Gregg Allman and Jackson Browne – “Melissa” and a great version of “Ain’t Wasting Time No More”
Here’s another video from the upcoming All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman: Gregg Allman and his old roommate and songwriting mentor Jackson Browne doing “Melissa.”
I am really proud of the songwriting sidebar story in One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band about the deep impact that Jackson and other California singer/songwriters had on Gregg. It hasn’t been discussed too widely. Let me know what you thought about that.
Click here for a full review of All My Friends and more video.
And one more thing. Check out this version of “Ain’t Wasting Time No More,” sung by Junior Mack and performed by Jaimoe’s Jassz Band. Now this is how you cover a great song!
I remember when I first read how Gregg considered himself more of a folksinger in a rock band and thought, “You know, that’s pretty dead-on.” I think this is especially true of the Leveall-era band, songs like Come & Go Blues, Wasted Words or even Queen of Hearts and his take on Jackson Browne’s These Days.
I always thought of Gregg as bringing the rhythm & blues vocally (a-la Bobby Blue Bland or Ray Charles)
Though his songs themselves don’t come out that way when put in the ABB blender–WW and Come & Go Blues are pretty much blues–but listening to the lyrics (particularly), you nailed it (or Gregg did, since it was his words).
And as a sidenote, I LOVE Jaimoe’s band and LOVE Junior Mack (what a find that guy was/is). I love that they cover the ABB for two reasons: 1) It gives some *love* to the ABB’s greatness (and I don’t think enough folks cover the ABB) and 2) I can hear Jaimoe as the *only* drummer for once.
Here’s my favorite version of a Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band cover, Dreams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv9qp03ykzs
Bob,
Thanks for the Dreams link.
If and when the ABB really stops performing I hope that everyone involved adds a lot more of their material to their setlists… I’d love to see Mule add Statesboro, Troulbe No More, Blackhearted woman… TTB add Stand Back,Junior do any and all… Gregg add more to GAB… these songs need to keep being played.
And don’t forget Don’t Keep Me Wondering, Please Call Home,…
Please Call Home always, always sounded out of place to me in the ABB repertoire, but perfect for Gregg’s Jackson Browne streak. DKMW is such a rocker that I hadn’t thought of it in the “singer/songwriter” context. But you’re right!
Would love to have heard what Dreams or Whipping Post sounded like when Gregg brought it to the band.
Please Call Home would have sounded more at home on Laid Back, it’s true.
Please Call Home was a better fit on Laid Back, though I’d have preferred the more sparse arrangement of the ABB to the more layered, produced sound of Laid Back (a great, great record btw).