Brother To Brother

From Duane’s earliest sessions to Gregg’s last, FAME remains hallowed ground for Allman Brothers history.

- By Martin Mcquade

Of the many legends FAME has nurtured, none has inspired more adulation than Duane Allman. Astounding virtuosity and unfulfilled promise hastened his enshrinement. Now, Duane’s legend resembles that of a knight-errant, replete with quests, triumphs, tragedy, and even a holy grail — his 1957 gold top Gibson Les Paul. Each formative recording has acquired mythic undertones, including those he hasn’t played on.

Bassist David Hood, the FAME perennial and co-founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, frequently dispels such conjecture. “People want to know everything he’s on, and they want him to have played on everything,” he says. “I’ve checked my daily diaries. There aren’t any more tracks he played on that aren’t already noted on album covers, liner notes, and so on.” Regardless, Duane completists continually list dubious recordings and questionable sessions.