Duane Allman

Background

Howard Duane Allman, born on November 20, 1946, was an established household guitarist, musician, and singer. His improvisational skills in guitar playing distinguished him from his peers. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the U.S. In his short 24 years of life, his impact was indeed felt. Allman only had one sibling, a brother called Gregg, who died in 2017 from liver cancer. Allman’s parents were Willis Turner Allman and Geraldine Alice. His father, Willis, was a military man who got shot and killed by a hitchhiker.

Allman was a leader and founding member of the Allman Brothers Band. He was renowned for being a major contributor to the band. Allman started playing guitar at the age of 14 years. In 1968, he began to learn to play guitar. Having mastered the art, Allman and his brother, Gregg Allman formed a band, Allman Brothers Band, in 1969. The band also released its first album, “The Allman Brothers Band,” in 1969. The year 1970 marked a season of Allman’s peak success. As an established guitarist, he performed with the likes of notable stars including Aretha Franklin, King Kurtis, Herbie Mann, Boz Scaggs, and Wilson Pickett.

Tragically, Alman’s life and career were cut short following his passing. In 1971, Allman was involved in a grisly motorcycle crash. Although he did not die an instant death, he passed away following multiple organ failures that resulted from the motorcycle crash. Notably, Allman continues to receive recognition even after his death. For his immense contribution to the Allman Brothers Band, he was introduced to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Allman second out of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, only second to Jimi Hendrix.