PASSINGS
by Michael Buffalo Smith 2016 was devastating. We lost Bowie,
Prince and so many, many music stars. 2017, we thought, will have to be kinder to the music world. Sadly, it wasn’t. In fact, death aimed its sights on Southern Rock in a big way, along with dozens of other amazing tal- ents. It’s still hard to believe that 2017 saw the loss of two founding members of the All- man Brothers band and two of the founders of Molly Hatchet. The January news that Butch Trucks
had checked out was tough, as was the pass- ing of Banner Thomas and Dave Hlubek. Of course the double shot that knocked many of us in the heart was the passings of Col. Bruce Hampton and Johnny Sandlin - both good friends to me and the world, and my biggest musical hero, Gregg Allman. And although I never got to meet him, Tom Petty certainly ranks toward the top of the list as a personal music hero. Hard to believe he’s gone as well. All I can do is quote the old Righteous
Brothers song, “If there’s a rock and roll heaven, you know they’ve got a hell of a band. To all of the music makers who moved
on to the next realm we say thank you for the music. Because of that music, you will live on forever.
Gregg Allman May 27, 2017, age 69. Founding member of the Allman Brothers Band. Among his most loved performances, many of which he also wrote, are- “Whipping Post,” “Midnight Rider,” “Melissa,” “All My Friends,” “Queen of Hearts,” “Stormy Mon- day,” “Please Call
Home,” “One Way Out,” “Come and Go Blues,” “Ain’t Wastin Time No More,” “I’m No Angel,” “Multi Colored Lady,” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin,’” “Before the Bullets Fly,” “Oncoming Traffic,” “Love the Poison,” “Song for Adam,” and his final gift to us, the autobiographical “My Only True Friend.”
Butch Trucks January 24, 2017 69. Butch Trucks was a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, sharing drum duties with Jaimoe.While Jai played a more jazz style of drums, Trucks’ drumming was often described as being like a freight train. To-
gether, their styles complimented one an- other, and provided, along with bassist Berry Oakley, a firm foundation for the Allman’s music. Trucks was the only founding band member besides Gregg and Jaimoe to remain with the band from their formation in 1969 until their retirement in 2014. He was also the only band member never to miss a gig.
Johnny Sandlin, who died from cancer on Sept. 19 at the age of 72, had worked with the All- man Brothers Band as far back as Gregg and Duane Allman's early group the Hour Glass, where Johnny played drums. He went on to engineer the
Allmans' Eat a Peach, and produced Broth- ers and Sisters andWin, Lose or Draw, among others. He continued to collaborate with several of the band's members on their solo projects and worked with many great bands including Widespread Panic on their first three records.
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