Responsible for the monument were Don Antoine, Dennis Garner, Len Raines and David Reid, who, in 1973, were freshmen at Hinds Junior College.
“We didn’t do this to go around bragging about it,” Reid said at a Sunday evening reunion of the four, an event he described as very rare. “We did it just to do it. Plus, we never even thought it would become the big deal that it did.”

Gregg Allman: “You should have seen my mother’s face when she first saw a picture of that, he was quite honored and quite elated, almost to tears.”

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

23 thoughts on “Remembering Duane Allman”

  5. What a loss indeed and at such a young age. Duane Allman already was such an incredible guitarist at the time of his death, one can only imagine what else we may have heard from him. His guitar work on “Layla” has to rank among the most epic in rock. “At Fillmore East” possibly is the best live album ever; it certainly ranks among the very best. Not a bad legacy for a 24-year-old!

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  7. Almost impossible to believe he’s been gone that long. This music feels so fresh and alive. It truly is immortal. These guys seriously synch in their jamming. Love Duane’s guitar and Gregg’s vocals. The duel electric guitars and drums elevates it to the level of celestial.

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    1. I can’t imagine how good he would have been. The closest thing we have is Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi. It surreal knowing it was that long ago. His daughter wrote a book about him that is really touching.

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  8. Really a good guitarist & who knows how many more great records he’d have made. Maybe worked with Clapton again. Astoundingly bad twist of fate to lose 2 members so similarly in such a short time. I wonder if anyone from that band ever got on a motorbike after that.

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  9. Wow, how did I miss this date? I’m old enough not only to recall it happening but I know exactly where I was. He is my overall favorite guitarist and I’ve blogged about them about 2 million times (and famously went “on tour” with them once in later years.

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    1. I just finished re-reading his daughter’s book about him and this year I remembered.
      Did you get to play with them at all?

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      2. Oh I’m reading it. I love the Allman Brothers. I don’t think there was a more talented touring band. When I listen to Fillmore East I can’t believe a band could be that tight.

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      4. Wow…you got to see Duane…that is incredible.
        I’ve been to around 60 concerts and missed them everytime…that is a huge regret. Great name!

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      5. July of 1971. I barely knew who they were. He was dead three months later. We saw them again at Carnegie Hall in November I think, at their first NY post-Duane concert. Sad.

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      7. Great posts Jim. The meeting that I got the most kick out of was Jaimoe…cool to know he is just like what I’ve read about him. I would have been scared shitless to talk to Dickey. The way Gregg acted was pretty cool as well. That is something you will never forget. I can’t imagine. Thanks.

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      8. Jaimoe – the only surviving member besides Dickey – is a cool guy. Dickey is not exactly what you’d call a people person. In recent years, I joined a Facebook page for tour people, but they hardly ever say anything. Strange.

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      9. Dickey was quite the fighter…and a good one from what I’ve read. Gregg’s book as I’m sure you have read…says nothing but great things about Jaimoe…and so does most other people. I was happy when you described how he acted…that was accurate.

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