My coverage of the final Allman Brothers shows

That’s all folks. Photo by Derek McCabe

Wow.

So it’s been almost two weeks now and I can finally communicate with you all about a very intense 10-day whirlwind of emotions, conversations, interviews, rehearsals and, of course, shows.

A little update on my reporting on these final Allman Brothers performances – and yes it still feels strange to write that.

I woke up early the next morning and wrote up this report for Billboard. The print copy included a lot more photos by Derek McCabe and Danny Clinch.

A more extensive report will be in the January Guitar World, out end of November. That one will include photos by Kirk West and will also include a separate story about Duane’s three Les Pauls and how they ended up at the Beacon – together for the first time.

But the real piece of writing about not just the final shows, but the whole confusing, tumultuous, ultimately glorious final year for the band will be a new final chapter in the paperback edition of One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band. That will be out February 25 and will also include about 20 new Kirk West photos.

I’ve done extensive interviews with most of the band and there are some surprises in there. I am still in the “wow I’m done” afterglow, but I feel like this chapter is perhaps my best peice of writing ever. It’s what I’ve been building to for 25 years, incorporating a lot of built-up knowledge and relationships. I was at 21 of the Band’s 22 2014 performances and I spoke to everyone I could before, during and after each of them. It percolated all year and came out in this chapter.

Much more to come about all this after the first of the year.