#70?!?!?!? WTF!!!!!

Ok. So you know now that I'm very biased toward Gregg. So when Rolling Stone came out with their 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list a few weeks ago I just laughed. I mean, c'mon people! These Top Whatever Lists are just ridiculous. How are these made up anyway? Who comes up with this crap? Do groups of professionals on the subjects get together to make this up? Or do they just ask the guy at the hot dog stand around the corner his opinion and put these lists together that way? SERIOUSLY!!

Now I feel like saying something. Sometimes things need to sink in with me before I comment. I won't comment about the other placements on the list because Gregg is the only one that concerns me. GREGG ALLMAN AT #70??????? You have got to be kidding me!! What were the criteria they based this list on?? I have to wonder if these people are on crack! Come on, Rolling Stone!! Ok, so he's not as flashy or as visible as some of the other singers on this list, although he WAS a hot topic in the 1970's for sure. But so what???? Gregg's voice is so soulful and even mournful with hints of gravel that you can tell his life story just by listening to him sing. Not necessarily the words...but the sound of his voice. Listen to him sing and you can hear the heartache and heartbreaks, the victories, the sound of a life lived to the hilt almost to the point of destruction and back to redemption. Listen to this man's voice!! And Rolling Stone puts him at #70?? Shame! Shame!

Gregg Allman & Friends Tour

It's time once again to get your warm coats out (not that you'll need it once the music starts) and your boogie shoes on! Gregg and Friends are hitting the road!!

From Gregg's website:

DECEMBER
27 (Sat) - CAPITAL ONE BANK THEATRE AT WESTBURY Westbury, New York BUY TIX NOW!
28 (Sun) - ZEITERION THEATRE New Bedford, Massachusetts - On sale information tbd
30 (Tue) - RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE Ridgefield, Connecticut - On sale information tbd
31 (Wed) - KESWICK THEATER Glenside, Pennsylvania BUY TIX NOW!

JANUARY
02 (Fri) - BLENDER THEATER AT GRAMERCY New York, New York - TIX ON SALE: Saturday, November 1 - On sale information tbd
03 (Sat) - BLENDER THEATER AT GRAMERCY New York, New York - TIX ON SALE: Saturday, November 1 - On sale information tbd
05 (Mon) - RAMS HEAD ON STAGE Annapolis, Maryland BUY TIX NOW!
06 (Tue) - STATE THEATER Falls Church, Virginia BUY TIX NOW!
08 (Thu) - WELLMONT THEATRE Montclair, New Jersey - TIX ON SALE: Saturday, November 1 - On sale information tbd
09 (Fri) - WHITAKER CENTER - SUNOCO PERFORMANCE THEATER Harrisburg, Pennsylvania BUY TIX NOW!
10 (Sat) - SENECA ALLEGANY CASINO & HOTEL Salamanca, New York - On sale information tbd

He's better now!!!!

So here's the official press release from The Allman Brothers Band:

Rock and roll icons THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND will make their triumphant return to the concert stage this summer, with two dozen shows booked from August 12 through October 11. On the first leg of dates, the group will share the stage with Bob Weir & RatDog, with Phil Lesh and Friends on board for the second leg.
The August 12 show in Bethel, NY will mark the first group performance since last September’s featured guest spot at Farm Aid (9/9/07), which followed a Piedmont Park appearance in Atlanta (9/8/07) with the Dave Matthews Band. Late last year after the group’s summer tour, group co-founder, keyboardist and singer GREGG ALLMAN underwent treatment for Hepatitis C. ALLMAN battled through two months of debilitating Interferon treatments but has made a complete recovery and is now disease-free. “I feel great, man,” says ALLMAN. “The treatment really kicks you in the ass but I came out stronger. I’m ready to play.” Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that affects approximately four million people in the U.S. alone and can cause liver cancer or necessitate a transplant. Due to the side effects of the aggressive Interferon treatment, the group had to postpone their annual run of dates at the Beacon Theatre in New York City as well as performances at Bonnaroo and their own Wanee Festival in Florida.“I’ve known about having the disease for a long time, but was never a candidate for treatment until last year,” continues ALLMAN. “When my doctor told me to go for the Interferon, I knew it would be a battle, but I’m great now.” Side effects from Interferon treatment include flu-like symptoms and chronic fatigue. “I just didn’t have the energy to play,” says the keyboardist/singer. “And we’re a band that puts on 2-hour shows that change every single night. You gotta be at full capacity to do that. And now I am.”
During the downtime, the other members of ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND–BUTCH TRUCKS (drums and tympani), JAIMOE (drums), WARREN HAYNES (vocals, lead and slide guitar), DEREK TRUCKS (slide and lead guitar), OTEIL BURBRIDGE (bass) and MARC QUINONES (congas and percussion)–stayed busy with various projects. JAIMOE toured with his Jasssz Band; HAYNES tours non-stop with his band Gov’t Mule; TRUCKS joined Eric Clapton as guitarist for an extensive world tour and also performed with wife Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival; and OTEIL toured with former Grateful Dead percussionist Bill Kreutzman.

