Gregg Allman & Butch Trucks Honored at Festival

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The sixth annual Peach Music Festival, launched by the Allman Brothers Band and held at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain and Montage Mountain Ski Resort in Scranton, Pa., was, by all reports, a rousing success even considering the passing this year of two founding members of the band: drummer Butch Trucks on Jan. 24 and, of course, Gregg Allman on May 27.

Listen to a track from Gregg’s final album, Southern Blood

The lineup for the four-day event was topped by jam bands and alternative/Americana acts, ranging from My Morning Jacket (who paid tribute to Gregg during their own set) to Widespread Panic to the Black Crowes spinoff the Magpie Salute to the Dark Star Orchestra, known for recreating complete Grateful Dead concerts. But the Allmans, both in influence and in the flesh, were never far from the stage. Performers included surviving drummer Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band and Gov’t Mule, which features guitarist Warren Haynes of the final (and longest-lasting) ABB lineup. That band was joined for their set by the renowned jazz/blues guitarist John Scofield.

Perhaps the most anticipated set took place on Saturday evening, however, with what was billed as A Peach Tribute to Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks. An all-star roster of musicians nodded to the departed Allmans legends, including Jaimoe, former ABB bassist Oteil Burbridge, one-time ABB keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who served as musical director, and Marc Quiñones, the band’s percussionist between 1991-2004. Also joining the tribute were musician kin such as Berry Oakley Jr. (son of original bassist Berry Oakley), Duane Trucks (nephew of Butch and brother of ABB guitarist Derek Trucks, who is on tour with his own Tedeschi Trucks Band and thus not present here) and Devon Allman, a son of Gregg’s.

Related: Warren Haynes paid tribute to Gregg with a moving essay in the spring

The collective’s 13-song set featured songs associated with Gregg and the brothers, including “Statesboro Blues,” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” and “Dreams,” which featured guitarist Jimmy Herring and bassist Dave Schools from Widespread Panic. Haynes, who was not announced as part of the tribute, also sat in for some time and took part in, to no one’s surprise, a lengthy jam on the signature Allmans tune “Whipping Post.”

Watch a portion of “Midnight Rider” from the Gregg Allman/Butch Trucks tribute set

 

Watch Warren Haynes sing “Come and Go Blues” at the Peach Festival

Best Classic Bands Staff

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  1. Guy Smiley
    #1 Guy Smiley 14 August, 2017, 20:31

    Wait, Otiel’s sick??

    Don’t you mean KOFI Burbridge, Oteil’s brother and the keyboardist and flautist from Tedeschi Trucks Band?

    He had to come off rhe road recently (TTB has replaced him) due to a heart condition, I believe, but this is the first I’ve heard about Oteil.

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