Gregg Allman was an American rock and blues singer, songwriter, and musician who had an estimated net worth of $5 million at the time of his death in 2017. He was best known as a founding member of the legendary Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band.
Allman wrote several of the band’s most famous songs, including Melissa and Whipping Post. In addition to his work with the band, he also enjoyed a successful solo career, releasing popular albums such as Laid Back, I’m No Angel, and Low Country Blues.
Allman passed away on May 27, 2017, at the age of 69. His older brother and bandmate Duane Allman had died decades earlier in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia, in 1971.
| Gregg Allman Net Worth | $5 Million |
| Date of Birth | December 8, 1947 |
| Place of Birth | Nashville, Tennessee |
Early Life
Gregg Allman was born Gregory LeNoir Allman on December 8, 1947, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was the son of Geraldine Allman and Willis Allman, and the younger brother of guitarist Duane Allman.
When Gregg was just two years old, his father was killed in Norfolk, Virginia, after giving a ride to a hitchhiker. Their mother raised Gregg and Duane on her own and later pursued studies to become a Certified Public Accountant to support the family.
During his youth, Gregg attended Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee before eventually moving with his family to Daytona Beach, Florida in 1959.
To buy his first guitar, a Silvertone guitar, Gregg worked as a paperboy. Alongside his brother Duane, he joined a YMCA music group called Y Teens. The brothers later formed several early bands, including The Misfits and The Shufflers.
After graduating from Seabreeze High School in 1965, the Allman brothers continued pursuing music professionally.
Early Bands
While living in Daytona Beach, the Allman brothers met several musicians, including Floyd Miles, who invited them to perform with his band The Houserockers.
They later formed another group called The Escorts, which eventually evolved into The Allman Joys. The band toured throughout the Southeastern United States and began building a local following.
By 1966, the brothers recorded music in Nashville and later moved to Los Angeles, where they signed with Liberty Records. Performing under the name Hour Glass, they recorded an album but eventually became frustrated with the label’s creative direction.
The Allman Brothers Band
In the late 1960s, Duane Allman began forming a new group while doing session work in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He invited Gregg to join the project, which soon became The Allman Brothers Band.
The band’s original lineup included:
- Duane Allman
- Gregg Allman
- Dickey Betts
- Berry Oakley
- Butch Trucks
- Jaimoe
The group released its debut album, The Allman Brothers Band, in 1969, followed by Idlewild South in 1970.
Their major breakthrough came with the legendary live album At Fillmore East in 1971, which became one of the most influential live rock albums ever recorded.
Success and Tragedy
Despite the band’s rising fame, tragedy struck when Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971.
The band continued recording and released the successful album Eat a Peach in 1972, which became a major hit. However, the group suffered another loss the same year when bassist Berry Oakley also died in a motorcycle accident.
In 1973, the band released Brothers and Sisters, which featured their biggest commercial hit, Ramblin’ Man.
Although internal conflicts and substance abuse led to multiple breakups, the band reunited several times and continued touring for decades before officially disbanding in 2014.
Solo Career
Alongside his band work, Gregg Allman built a successful solo music career. His first solo album, Laid Back, was released in 1973 and received critical acclaim.
He later formed the Gregg Allman Band, releasing albums such as:
- Playin’ Up a Storm (1977)
- I’m No Angel (1987)
- Just Before the Bullets Fly (1988)
His later album Low Country Blues debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard charts. His final album, Southern Blood, was released posthumously in 2017.
Personal Life
Gregg Allman was married seven times throughout his life. One of his most widely known marriages was to singer Cher, whom he married in 1975. The couple had a son, Elijah Blue Allman, before divorcing in 1978.
Allman had several other children from different relationships, including Devon, Delilah Island, Michael, and Layla.
Health Problems and Death
Later in life, Allman faced significant health challenges. In 2007, he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and in 2008, doctors discovered Liver Cancer.
He underwent a liver transplant in 2010, which initially improved his health, though he continued to struggle with medical issues including Atrial Fibrillation.
Gregg Allman died on May 27, 2017, at his home in Richmond Hill, Georgia.
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