Audacy's Run That Back series is a deep dive into some of music’s most popular or underrated projects. Whether it’s been 5 years or 50, there’s never a wrong time to "run that back."
Listen to music from the Allman Brothers Band and the artists they inspired on Jam Band
Few albums share a story as compelling as the one found on the iconic Allman Brothers Band album Eat a Peach. Still in the early days of their career, the band had finally achieved their commercial breakthrough with their 1971 live album At Fillmore East as their relentless touring schedule had paid off.
Shortly before At Fillmore East became certified gold, the band went down to Miami to start recording their follow up album. Just a few weeks later, tragedy struck as the band’s leader Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident.
With Allman’s tragic death and At Fillmore East becoming one of the top-selling albums occurring almost simultaneously, it makes Eat a Peach one of the more fascinating stories in Rock lore.
The Allman Brothers Band had already worked on three songs prior to Allman’s passing that would end up on the record. The Dickey Betts track “Blue Sky,” an instrumental called “The Road to Calico” that would eventually turn into “Stand Back,” and the song “Little Martha,” which was the only song where Duane Allman had a sole writing credit.
After Allman’s passing, the band held a meeting about their future and determined that they would carry on. In Alan Paul’s 2015 biography One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band, drummer Butch Trucks said Allman’s inspiration to the band before his death had led to the decision.
"We all had this thing in us and Duane put it there,” Trucks said. “He was the teacher and he gave something to us—his disciples—that we had to play out."
Dickey Betts went on to take over the role as the band’s leader as they returned to Miami to complete work on the record.
Much of the material that was recorded during this time dealt directly with Allman’s death. Gregg Allman penned the lyrics to the album’s opener “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” which references his brother’s passing. Betts wrote the following track “Les Brers in A Minor,” which the band says is a rough translation to “less brothers.”
On the musical end of the spectrum, Eat a Peach’s reputation stems from mixing studio recordings with live recordings. The band’s live prowess is showcased in the 33:43 “Mountain Jam,” which is split up into two different sides on the original LP.
Following the release of Eat a Peach, the Allman Brothers Band hit the road again as they played 90 shows in support of the record. It also marked the first time the group served as headliners on a tour.
The album celebrates its 50th anniversary on February 12, 2022 as it remains one of the great front-to-back albums in Rock. For an album born out of tragedy, it has continued to serve as an inspiration to many and remains some of the band’s finest work.
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