The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band was a pioneering American rock group formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane and Gregg Allman, alongside Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jaimoe Johanson. Later based in Macon, Georgia, they became known for blending blues, jazz, and country, and for their improvisational, jam-style live performances. Early studio albums found modest success, but their 1971 live release At Fillmore East established them as icons of American rock, featuring extended renditions of songs like Whipping Post and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. Tragedy struck with the deaths of Duane Allman in 1971 and Berry Oakley in 1972, but the band pushed on, releasing the acclaimed albums Eat a Peach and Brothers and Sisters. Hits like Ramblin' Man and Jessica made them staples of 1970s rock radio. Despite lineup changes and periods of internal strife, the band re-formed multiple times, enjoying renewed popularity in the late 1980s and 2000s, especially during their annual residencies at New York's Beacon Theatre. The Allman Brothers Band received seven Gold and four Platinum albums and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Rolling Stone placed them among the 100 greatest artists of all time. The band retired in 2014, and only Jaimoe survives among the original members. Their enduring influence helped shape southern rock and improvisational live music.