Twelve days before he died, Duane Allman played his final show with the Allman Brothers Band. That performance, recorded on Oct. 17, 1971, will be released as The Final Note on Oct 16, one day short of the show’s 49th anniversary.
At the same time, a 2005 Allmans set from Erie, Pa., will also be released.
The seven-track set from 1971, from the Painters Mill Music Fair in Owings Mills, Md., features such early ABB classics as “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” “Statesboro Blues” and “Whipping Post.” The recording turned up on a cassette tape owned by radio journalist Sam Idas. In a press release, Idas, who was 18 at the time, is quoted as saying, “My only intention was to record [an] interview. This was a brand-new cassette recorder with an internal microphone, and I had one 60-minute cassette tape. I was sitting there with the recorder in my lap, and I remember thinking, ‘Why don’t I try this out? I can record the concert!’ It was a totally spontaneous decision. I’d been to many concerts, but this was the only time I had the thought—and the motivation—to record the show.”
Idas added that he’d forgotten he had the recording until a few years ago when a friend asked him if he’d kept it. He then discovered it.
As there were sound limitations on the original tape, it has been cleaned up via modern technology, making it suitable for commercial release. The packaging will include new liner notes, photos from the show and a photo of the “lost” cassette.
The classic early Allmans lineup. Front row, l. to r.: Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks. Back row: Jaimoe, Gregg Allman, Berry Oakley
Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Ga., on Oct. 29, 1971. He was 24. The other band members on the gig were keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Allman, guitarist Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai “Jaimoe” Johanson.
Related: A rare radio interview with Gregg Allman
The Erie concert from 2005 features a lineup of Gregg Allman, Jaimoe, Trucks, Oteil Burbridge, Marc Quinones, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes. The show—which will be released under the title Erie 2005—is said to be a favorite of the musicians.
The Final Note Track List
Statesboro Blues
Trouble No More
Don’t Keep Me Wondering
One Way Out
In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
Hot ‘lanta
Whipping Post
Erie 2005 Track List
Disc 1
Mountain Jam
Statesboro Blues
Firing Line
Good Morning Little School Girl
Midnight Rider
The High Cost of Low Loving
Trouble No More
Mountain Jam (Reprise)
Melissa
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Don’t Keep Me Wondering
Disc 2
Into the Mystic
Dreams
Leave My Blues At Home
Jabuma
Leave My Blues At Home (Reprise)
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (featuring Susan Tedeschi)
Jessica
One Way Out
Listen to “Don’t Keep Me Wondering” from the Erie concert
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1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationWow the Allman Bros. Band is and always will be the best band EVER !! I miss them so much !! Alot of tragedy and I will always love them !! Fantastic ! I got to see one of their last shows at the Wannie Fest in Florida with Warren Haynes, it was great but Gregg was going downhill fast ! Still AWESOME !! their music will live on FOREVER with Me ! Thanx guys !!