Gregg Allman was furious at his brother Duane Allman for dying.
“Mad at Him”
The 69-year-old rocker was distraught and struggled to come to terms with his musician sibling’s tragic death following a motorcycle crash in Macon, Georgia, in October 1971, at the age of 24.
In archival footage that appears in the documentary, Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, the Midnight Rider hitmaker said, “I was mad at him for dying. I was mad at life. You never know how much you’re leaning on somebody until they die.”
Gregg said that he was “angry at God for taking” Duane, who was older by a year.
The Grammy winner lifted the lid on his grief in a 1981 interview.
Gregg said, “He was like the mother ship, right? He had this real magic about him that would lock us all in, and we’d all take off. He really had that quality.”
“It wasn’t brothers as you would think ‘brothers.’ He really respected what I did, and I respected what he did. Every time I walk up on the stage, I still feel like he’s standing right there next to me.”
The I’m No Angel legend added that Duane’s music would be popular for a “long time,” and he promised to “support it as long as I’m around.”
Gregg Allman’s Passing
Gregg passed away from liver cancer complications at his home in Savannah, Georgia, in May 2017 at the age of 69.
A statement on the rock trailblazer’s website read, “It is with deep sadness we announce that Gregg Allman, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia.”
“Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years.”
“During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times.”
Tributes for the Musician
Gregg’s long-time manager and close pal, Michael Lehmann, led tributes.
He said, “I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music. He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard.”
“His love for his family and bandmates was passionate, as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him.”
Gregg is survived by his wife, Shannon Allman, his four children from previous relationships, and three grandchildren.
The artist has Devon with his ex-wife, Shelley Jefts, Elijah Blue with Cher, Delilah Island with Julie Bindas, and Layla with Shelby Blackburn.