Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Gregg Allman, an inspiring musician who still rocks countless hearts today. His honest and powerful musicality was the voice of a generation, and on his birthday we want to remember just how meaningful he was to both music and individual lives.

During his lifetime, friends, family, and acquaintances were full of praise for a man who was at the center of musical life. After his passing this May, friends and fellow musicians joined together to celebrate his legacy and the love that he showed the world through his music and the music of the Allman Brothers Band.

Peter Frampton shared on Twitter: “So sad to hear Gregg Allman passed away. I admire him so much and had the honour of jamming wth him recently. A gentle soul with so much soul." Rock journalist Cameron Crowe gave thanks on Twitter, where he wrote, “Thank you Gregg Allman…for the inspiration, and for those many holy nights on stage.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggeab0lKz2c Derek Trucks remembered his close friend in a June 9, 2017 Rolling Stone article, sharing that "there’s some people that are just irreplaceable. With Gregg, there's not another one. It was a bumpy life. It was a lot of ups and downs. But what those guys did, and the way the Allman Brothers went out musically, is a pretty powerful thing.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ4VdCpS5RY Bob Seger praised the legacy that Gregg Allman left behind, posting on Twitter that “a case can be made, the Allman Brothers established Southern Rock as a musical genre. Gregg was one of my favorite rock singers of all time, he put immense soul into his music.” In a May 30, 2017 article from Rolling Stone, Warren Haynes reflected that “when he opened his mouth and started singing…there was this honesty that made a connection with people that was undeniable.” Before playing a tribute to Gregg at The Cap, Phil Lesh told the audience, “we lost an American original today—Gregg Allman. He was a man of my generation, a survivor like he had to be to get this far, and he will be sorely missed.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVnkGe-8v38 Melissa Etheridge gave insight into Gregg's honesty on Twitter by saying, “He showed me his tattoos…his voice…his soul.” The Allman Brothers Band co-founder and drummer Jaimoe told Rolling Stone in a June 2, 2017 article that “there’s not anybody I ever heard who sang with more truth and passion than Gregory.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JduaboHRCyg Jack Pearson recalled one of his many collaborations with Gregg during an interview with Relix from earlier this year. "The first night I played with him was very intense," Jack revealed. "But, really every show just being that close to my favorite singer, there’s no words for it—-and the way he would smile when the music got good.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmZoCrlHQY4 Scott Sharrard, lead guitarist of the Gregg Allman Band, shared his admiration of Gregg through Facebook, writing, “We all lost an icon of true rock and roll musical expression". Scott remembered listening to music and late-night conversations with Gregg, sharing, “Over the last few years, we became very close. Sure I started out as a fan, then his guitarist, but our relationship grew to become songwriters, band leaders and friends together.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtEE0ET-5CY Sheryl Crow remembers Gregg as being a supportive older brother throughout her career. During the time when Sheryl was still the new kid, Gregg and the rest of the band would look out for her. Sheryl “even asked him about how he put on such a great show back in the day,” to which Gregg advised, “You have to get plenty of sleep.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMw4cKhB45w Dan Auerbach, singer-guitarist of the Black Keys, also spoke about the impact the Allman Brothers had on his work, specifically Gregg Allman. Back in May of this year, Dan told Rolling Stone, "Gregg’s voice definitely influenced the way I sing…everything I’ve ever done is based on that — a funky groove with soulful singing. It’s the foundation of what I do.” Gregg Allman and Cher were married from 1975 to 1979 and even after separating, she still spoke fondly of him. "Nobody ever made me feel as happy as Gregory did," she reminisced, telling People magazine in 1978, "God, he's wonderful...he’s the kindest, most gentle, loving husband and father." After his passing, she wrote on Twitter, “Words are impossible, Gui Gui. Forever, Chooch.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umwxsln-Br8 Legendary pianist Chuck Leavell thanked Gregg for his inspiration and talent after remembering his dear friend, recalling the Allman Joys shows he saw in Gregg's early days. "He mesmerized me with his talent…that incredible voice, his understated yet strong stage presence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuM_N4V0uLo

Thank you Gregg Allman, and happy birthday!

And, from all of us at The Cap, we want to thank Gregg for dedicating his life to music, and for giving us so many songs that we will always love.