There are certain sacred texts. Some are religious, some get made into movies, some offer wisdom or get associated with rights of passage. The volume I’m thinking of is nothing short of the soundtrack to life in this country. It’s essentially a Bible of unforgettable melodies, parables with lyrics and musical notes. Praise the Lord!
I was never into Tom Petty. I didn’t like his songs, I’d change the station when one came on. His voice kinda droned on in my head and I thought all of my peers who liked him were posers. I never saw him in concert and didn’t own any of his albums.
The music of the Allman Brothers Band has always given us a bluesy something to jam to, a level of musicianship and Southern song mastery that can only be a gift from the gods. And in his final days, as his body surrendered to liver cancer, as old age and the road and the bottle took everything but his voice, Gregg Allman – the sensei of the Allman Brothers Band – gave us one final gift, ten songs on an album called Southern Blood.