The world has lost yet another music legend with the death of Allman Brothers legend Greg Allman this weekend at the age of 69.
The Southern rock pioneer and Allman Brothers co-founder “passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia,” on Saturday, 27th May 2017, according to a statement on his band’s official Facebook page.
“Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years,” the statement reads. “During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times.”
Over the past few years, Allman has struggled with a number of ailments including an upper respiratory condition, atrial fibrillation, a vocal chord injury and more, resulting in him cancelling a number of tour dates before retiring from touring altogether.
As Consequence Of Sound reports, the musician’s longtime manager and close friend Michael Lehman has attributed his death to complications arising from liver cancer, which he’d been battling since 2012.
“I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music,” Lehman laments. “He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard. His love for his family and bandmates was passionate as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him.”
He was a hugely successful and influential musician, both as a member of the Allman Brothers and as a solo artist, and is survived by a huge family including his wife Shannon, five children and three grandchildren.
The family have asked for privacy while they grieve, but have also urged any fans wanting to pay tribute to Gregg to do so by donating to the Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at The University of Georgia here or the Allman/Lehman Endowed Scholarship at Syracuse University here.
Gregg Allman last toured Australia as part of Bluesfest 2014.
RIP to another music legend.
