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Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band headlined the Avila Beach Blues Festival . The all-ages festival, which took place May 25 at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013.

  

All Photos: Steve Kennedy

www.Facebook.com/SteveKennedyPhotography

www.GreggAllman.com

 

Allman co-founded the Allman Brothers Band in 1969 with his late brother, guitarist Duane Allman, among others. The influential Southern rock group, which achieved artistic and commercial breakthrough with the release of 1971’s “At Fillmore East,” enjoyed widespread popularity in the '70s thanks to hits such as “Ramblin’ Man.”  

Gregg Allman has also found success as a solo artist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.  

Also playing at this year’s festival were New Orleans trombone/trumpet player Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his band, Orleans Avenue, as well as English blues singer-songwriter John Mayall.

 

 

Gregg Allman’s Vast Musical Legacy Is Honored On All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, Out NOW on Rounder

 

 

 

On January 10, 2014, a multi-generational assortment of musicians from the worlds of rock, blues and country joined together at Atlanta's historic Fox Theatre for a once-in-a-lifetime all-star performance to pay tribute to the life and music of the legendary singer/musician/songwriter Gregg Allman. That live musical event can now be experienced via the new multimedia package All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, set for release by Rounder Records on May 6th, 2014  

 

Shot in high definition video with 5:1 Dolby sound, this 1-DVD, 2-CD package (also available in multiple format variations including Blu-Ray) captures the four-hour concert event in its entirety. The show features a diverse assortment of high-profile Allman admirers paying tribute to the iconic veteran rocker, delivering distinctive new performances of classic material drawn from his four and a half decades as a recording artist; encompassing his landmark work with the legendary Allman Brothers Band as well as his parallel solo career.  

 

The variety of the artists paying tribute to Allman, and the diversity of their interpretations of his songs, attests to the broad appeal of Allman's talents, which transcend stylistic and generational boundaries. With musical direction by noted producer/musician Don Was, several of the guest performers are drawn from the Allman Brothers Band's extended musical family, including current ABB guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks (who also appears here with his wife and frequent musical partner Susan Tedeschi) and Gregg's talented son Devon Allman.  

 

The prestigious slate of performers also includes such Allman contemporaries as Jackson Browne, Dr. John, John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, Wet Willie singer Jimmy Hall and classic soul man Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave fame), along with such younger acts as Robert Randolph, Keb' Mo', Widespread Panic and Pat Monahan of Train. Such notable guest performers as Eric Church, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert and Jess Franklin represent the world of country music, long a key component in Allman’s musical consciousness.  

 

All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman would not be complete without Allman's own authoritative voice, which is spotlighted here on collaborative readings of landmark tunes with Gregg's onetime L.A. roommate Jackson Browne ("These Days," "Melissa"), Vince Gill and Zac Brown ("Midnight Rider") and Taj Mahal ("Statesboro Blues"). Gregg also joins with the Allman Brothers Band to deliver fiery readings of the classics "Dreams" and "Whipping Post," which precede a set-closing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," performed by the show's full cast. With the recent announcement that the Allman Brothers Band will cease touring at the end of 2014, these may be among the last recordings of the band on stage.  

 

The All My Friends show features a celebrated house band that includes Don Was on bass, former Allman Brothers Band members Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Jack Pearson (guitar), ex-Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed, Wallflowers keyboardist Rami Jaffee and renowned drummer-to-the-stars Kenny Aronoff.  

 

As Allman later enthused, "That show was one of the highlights of my life. It was great to see old friends, and everyone was so gracious and really poured their souls into my songs. It was a very special night."  

 

In most video formats, All My Friends also features extensive bonus video material, including 26 exclusive interviews with the show's performers, candid behind-the-scenes material, and historic footage of a special presentation to Allman.  

 

Gregg Allman is one of rock's most acclaimed and beloved icons, possessing a distinctively soulful voice and singular songwriting ability that resonate through a musical career that spans nearly half a century. Gregg, along with the Allman Brothers Band, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1995. At the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012, the group was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The same year, Gregg's critically acclaimed tell-all memoir, My Cross to Bear, spent several weeks as a New York Times Bestseller.  

 

www.GreggAllman.com

All Photos: Steve Kennedy

www.Facebook.com/SteveKennedyPhotography  

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