The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Macon, Georgia, United States, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). The band incorporated elements of southern rock, blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows had jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals. The group split initially in 1976 and reformed many times until they finally broke up in 2014. Both Berry Oakley and Duane Allman died in motorcycle accidents on separate occasions in 1971 and 1972, whilst Duane's brother Greg died in 2017 of cancer.
Links To Peel
The Allman Brothers Band - Jessica
The Allman Brothers Band were among the Southern rock and blues artists who, at the end of the 1960s and the start of the 1970s, influenced British musicians like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, who namechecked guitarist Duane "Skydog" Allman in their hit single "Brown Sugar".
Peel too was a fan of the Allman Brothers Band in the 1970's and nominated their instrumental "Jessica" in his Peelenium 1973. The track also appeared in Peel's first annual Festive Fifty in 1976. "Jessica" was also the theme tune of Top Gear - not the BBC Radio One show presented by Peel but the popular British TV series about cars, long hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
Grinderswitch, who had been Allman Brothers' roadies in the early 70's, recorded the version of Pickin' The Blues that became the theme to Peel's BBC Radio One shows between 1975 and 1992.
In the 1970s, Peel played tracks by bands led by Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts, both former members of the Allman Brothers, and the DJ also revisited the band's version of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" in 1999.
Festive Fifty Entries
- 1976 Festive Fifty: Jessica #38
Peelenium
- Peelenium 1973: Jessica
Other Shows Played
- 03 January 1970: Black Hearted Woman (LP - The Allman Brothers Band) Atco
- 24 January 1970: It's Not My Cross To Bear (LP - The Allman Brothers Band) Atlantic
- 14 February 1970: Every Hungry Woman (LP – Allman Brothers Band) Atlantic
- 14 March 1970: Trouble No More (LP - The Allman Brothers Band) Atlantic
- 04 April 1970: Black Hearted Woman (LP - The Allman Brothers Band) Atlantic
- 07 November 1970: Hoochie Coochie Man (LP - The Allman Brothers Band) Atco
- 1971
- 04 September 1971: unknown
- 06 October 1971: unknown
- 14 April 1972: Trouble No More (2xLP – Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- 02 May 1972: One Way Out (LP - Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- 01 September 1972: Statesboro Blues (LP - The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East) Atlantic
- Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 4: Blue Sky (LP - Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 4: One Way Out (LP - Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 4: Melissa (LP - Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- 1973
- 20 March 1973: Black Hearted Woman (2xLP – Beginnings) Atlantic
- 26 April 1973: One Way Out (2xLP – Eat A Peach) Capricorn
- 19 June 1973: Done Somebody Wrong (2xLP: At Fillmore East) Atlantic
- 16 August 1973: Jessica (LP - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 18 September 1973: Southbound (LP - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 20 September 1973: Wasted Words (LP - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 04 October 1973: Jessica (album - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 16 October 1973: Come And Go Blues (LP - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 11 December 1973: Don't Keep Me Wonderin' (album - Idlewild South) ATCO SD 33-342
- 25 December 1973: Southbound (LP - Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn
- 08 January 1974: Jessica
- 1975
- 14 April 1975: unknown
- 1976
- Where It's At: Statesboro Blues
- 27 December 1976: Jessica (LP – Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn FF #38
- 1978
- 14 July 1978: Statesboro Blues (LP - At Fillmore East) Capricorn
- 1999
- Jerry Wexler: Soul Man: Statesboro Blues
- 17 November 1999: Jessica (LP – Brothers And Sisters) Capricorn Peelenium 1973