Gregg Allman of ‘The Allman Brothers Band’ Dies at Age 69
Gregg Allman, fronting member of The Allman Brothers and trailblazing musician of southern rock, has died. He was 69 years old.
An official cause of death has not yet been announced though Billboard reports that Allman had been struggling with illness for some time. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1999 and, in 2010, received a liver transplant. His death comes just a couple of weeks after an announcement that he would be cancelling the remainder of his 2017 touring schedule. No reason was given for the tour cancellation.
Allman, along with his late brother Duane, founded The Allman Brothers, a band which has been credited as one of the pioneers of rock and blues music. Together, they composed classic tunes such as Melissa, Midnight Rider and Ramblin’ Man just to name a few.
According to a statement on Allman’s official website, he “passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia. Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years. During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times.”
Michael Lehman, Allman’s manager and friend said in a statement, “I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music. He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard. His love for his family and bandmates was passionate as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him.”
According to a post on the Allman Brothers Band Facebook page, “The family suggests that tributes to Gregg can be made to the Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at The University of Georgia at https://gail.uga.edu/
Rest in peace, Gregg Allman!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uUbyTGOIxk
A karaoke obsessed, craft beer enthusiast and lover of all things pop culture, Denise enjoys all facets of entertainment from Broadway to box office blockbusters. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, concerts (lots and lots of concerts), volunteering, reading and playing with her rescue kitten, Samantha (who rescued who, right?).
