American Public Television is excited to announce the release of GREGG ALLMAN LIVE: BACK TO MACON, GA, coming to select public television stations and on Passport in the PBS App beginning February 22, 2024. The stellar program captures the legendary Gregg Allman and his eight-piece solo band in a high-energy performance that was recorded on January 14, 2014 at the venerable Grand Opera House, a 1,000 seat jewel of a theatre that was built in 1884 in Macon, the Middle Georgia town where it all began for the Allman Brothers Band over 40 years ago.
The broadcast program features nine tracks and the PBS Passport version features an additional seven songs, including selections from the Allman Brothers Band (ABB) catalog, tunes from Allman’s solo albums and several dynamic cover songs. Hits performed include “I’m No Angel,” “Melissa” and “Midnight Rider.”
ABB historian and Hittin’ the Note editor John Lynskey captured the emotion and historic power of the extraordinary event in the album liner notes. “Gregg took to the Grand Opera House stage with a group that, as he put it, ‘is a real kick-ass band.’ Featuring Scott Sharrard on guitar, bassist Ron Johnson, Ben Stivers on keyboards, drummer Steve Potts, Allman Brothers veteran Marc Quinones on percussion, saxophonists Jay Collins and Art Edmaiston and Dennis Marion on trumpet, these eight players plus special guest, Allman’s son Devon, formed one of the best solo units Allman had fronted in years.
Gregg summarized the experience of recording live in Macon thusly: “Macon is a wonderful town with wonderful people, and I still have some dear, dear friends there. Macon holds a special place in my heart; it comes with a lot of different memories, but the good ones are all that matter to me now. I’m so proud of this album; boy, we were smokin’ that night.”
