Spinner

Gregg Allman Q&A: His New Wife, Not Liking the Grateful Dead and Dickey Betts

Danny Clinch

With a new memoir out (the entertaining My Cross to Bear, co-written with Alan Light) and a surprising new engagement (to 24-year-old girlfriend Shannon Williams, which will be his seventh marriage), legendary Allman Brothers Band singer/keyboardist Gregg Allman, 64, is in the spotlight again. The book is surprisingly candid early on about the problems with now-departed Allmans guitarist Dickey Betts and not being a fan of the Grateful Dead, with whom his band shares a large jam-band/classic rock fanbase, as well as insight about his six former marriages. But he doesn't see what the big deal is; the man just wants to play music. Calling from Jacksonville Beach, the perpetually earnest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee spoke to Spinner about summing his extravagant life up in a book that he didn't even know was a book.

I know you're getting asked about your engagement left and right, but after reading the book, it seems like the big difference with your previous marriages is that you're sober now.

That's true.

Do you think that's a big part of why you want to give marriage another try?

That's not the reason, no. She's actually like my first wife.

In the book, you're not shy about criticizing Dickey's destructiveness from the start. Did it never occur to fire him for so long because you felt responsible for so many of the band's troubles?

You're asking and answering the question at the same time. Is it because of what?

Gregg Allman and Shannon WilliamsBruce Glikas, FilmMagic

That you didn't realize for so long that he was the destructive factor and maybe blamed yourself?

No, I'd say he was. It got more than we could take, you know?

Dickey didn't seem to fit in with your own modesty as a "frontman" and how the band passed the leadership around, even to newer members like Warren. Do you think that's the secret to the Allmans' longevity, that it was never meant to revolve around one person?

What are you talking about, "leader"? There is no leader in this. We all do our thing. I mean, as far as signing things, you know, I do that. But as far as a "leader"? The only time we're led, so to speak, it goes on in the studio and the producer does that.

And do you think because there's no actual leader is the reason you guys have lasted so long?

No, I think our passion toward music is the reason we've lasted for so long.

Watch Gregg Allman's 'Just Another Rider' Video

One of the most surprising things in the book was learning that you weren't really a Grateful Dead fan. Has their music grown on you at all over time?

Um. A little bit. Little bit.

Considering how much of your career you were using drugs, did you have trouble recalling stories for the book, or have to rely on others' accounts?

No, it didn't affect my memory. I wrote this. [pause] I had to call on this guy. I was always thinking about writing a book, I just had to get it into chronological order, you know, what happened when. And I had a friend help me with that.

Was anyone surprised by how they were portrayed in the book?

No.

Your mother is 94 years old now, right?

Yeah, and this Sunday she'll be 95.

Has she read the book?

She read it twice.

What did she think?

She loved it.

How did it feel to get all that out on the page?

Well, it was over a long period of time. I started in 1981. Actually I'd already finished it and just kind of put it away in the closet somewhere. A few years down the road, I changed managers. And I showed it to him just one day, for the hell of it. And he said let me show this around to HarperCollins. So it became that book.

Why did it feel right to put the book out this year and not much earlier?

I don't know. Not sure. I didn't know I had a book until I showed it to my manager ... I don't know why I didn't do it a lot earlier. I didn't realize I had a book. I just wrote it down like as a journal. Because I had a very, very, very nice life. And I wrote all down so when I'm in this rocking chair in the porch [laughs] I can pick it up and relive some of it.

Is there anything that you wish you wrote more about in the book?

Hmm ... no. But I might write another one.

Is it disappointing that people are focusing so much on the chapter about Cher rather than the other stuff?

I don't know, man. I really don't know. You're asking some strange questions.

Sorry. At the end of the day what record are you most proud of making?

Oooh. I'd say the next one.

Gregg Allman Discusess His Liver Transplant and Sobriety


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9 Comments

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Twinks

You know Greg, #8 is going to be your lucky number...turn it left or right and you have infinity. Your music is part of my soul and will live in my heart for ever. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself for so many years.

January 21 2013 at 10:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BRS70

From reading the above interview you understand what's going on in Gregg Allman's mind: all my thoughts and comments in the book are the FINAL word on the subject, and any further discussion is just beating a dead horse!!

January 11 2013 at 8:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ecstaticsynergylorenz

sorry bout that exta comment, don't know how to erase here

December 27 2012 at 5:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ecstaticsynergylorenz

c'mon, he is a very intelligent man. I realize this is a huge age difference and it does create difficulties but if you truly love someone like many of us love Gregory,a fantastic musician who is receptive and sensitive to his friends and fans, we want him to be happy. Happy Holidays and Love to All

December 27 2012 at 5:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gloria Perez

Stupid, retarded man, Don't talk **** about Dickey, U are a loser and still a retard.

December 08 2012 at 12:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Newquest

Seems to have some drug "dumbness" still going on. He had a hard time understanding the simple questions he was ask! Now he's going to marry a 24 year old! LOL! I'm sure that she's not going to take advantage of him......ROFL! Men Never learn, do they! When's the Baby due? The 18+ year Paycheck!

August 21 2012 at 4:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
roocarpenter1

Ya, for sure, tense and wierd...sounds like a "fun" guy.

August 21 2012 at 2:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Travis Brophy

thats an awkward interview, im tense just reading it.

August 02 2012 at 12:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kerry Flood56@yahoo.

Its nice to see him sober!

August 01 2012 at 7:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply