Duane Allman

Oct 17, last gig

Of all of the musicians and bands that I am influenced by and pay attention to, Duane Allman is the only one I can tell you off of the top of my head, when and where he played his last gig.

Maybe it’s because I never saw him play with the band he created? But I never saw Jimi Hendrix either. Maybe it’s because it’s only 10 miles from where I live ? Or maybe it’s just because I have that much respect for what he accomplished in a very short professional career and continue to be moved by “his” music…

His last gig with the other 5 founding members of the Allman Bros Band was on Oct 17, 1971 at Painters Mill in Owings Mills Maryland. No one thought that would be the last time when they would make their unique musical magic together on a stage.

and while it may have been Duane’s “last gig” on earth with his band, it was FAR from his last gig…as his influence and fame has only grown by leaps and bounds over the last 50 years.

Much of the Painters Mill performance was captured by a young man with an audio cassette recorder….and that has been “found”, mastered and sold…along with many other period recordings.

The young band had only been together since early in 1969. They had recorded 2 studio albums and had recently released their “Live at the Fillmore”.

( This Album Cover Photo by Jim Marshall has a great back story )

Considered by many critics and fans as the best live rock album ever recorded. It’s their masterpiece and had only been released a few months before Painters Mill. The double album with some long extended jams was only just getting traction, but would become legendary and a “must have” for serious record collectors.

The band and musical world would mourn Duane’s passing and he would be laid to rest in Macon near Elizabeth Reed.

The band would stay together and their fame would spread and their biggest gigs would occur over the next few years at places like Watkins Glenn and RFK Stadium

often playing with the Grateful Dead, the Band and Little Feat.

There are in depth histories by Alan Paul, Bob Beatty and Willie Perkins that can fill you in on the details

…and a wonderful, beautiful, artful book by Duane’s daughter Galadrielle titled “Please be with me”.

Their music is timeless and inspires legions of musicians.

My main purpose here is to recognize a master artist who created a style of music and a body of work that has far outlived his time on this planet. He could not read music. He wasn’t much of a singer. But he was a hell of an inspired guitar player and knew what he wanted in a band. 2 lead guitars, 2 drummers, a B-3 with his baby brother singing and an innovative bass player. He ignored critics and music industry people to become Bill Graham’s favorite band at his Fillmore venues.

Butch Trucks, one of his two original drummers (who played the entire 45 years the band was together) was still so inspired by his time playing with Duane that 40 years after this last Painters Mill gig he started a band camp called Roots Rock Revival to help mentor young artists.

His keynote presentation was titled “Fishin’ with Duane”. That camp is now over 10 years old and is carried on by Oteil Burbridge, the Allmans last bass player and Butch’s children Melody and Vaylor and a host of other ABB band family and friends.

Many ABB family ( via DNA and life on the road) members play in bands today like the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Govt Mule, Oteil & Friends and more...and continue to expand Duane’s vision and musicality. It has to be the deepest, widest most musical “family” in all of rock.

There’s a museum in Macon GA, where they lived called the Big House dedicated to the early years of the band.

Their Capricorn recording studio has been preserved by Mercer College and is now used to teach audio production and is a museum.

They created Peach Fest which is carried on by CJ Strock…and are honored at an annual GABBA Fest in Macon.

There are numerous Facebook Groups dedicated to Duane and the band with thousands of followers….and tribute bands including Trouble No More and Brother & Sister.

I don’t think anything like this exists for any other retired, 50 year old US rock band.

Jaimoe at 80 is the only surviving founding member…and he still gigs, playing the music he loves with a band called “Friends of the Brothers.” They have some gigs coming up soon. I documented them this summer…it was brilliant.

That “last gig’s” historic location is now a BJ’s Club at the end of Music Fair Rd. Hardly a fitting tribute to someone with this much continuing influence. Personally, I’d like to see it go back to being a live performance venue dedicated to Duane’s memory. It feels like the right thing to do…and help keep “the road going on forever”.

Peace