Gregg Allman .......I cannot believe it has been 5 years.

I crossed paths with Gregg in the late-90’s. It was about 10:30 A.M., in the Tower Records on Venture Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, California (the same blvd. upon which Tom Petty saw vampires moving west ;-). From across the store’s floor I heard a raspy voice bellow "HEY, LONG HAIR!" I turned around (I was indeed a long hair, the only one in the store), and saw Gregg, leaning against what appeared to be an assistant, who was preventing him from falling on his ass. Gregg was completely smashed, at 10:30 in the morning.

I walked over to him and stuck out my hand, and he reciprocated, his hand shaking mine. He was at a loss for words, so I just said "Nice to meet ya", and turned and walked away. I don’t know if he was already drunk, or still drunk from the night before, not yet having been to bed. I suspect the latter.

Wow, that 5 years sure flew by, crazy.  I remember the day I bought Allman Brothers Beginnings double album at Luskin's appliance store back in MD when I was a kid in the early 70's.  Later I moved to FL where I'd see the Brothers play on South Miami Beach around '81 or so.  I can still see Gregg's blonde hair blowin in the seabreeze right on the beach behind his Hammond.  South Beach then was all dilapidated old hotels filled with old jewish retirees not particularly affluent.  Later I moved upstate to college and the Brothers would play all the time at our college outdoor band shell - all great performances.  As the band was on it's backslide in the mid 80's a bunch of us piled in a car and drove to Lady Lake to a little club and saw him w/his band at the time.  Again great show.  He was throwin' back during the show just like the enthusiastic crowd.  We learned the next day he had gotten a DWI leaving the show.  I don't know how we didn't either LOL.  A couple years before his passing we were lucky to see him play at the local performing arts center what a great performance that was.  His solo versions of Melissa and These Days on acoustic guitar were in top form.  I'd forgotten what a great acoustic guitar player he was.  Don Was did a great job on his last record Southern Blood.  Gregg's rendition of Tim Buckley's "Once I Was" sends chills and about cracks me up every time I hear it.  The other one that is on The Brothers Dreams 4 cd set is Gregg's version of Beatles "Rain".   Thanks for the reminder w/this garebear, cheers.  

I too grew up with the Allman Brothers. So many great memories. When Greg passed it felt like losing a family member.  My favorite band of all time.