Macon, Georgia, Officially Name 8 December “Gregg Allman Day”

Late Allman Brothers Band frontman Gregg Allman is being honored posthumously on 8 December, which is being officially named Gregg Allman Day in Macon, Georgia.

Macon Mayor Robert Reichert recently declared the date – which is also the late star’s birthday – to be Gregg Allman Day in perpetuity. In September, Allman, who died on 27 May 2017, posthumously received a key to the city at a commemorative celebration held at The Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House – the iconic residence where the band lived during their classic run of records from 1970 to ’73.

Though Gregg Allman was born in Nashville, Macon occupies a special place in Allman Brothers folklore. The embryonic band initially started jamming in Jacksonville, Florida, but really took shape after relocating to Macon in the spring of 1969.

Macon became the band’s primary base until 1973. While in residence, the band’s classic line-up forged a strong brotherhood, spending countless hours rehearsing, jamming and writing songs, many of which ended up on their self-titled debut album, released through Atco/Capricorn Records in November 1969. Macon dominated the album’s artwork, as the band are depicted standing at the entrance of the College House (now owned by Mercer University) on the front. The back cover, meanwhile, features the Bond Tomb at Macon’s Rose Hill Cemetery, another favourite Allmans hangout.

Macon again directly influenced the band’s second album, Idlewild South, with the album title coming from the group’s collective nickname for the communal cabin they rented on a lake outside of the city during their early days. Later, Duane Allman was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon on 29 October 1971.

Gregg Allman’s much-acclaimed final studio album, Southern Blood, was recently included in Rolling Stone’s prestigious 50 Best Albums Of 2017 run down. The record also received two Grammy Nominations during November. The LP was chosen in the Best Americana Albums category, while its standalone single ‘My Only True Friend’ (co-written by Allman and Scott Sharrard) was nominated for Best Roots Song.

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Format: UK English