Willie Perkins has been the road manager for the Allman Brothers Band in the “golden years”, from 70 to 76. He lived the heaven and then the hell after Duane passed. Willie has now written a book, No saint, no savior (Mercer university press), to tell his story of that days. You could order the book everywhere, from Amazon to the editor. But (perhaps) you couldn’t speak with the author. Well: we created a link with Willie and had a short interview with him. Enjoy these simple questions….
Walter Gatti: Give me a short portrait of young Duane,Gregg and Dickey….
Willie Perkins: The young Duane, Gregg and Dickey….ah we were all so young!Duane was the absolute leader and somewhat of a father figure…
WG: tell us about the audience: what happened “in front of the stages”?
WP: The audiences then were mostly students and “hippies” and were very serious listeners to the music…
WG: 1970, with the ABB you see the birth of the southern rock, with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, the Capricorn years…. Tell us something about those wonderful days…
WP: We were very close to MTB, Wet Willie, Cowboy, John Hammond, Alex Taylor. All of the Capricorn employees and Capricorn bands were part of an additional family. We rarely spent much time around the non Capricorn bands, but Duane was friends with Bonnie and Delaney, Clapton and King Curtis, among others.
WG: How do you feel after 29 october 1971?
WP: I, as everyone, was devastated upon the death of Duane, and later Oakley. Duane was the father of the band and it’s musical heart, but we all resolved to continue and we did to much success.
WG: What’s about Gregg Allman today? What do you think about his second youthness?
WP: Gregg has been clean and sober for several years and it has brought him much happiness I believe…
WG: Have you heard the last recordings of Dickey Betts? The last “Official bootleg” is great music, great southern rock….
WP: I have not heard any of Dickey’s current recordings. I last saw him about a year ago at the funeral of Phil Walden.
WG: What is today the ABB: a band? A family? A movement? A village…? Or whatever?
WP: It’s my feeling that today’s band is less of a family and more just a successful band. Times have changed and the glory days of the original band and brotherhood cannot be duplicated.
Thanks a lot Willie….
Willie and my uncle, Scott Hayes, (a fellow road manager for ABB) were friends since their high school years. I have known him since I was a little girl and have heard many of these stories throughout the years. One thing I can tell you is that Wilie Perkin’s accounts of events during his time with the Allman brothers is accurate and hones! That’s what Willie is……. an honest person and loyal friend!
PAT: thankyou Pat, i appreciate your post. Whish to know more about your uncle, if you want. Tell us, here in Italy, something more about Scott and also about you, how did you find our website and so on…. All the best, Walter….
As a lifelong Macon resident, growing up here in the 60s and 70s, I can attest to the fact that this was a magical, amazing time. Capricorn records served as a nucleus spawning so many awesome bands of the Southern Rock genre, but none more musically talented or legendary than ABB. The other poster is right about Willie, and I speak from firsthand knowledge; my husband worked with him for several years, and he was our friend. He knows the true story of ABB as very few did.
And as a postscript, I had forgotten until my husband, Terry, reminded me, Scott Hayes hired him when he went to work for the Great Southern Company back in ‘76. We were friends with his son Rob, until we lost touch. Believe the last time we saw Rob was probably 87 or 88. We knew his other son, Scott Moore, as well. Wow, small world, definitely.
JANET: thanks for your precious posts. I was in Macon in 1994. I remember this small town full of roses. I remember the Big House. In those days i understood… All the best to you and Terry. Send others comment, if you want: i appreciate……. Walter….
very interesting. i’m adding in RSS Reader
Walter,
I enjoyed our conversation and the comments of Patience and the Grants. They are all old friends.
I was born & raised in Jackson, AL and remember when The Allman Brothers got busted there in the early 1970’s – I have a b&w snapshot of where they, and Red Dog, carved/scratched their name in the Jackson jail …. it’s so neat… would make a wonderful album cover…..