1- The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brother Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar) with Gregg Allman (vocals, organ, songwriting), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jaimoe (drums).
2 Duane and Gregg Allman’s father was an Army sergeant. He was murdered in 1949 by a hitchhiker he picked up. At the time, Duane was 3 and Gregg was 2.
3 Early names for the band included The Escorts, The 31st of February, Hour Glass, Almanac, and The Allman Joys.
4 Duane Allman and Barry Oakley died as a result of motorcycle accidents 3 blocks away from each other, Duane on October 29, 1971, Barry on November 11, 1972. Oakley did not die there. He got up, went home and hung out with his friends. Three hours later he died from a brain hemorrhage. Both were 24. They are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia, where the band would often jam. (thanks, Tim – Verona, NJ)
5 Duane Allman named his daughter Galadrielle, after a character in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord Of The Rings.
6 Their mushroom logo comes from the hallucinogenic psilocybin mushroom extract pills they took in their early years. They had a routine where they would each take half a pill and start jamming in the morning. Every member except Warren Haynes had it tattooed on his calf. Jaimoe’s mushroom tattoo is only the outline. Apparently it hurt too much to color it in.
7 Duane Allman named his daughter Galadrielle, after a character in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord Of The Rings.
8 Duane and Gregg are left-handed, but learned to play guitar right-handed.
9 The band is famous for their innovative jams and constant touring. They have always encouraged taping at their shows.
10 Gregg Allman shot himself in the foot in 1965 to avoid being sent to Vietnam. Duane was exempt from the draft because he was the oldest son and his father was dead.
11 When asked what he thought about rap music, Gregg Allman said rap was “short for crap.”
12 Allman Brothers wrote many of the band’s most popular songs such as “Whipping Post,” “Dreams,” “Please Call Home” and “Melissa.” Many of the band’s songs are still heard on radio stations today.
13 They performed at the second Woodstock in 1994. They were going to attend the first Woodstock as spectators, but decided not to fight the traffic.
14 Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle crash in 1971. He was 24 years old. The crash happened months after the release and initial success of the band’s album “At Fillmore East.” Duane was best remembered for his slide guitar playing and has been ranked among the best guitar players of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
15 As a slide for his guitar, Duane used an old-fashioned glass bottle from a cold medication called Coricidin. He liked the “glass sound ” as opposed to “brass” slides, plus, the Coricidin bottle fit him perfectly. He kept it locked away in a briefcase while on the road, so as not to risk having it lost or broken in the course of handling all the larger equipment. Finding one that fit the finger, and also just happened to be the right length wasn’t all that easy. (thanks, Gene – Owen County, IN)
17 In 1970, they had a roadie known as Twiggs who stabbed a promoter to death after a show in Buffalo, New York. Twiggs was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and after doing time in a mental hospital, he rejoined the band in 1972
21 They performed at the Summer Jam in Watkins Glen, NY, on July 28, 1973. They were on a bill with The Band and The Grateful Dead that drew about 600,000 people, the largest rock concert ever.
22 Gregg Allman married Cher in 1975. They had an on-and-off relationship until 1979.
23 The band helped Jimmy Carter get elected in 1976 by playing benefit concerts to raise money for his campaign. Like The Allmans, Carter is from Georgia.
24 Duane Allman named his daughter Galadrielle, after a character in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord Of The Rings.
25 In 1990, they played a concert for MTV Unplugged.
26 In 1991, Gregg Allman played a drug dealer in the movie Rush.
27 They were inducted in to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1995 by Willie Nelson. Gregg Allman went into rehab the next day.
28 When asked what he thought about rap music, Gregg Allman said rap was “short for crap.”
29 According to the book Skydog – The Duane Allman Story, following a long summer tour drug use (brown powder, though Duane would not let any ABB members ‘shoot up’ – snort only) was starting to take it toll on the band. In late September, 1971, Duane went to a Buffalo, New York rehab center for 17 days to “clean out” and get straight. Duane was sober during his horrific motorcycle crash. (thanks, Dan – Spartanburg, SC)
30 Duane Allman was a session player before joining the Allman Brothers Band. He camped out in his car at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama until his got a shot. His first session there was on Wilson Pickett’s version of “Hey Jude.” He was also part of Eric Clapton’s band, Derek and the Dominos, playing guitar on “Layla.”
31 The scene in the movie Almost Famous where the Rock Star character jumps from a roof into a pool was inspired by one of Duane Allman’s exploits. In San Francisco, he jumped from the third floor of a Travelodge into the pool, an incident that was recalled to the Rolling Stone reporter Cameron Crowe when he visited the band on tour. Crowe later directed Almost Famous.
sources
http://www.songfacts.com/facts-the_allman_brothers_band.php