Awesome news indeed!!! HOWEVER, I do question the comment that I italicized. Not that I'm all that educated on the subject, but usually the treatments go on for at least a year. So I doubt two months is correct. At any rate, the big man is back in the saddle and ready to ride. And this is one cowgirl who is very happy!!!

For tour dates and more info go to:

http://www.allmanbrothersband.com

Is he???

This may come as a complete surprise but I do receive Google alerts on Gregg Allman! SHOCKER!! I know...I know. So I was checking my email this past Monday...and there was an alert. I checked it out and LO AND BEHOLD...a blog post from blogger.com. "Riley's Ramblings". I wish I knew how to link to it. You see, I'm still new here. An entertaining post about a dream she had that included Gregg. I enjoyed it very much!

Then I saw one of the comments...."Greg Allman - Is he still alive....". Well uhhhhhh....YES!! Very much so in fact. At this very moment he is at home resting up for an extensive tour this fall.

That had me thinking, which as my friends can attest can be very dangerous. I get that question a lot. "Gregg Allman?? Good lord! Is he still alive?" The only explanation I can think of is, since he's settled down a bit in the last decade or so, he's drawn less attention to himself. I guess.

But, YES HE IS ALIVE!! And I highly recommend that everyone catch an Allman Brothers show this fall. They don't tour as extensively as they used to, but NEXT YEAR will be the band's 40th anniversary. Big plans in the works for that.

For tour dates and info:

http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/

Well now...

So this is my first post....and what do I say? Hmmmm......let's see.

OK! I got it. How about a little about me and an explanation. Many of you...probably most if not all...have no idea who I am. I'm Greggswoman, or greggswoman, or GW, or gw. How's that for a start? Now...why? Where did that come from? Well.....

I'm a member of a "cult of worship"...or a fan club. I'm a huge fan and supporter of The Allman Brothers Band AND (most especially) Gregg Allman. So there you go. Gregg.....greggswoman. Now I want to state emphatically that I have no affiliation with Mr. Allman, nor do I know him. Although I did meet him once, which is a funny story. At least he chuckled anyway.

I've been an avid member of The Allman Brothers Band fan club (The Peach Corps.) since March of 2006. Compared to my other Brothers and Sisters there, I am a relative newcomer. A young 'un...a WHIPPERSNAPPER!! For the past two years I've led a thread on the forums entitled "Big Daddy's" allowing fans, mostly the ladies, to GUSH over Gregg's good looks....why not?? Funny enough, there wasn't a place for that before I signed on. WHY???? Who knows...but now there is. We've since branched out a bit to incorporate a few brave gentlemen who DARE to enter. But in all honesty....it ain't all about his looks. Not for me anyway.

http://www.allmanbrothersband.com

Before being what some deem a "Peach Head" I was a "Led Head". HUGE Led Zeppelin fan. So, when Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, naturally, I watched the ceremony. What a night that was! The roster of inductees that night included Neil Young, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa, and....The Allman Brothers Band. I knew who they were, but the depth at which I knew them was only "Ramblin' Man" and "Midnight Rider". And of course, I knew who Gregg was....barely. So, eagerly awaiting my favorite band at that time to take the stage, I watched the proceedings.

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 13: Members of the rock group Led Zeppelin are joined by the children of the late John Bonham as they meet the press after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York 12 January. From left are: Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Zoe and Jason Bonham, and Robert Plant. (COLOR KEY: Plant wears gold shirt.) AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read BOB STRONG/AFP/Getty Images)

Willie Nelson inducted The Allman Brothers into the hall of fame that evening, which I thought was very cool. But what got my attention, or rather WHO, was Gregg. That wasn't the same man I remember seeing on MTV a few years earlier. My goodness!! Out of respect, I won't post the photos here...but let's say Gregg was not at his best that evening. I surprisingly found myself concerned. Why? I didn't know the man. I wasn't a big fan...yet. After a year of toying around with their music...I drifted on to other life concerns.

AND THEN...March 2006...it hit me. And so here I am.

So this is the place where I will be professing my love for The Allman Brothers Band (as if I don't do that enough on their website, right?), more specifically Gregg....and talking about whatever the hell I want. Fair enough?