Duane Allman

Release of the book, "SkyDog: The Story of Duane Allman" by Randy Poe. [2005]

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Allman Brothers Band) in 1995.

He helped Eric Clapton record the album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs." Clapton, in turn, wrote the score to the film Rush (1991); that film featured Duane's brother, Gregg Allman.

Their second album, "Idlewild South", climbed to the top of the charts where they performed at New York's Filimore East in March 1971. The band recorded a double album released in July of that year and reached the top ten, but Duane did not live to see his band's true success.

Nearly died from a drug overdose in 1970 whilst on tour.

In 1969, Duane got his first big break when Jerry Wexler, the vice-president of Atlantic Records, offered him a solo contract. Duane formed a new band which made up of drummers Jai Johanny Johanson and Butch Trucks, guitarist Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley, and brother Gregg Allman on the keyboard. Once assembled, The Allman Brothers Band settled in Macon, Georgia where they joined Phil Walden's Capricorn Records for a recording contract. The band's first album combined strains of blues, soul, rock and country music into the electrifying sound that launched Southern rock music.

During 1968 and '69, Allman worked as a session guitarist at a recording studio called "Muscle Shoals." Recording with the likes of B.B King and Wilson Pickett proved to be vital in Duane's development as a musician.

In 1965, Duane and Gregg formed their band, "The Allman Joys", and toured the south, but they failed to make an impression in the music business. Duane, Gregg and a few friends drifted to Los Angeles where they formed a new band called "Hourglass".

On Christmas Day in 1960, Duane was given a motorcycle as a gift while his younger brother, Gregg Allman, got a guitar. A few months later, Duane wrecked his motorcycle in an accident, but traded in the spare parts for a guitar of his own. Within a year, the duo played at sock hops in Daytona Beach, Florida, calling themselves "The Kings".

Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee in November 1946.

After recording two albums for Liberty Records, the Allmans returned to Florida where they played with the bands "Second Coming" and "The 31th of February". Duane frequently traveled to Muscle Shoals, Alabama and played backup guitar with such great singers as Aretha Franklin, King Curtis and Percy Sledge.