Gregg Allman
“Low Country Blues”
Rounder
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By Todd Whitesel

Since the early days of the Allman Brothers Band and the group’s originals and retelling of songs such as Blind Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues,” Gregg Allman has been singing the blues. It makes sense he would one day devote an entire album to his musical roots; the only surprise is that it took some 40 years into his career to make such a record. Low Country Blues is Allman’s paean to his influences, paying homage to the tunes of past masters including Skip James, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush and Bobby “Blue” Bland. A talented keyboardist and guitarist, Allman’s greatest instrument is his voice.

Wrapped in weariness and soaked with soul, Allman early on ascended beyond a cover musician into a true interpreter of whatever he played. Sometimes you have to live the life to sing about the life; unfortunately, that’s what’s missing from this album — some life. Per usual, T-Bone Burnett has imposed his formulaic production that makes this recording sound like countless others — “Let’s pretend we’re at Sun Studios, and I’ll throw in compression and reverb, etc.” Allman’s B-3 is buried in the mix, and there’s little variety between the 12 tunes. Instead of hair-raising energy and swampy, backwater blues, you get a polite, parlor-like approximation that tries to be something it isn’t. Allman puts in terrific performances across the board – his singing on Bland’s “Blind Man” is as good as anything he’s ever done — but I wish someone else had his back here.

The Allman Brothers Band announced the loss of friend and original/longtime crew member, Joseph Lawrence “Red Dog” Campbell. Campbell (born March 27, 1942) passed away Monday, February 21, 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer

His photo is memorialized for all time on the back of their seminal At Fillmore East album (at left) and writer/filmmaker Cameron Crowe included a “Red Dog” character based on him in the now-classic film “Almost Famous.” After returning from Vietnam, Red Dog introduced himself to the fledgling band and helped support them with his pension checks and worked with the band for years. Red Dog chronicled his adventures with the Allman Brothers Band in his book “The Legendary Red Dog: A Book of Tails.”

There is no funeral service, but a memorial is being planned for Friday, April 22 at Macon, GA’s Cox Theatre.

Donations on his behalf should be sent to:

Hospice Of Central Georgia
858 High Street
Macon, GA 31201
(912) 749-9161

or online at http://splat.mansellgroup.net/hospice/give.asp

Fans of rock music icons the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND are getting ready for their annual pilgrimage to New York City’s Beacon Theatre, where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees will again take up residency for 13 shows (March 10-26).   The group will also headline their own WANEE MUSIC FESTIVAL in Live Oak, FL (which takes place April 14-16) with special guests Widespread Panic, Robert Plant & Band of Joy and the Steve Miller Band.  Those who can’t make the trip to New York City or Florida–or want to re-live the experience later–can sign up to www.moogis.com and stream all the shows at their leisure in full hi-def glory.

The group–recently described by Rolling Stone senior writer David Fricke as “one of rock’s great touring bands and curing blues across the land since 1969 (1/18/11)”–has been performing lengthy residencies in New York City since 1989 and continue this year with their return to the Beacon in what Fricke called a “hallowed local tradition (4/9/07).”  “Rituals and roots figure big in the world of the Allman Brothers Band,” wrote Jim Farber in his 2009 New York Daily News review, where he went on to describe their live staple “Mountain Jam” as “…their most abstract and their most forceful.  It’s a piece rooted in key parts of rock and blues history, yet, in its evolving form, leaves them open to the future (3/10/09).”

The ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND–GREGG ALLMAN (vocals and keyboards), BUTCH TRUCKS (drums and tympani), JAIMOE (drums), WARREN HAYNES (vocals, lead and slide guitar), DEREK TRUCKS (slide and lead guitar), OTEIL BURBRIDGE (bass) and MARC QUINONES (congas and percussion)–have limited touring plans in 2011, allowing the group to embrace other projects, including ALLMAN’s new solo album LOW COUNTRY BLUES (out now).

After the Beacon Theatre run, the band will headline the three-day WANEE FESTIVAL  that they host in Live Oak, FL April 14-16.  This year’s headliners include Widespread Panic, along with first timers Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy and The Steve Miller Band.  Other guests include Warren Haynes Band, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, Ween, Stephen Marley, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Mike Gordon, Hot Tuna, 7 Walkers Feat. Bill Kreutzmann, Galactic , Taj Mahal, North Mississippi Allstars, Keller Williams, John Popper & The Duskray Troubadours, The Radiators, Wanda Jackson, Rusted Root, Oteil Burbridge and The Lee Boys,Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Big Gigantic, Melvin Seals & JGB, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, New Deal, Lotus, Tea Leaf Green, DJ Logic, Toubob Krewe, Devon Allman’s Honeytribe, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Guitar Shorty, Dangermuffin, Honey Island Swamp Band, Kevin Hammond, Death on Two Wheels, The Yeti Trio, Jacob Jeffries Band and Griffin Anthony.

Full ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Beacon and Wanee itinerary:

Thu 3/10                    New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Fri 3/11                      New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Sat 3/12                     New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Mon 3/14                   New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Tue 3/15                    New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Thu 3/17                    New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Fri 3/18                      New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Sat 3/19                     New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Mon 3/21                   New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Tue 3/22                    New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Thu 3/24                    New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Fri 3/25                      New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre
Sat 3/26                     New York, NY                      Beacon Theatre

Thu 4/14                    Live Oak, FL                         Wanee Music Festival
Fri 4/15                      Live Oak, FL                         Wanee Music Festival

New York, NY – MSG Entertainment announced today that The Allman Brothers Band will return to the legendary Beacon Theatre in New York City and perform eight shows beginning March 10 through March 19, 2011. Presented by Live Nation in conjunction with MSG Entertainment, tickets go on-sale on Saturday, December 4 at 11:00AM for the following eight performances: March 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 19, 2011.

“No band is as closely associated with one single venue as the Allman Brothers have been with The Beacon Theatre,” said Jay Marciano, president, Madison Square Garden Entertainment.  “The Beacon is their home.  For more than 40 years, The Allman Brothers Band has epitomized the best in rock n’roll. They are undoubtedly one of the greatest live performers of our day and have the most loyal and devoted fans around.  When they take the stage at The Beacon, something electrifying happens that is experienced by both the band and their fans.  We are thrilled for their return and look forward to eight extraordinary nights of music.”

“We are thrilled to return to The Beacon,” said Gregg Allman. “It’s our New York home and truly where we belong.  We have the most dedicated and loyal fans and know that they will be happy to have us back home.”

“It will be great to see the band back where they belong,” said Kevin Morrow, president, New York Live Nation.

The Allman Brothers Band are musical pioneers that have forever defined the genre of jazz-influenced, free-form rock since 1969.  The band’s first concert at the Beacon Theatre was held in 1989 and since that time it has been a long-standing tradition and annual rite of Spring for their loyal fans to attend the ‘The Beacon Run.’

In 2009, The Allman Brothers Band celebrated their 40th anniversary at The Beacon with a 15-night run at the legendary venue.  The shows were dedicated to Duane Allman and attracted special guests including Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Trey Anastasio, Billy Gibbons, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh.  The run’s final performance marked the Allman Brothers 188th show at The Beacon, holding the record for most performances by a band or artist at the iconic venue.

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