Gregg Allman “Come & Go Blues” Story and Video

Photo – Marc Millman

In honor of Gregg Allman’s 69th birthday today, someone asked me to share a story about him that I had never told before. And so I present…

In 1997, I interviewed Gregg at 2 am in his Chicago hotel room after he played a solo gig at the Hard Rock Cafe – Jack Pearson was in the band. His wife Stacy and their two dogs were asleep behind us. It was a cover story for Guitar World Acoustic and I had brought an axe for him to demonstrate his finger-picked riff for “Come & Go Blues.” I handed it to him at the end of the interview, which had gone exceedingly well. It was the most relaxed, open conversation we ever had, by a long shot, which set the table for what came next.

He asked for a quarter and rounded off a couple of string ends. “You trying to take my eye?” he said with a laugh. Then he re-tuned the guitar, took out a pouch with fingerpicks, which he put on and showed me the riff.

Then he kept going and he played and sang all of “Come & Go Blues.” Audience of 1. It sounded just like you hear below. Happy birthday Gregg. I hope you are feeling better and healing up.