Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks to leave Allman Brothers

Gov't Mule
Warren Haynes performs before a sellout crowd Nov. 2 with his other band, Gov’t Mule, in Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. Tahoe Onstage image by Tim Parsons

The Allman Brothers new 45 will be a swan song.

Guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks today announced they will leave the Allman Brothers at the end of 2014, the 45th anniversary of the band whose original members included Gregg and Duane Allman and remaining drummers Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson, Butch Trucks, the uncle of Derek who joined the band when he was 19 years old.

Word of the renowned guitarists’ exit came Tuesday from Butch Trucks aboard the MSC Divina on Jam Band cruise, according to a report from JamBase.

A statement was released the next day from Haynes and Trucks on the Tedeschi Trucks Band website:

“For 25 years and 15 years respectively, we’ve had the honor and pleasure of playing, living, learning, and traveling with the Allman Brothers Band, one of the truly legendary rock and roll bands. We will be forever grateful for the opportunity and the experience, and for the love, enthusiasm, and support of the incredible fans. We are both preparing to dig even deeper into our various creative and musical endeavors and, as a result, 2014 will be our final year as part of the band. We are looking forward to seeing our loyal ABB fans at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta this Friday night January 10th and in March at the Beacon Theater in New York City as we celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the band.” – Warren Haynes & Derek Trucks.

Last week Gregg Allman told Rolling Stone his band’s bassist, Oteil Burbridge, was leaving the Allman Brothers, JamBase reported. A band statement and Burbridge later denied the claim and wrote the Allman Brothers bass player since 1997 would remain with the band in 2014.

It’s easy to speculate Allman’s heath is the reason for the end of the modern day Allman Brothers.

Gregg Allman, 66, survived a life-threatening liver transplant in 2010. When he performed at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe in January 2013, Allman said he felt “like a million bucks.” However, he told this reporter when working for Lake Tahoe Action that he “coded a couple of times” on the operating table.

He described an out-of-body experience and possibly seeing Duane Allman who died in a 1971 motorcycle accident.

“I was very aware of it. I had a nice dream, I guess you’d call it. I heard the most gorgeous music, man. The most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. I can remember it happening but I don’t remember the sound of the music or how it went or anything. I saw a person who was waving me to go back.

“I think it might have been my brother, but who’s to say?”

Allman, who has had a contentious relationship with the press ever since his marriage with Cher in the 1970s, said he was surprised to read the account of his dream.

“I didn’t know you were going to print all that,” Allman said sternly before his show in the South Shore Room.

“Of course, I did,” I told Allman backstage. “I hope you aren’t upset about it.”

“No, man,” Allman said. “It’s all right.”

Statement from Warren Haynes:

“I joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1989, at age 28, for a reunion tour with no promise or expectations of it going any further. Based on the success of the tour and the uncanny chemistry between the original members and the new members, we decided to continue and see where it all led. Now, here we are, 25 years later, and it has been an amazing experience. I’ve always said that if I were to join a band that I grew up listening to the ABB would be at the top of that list. The original version of the band was a huge influence on me and I’m sure that the countless hours I spent listening to and studying that music helped shape me as a musician. As proud as I am of being a member of such a legendary band, I’m even more proud of the music that we’ve made together and of being a part of carrying their original vision into the future.

“As someone who’s been fortunate enough to juggle a lot of musical projects and opportunities I look forward to maintaining a vigorous schedule which will include many more years of touring and recording with Gov’t Mule in addition to my solo projects and to enjoying more family time as well. Being part of the ABB has opened a lot of doors for me and that’s something I don’t take for granted nor do I take for granted the friendship and musical relationships I have with each of the members. The 45th Anniversary of the ABB is a milestone amidst too many highlights to count and I’m looking forward to an amazing year creating music that only the Allman Brothers Band can create.”

Statement from Derek Trucks:

“I got the call to join the Allman Brothers while on tour with my own band at the age of 19. It was out of the blue and felt surreal. I leapt at the chance. This was the music that I had cut my teeth on and it was the distinctive sound of Duane’s guitar that inspired me to pick up the instrument in the first place.

“When I started with ABB I didn’t know how long it would last, only that I would let the music lead me and teach me. Amazingly that led me past the band’s 40th anniversary, to the band’s 45th, and now my 15th year as a member of this incredible band. Five years ago the 45th seemed like a lofty goal but I thought if we could make it to that milestone it would be a logical time to move on.

“While I’ve shared many magical moments on stage with the Allman Brothers Band in the last decade plus, I feel that my solo project and the Tedeschi Trucks Band is where my future and creative energy lies. The Tedeschi Trucks Band tour schedule keeps growing, and I feel the time has finally come to focus on a single project, which will allow me to spend that rare time off the road with my family and children. It’s a difficult decision to make, and I don’t make it lightly.

“I’m proud to have made a small contribution to the masterful music they have created over the past forty years, and will continue to create. Now seems like a good time to go out on a high note with a great 45th anniversary in 2014, and the mutual respect and friendship of the other 6 members of ABB.”

ABOUT Tim Parsons

Tim Parsons
Tim Parsons is the editor of Tahoe Onstage who first moved to Lake Tahoe in 1992. Before starting Tahoe Onstage in 2013, he worked for 29 years at newspapers, including the Tahoe Daily Tribune, Eureka Times-Standard and Contra Costa Times. He was the recipient of the 2011 Keeping the Blues Alive award for Journalism.

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