1974 Gregg Allman – Midnight Rider

1974 Gregg Allman – Midnight Rider

The Allman Brothers recorded their second album, Idlewild South, in 1970. This was almost a year before Duane’s tragic death in a motorcycle accident the next year. Gregg was the primary author of the second single from the album, Midnight Rider.

While the Allman Brothers found most of their success after Duane’s death, the band eventually began to fall apart. During the period that the band recorded Brothers and Sisters and had their biggest hit single when Rambling Man reached #2 on the Hot 100, Gregg was also recording Laid Back, his first solo album.

The lead single from Gregg’s album was a cover of Midnight Rider. Gregg’s single peaked at #19 on the Hot 100 in 1974.

Greg’s next two albums (recorded while he was with Cher) did not do as well.

Greg and his band eventually had another surprise hit in 1987. Michael Caplan, an A&R man for Epic Records, found an old demo tape of four songs that Greg had cut. Tony Colton and Phil Palmer had written the song I’m No Angel, which Bill Medley had recorded on a 1982 album. Greg’s take on the song impressed Michael, so he used that recording to help get Gregg’s band signed by Epic Records.

A new recording of the song by The Gregg Allman Band became the band’s first single from their first album on Epic Records. The recording reached the top of the US Mainstream Rock chart in 1987.