flashback
TOMMY TALTON RECALLS THE GREGG ALLMAN LAID BACK‘74 TOUR
by Michael Buffalo Smith Tommy Talton is nothing less than a
Southern Rock icon. From his co-founding of the Capricorn Records band Cowboy to his string of solo albums over the past decade, (including his latest, Somewhere South of Eden) Talton has proven himself time and time again to be one of the best guitarists, singers, and songwriters to emerge from the golden age of “Southern Rock.” When Gregg Allman decided to tour in
support of his album Laid Back in 1974, he brought along a full orchestra, and his back- ing band was Cowboy. In this September 2016 interview, we asked Tommy to tell us what it was like touring with Gregg at the peak of his success.
Michael Buffalo Smith: Sum up your memories of touring with Gregg All- man for that month with Cowboy and friends and the orchestra, and, if you would, describe the differences in play- ing with a regular rock band and in playing with a string section. Tommy Talton: The Laid Back tour was an amazing experience for all of us involved. None of us will forget it, that's for sure. Actu- ally, to this day I meet people from all across the country and other parts of the world that say it was one of the best shows they have ever experienced, musically, visually and emotionally, and that covers a lot of territory when you think about it! Playing with such a
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large group of musicians - I believe there were 14 string players, with piano, organ, two guitars, two drummers, bass player, three background singers, and a five piece horn sec- tion - was quite a powerful, spiritual feeling, certainly uplifting!
Gregg Allman and Tommy Talton. (Photo Courtesy Tommy Talton)
The difference between that and play-
ing with fewer people in a rock band setup mostly is the discipline and staying within the rehearsed structure of the song. The smaller band thing lets the players sort of take off in any direction they are feeling if they like,
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