I was at the pool when I peaked at my emails. My good friend Paul (the one married to Victoria) posted an alert from FOX News to Gotham RockRap listerve:

I knew Gregg was ill, had canceled his tour plans this year and was unable to play at his Laid Back Festival stop at Red Rocks in Colorado last fall (because Richie Furay played it and mentioned Gregg did not play as planned).

I included the Jones Beach stop on that “festival” tour headlined by Gregg and his band last summer on my list of top ten 2016 concerts. I wrote:

“The Gregg Allman Laidback Festival certainly lived up to his bill with artists you would enjoy and stand alone shows: Marshall Tucker, America, Orleans, Devon Allman and Gregg himself...Devon Allman demonstrated he stands on his own; he did a great cover of No Woman No Cry. Gregg made my day with his version of Aint Wastin’ Time No More (from Eat A Peach). While the Allmans may be no more, Gregg led a hot band. Venue: Jones Beach, July 23.”

Rolling Stone posted an obit which I shared on the RockRap list serve. It includes several videos of Gregg with the Allmans and solo. Later another friend who “owns” a rather large listserve share the same article and the New York Times obit.

An interesting factoid: Gregg auditioned for Jimmy Messina and Richie Furay when the two former Buffalo Springfield bandmates sought musicians for what would become Poco. He wrote It's Not My Cross to Bear while hangin’ with them. Rolling Stone also posted its “20 Essential Songs” by Gregg.

Warren Haynes co lead-guitarist and musical director in the last iteration of the Allman, posted a moving tribute on Facebook:

“He wrote these amazing songs that were as natural as his voice was. The words and melodies felt so perfectly unpretentious and, when delivered by him, made an emotional connection that only happens when music is genuine and honest.”

When I wrote about attending my last Allman Brothers concerts at The Beacon, Tuesday, March 19 (with David Berger) and Monday October 27, 2014 (with Fred Klein), I noted the last song I saw the band play, “No One To Run With, seemed rather fitting.” So too as I write this.

Gregg moved on but the songs and music live and move us. It certainly moves this commentator.

RIP Midnight Rider.