“When I walk on a stage, I know the crowd has to come to have a good time
and forget about their problems for a few hours. Our music makes them happy –
they can stomp their feet, clap their hands, dance around and smile. I love to see that, because
it makes me feel like I have a purpose – that’s why I play music.”
– Gregg Allman
The one-of-a-kind musical legacy of the late, great Gregg Allman continues with Gregg Allman Band’s Great As Ever: Live In Philadelphia ’86, a previously unreleased concert recording arriving via the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s posthumous label, Sawrite Records, on Friday, April 10. Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now. The full-length live album is heralded by a thunderous rendition of the classic instrumental, “Don’t Want You No More,” highlighted by Allman’s nimble work on the Hammond B-3 organ and available now at all DSPs and streaming services.
GREGG ALLMAN BAND – GREAT AS EVER: LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA ’86
Recorded January 11, 1986, before a sold-out crowd at Philadelphia, PA’s intimate Chestnut Cabaret, Great As Ever: Live In Philadelphia ’86 marks the latest in an ongoing series of electrifying live concert recordings from Allman’s personal archives. Despite the frigid temperatures outside the historic venue, the Gregg Allman Band brought the heat that night, as four years of steady touring had turned the group into a taut, well-oiled machine. The road-hardened line-up of Allman (lead vocals, Hammond B-3, and acoustic guitar), the Toler Brothers (Dan on lead guitar, Frankie on drums), Bruce Waibel (bass), Tim Heding (keyboards), and Chaz Trippy (percussion) hit the stage with a purpose, unleashing a 13-song setlist stacked with unforgettable performances of Allman Brothers Band favorites and more, including a nascent version of what would prove Allman’s biggest solo success, the chart-topping “I’m No Angel.” Among its many unforgettable standouts are a rousing take on “It’s Not My Cross to Bear” marked by Allman’s world-weary vocal and a fiery Dan Toler solo, a touching version of “Melissa” (dedicated by Gregg to his then-estranged ABB bandmate Dickey Betts), and a stellar performance of “Queen of Hearts,” Allman’s lament from his 1973 debut solo album, Laid Back. The GAB’s ceaseless roadwork would pay off with the RIAA Gold-certified success of 1987’s acclaimed comeback album, I’m No Angel, but on stage in front of their devoted fans was where the group truly were at their best. This remarkable recording affirms that, night after night, the Gregg Allman Band were indeed Great As Ever.
In addition, this summer will see the premiere of the eagerly anticipated new film, Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul. Directed by GRAMMY® and Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker James Keach, the full-length feature documentary traces Allman’s journey through profound personal tragedy and hard-won redemption, revealing how his raw honesty and blues-soaked power permanently reshaped American music. Told through never-before-seen interviews and rare performance archives, Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul weaves an intimate portrait of Allman, candidly reflecting on the death of his brother and bandmate Duane, his battles with addiction, and the personal demons that shaped both his life and his music. The film is anchored by electrifying, rarely seen concert footage that captures the Allman Brothers at their creative peak, offering audiences an immersive, front-row view of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most powerful live bands. Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul will arrive in theatres across North America via Subtext, the recently launched new U.S. independent film production and distribution company, this coming summer.
ABOUT GREGG ALLMAN:
Born December 8, 1947, in Nashville, TN, Gregg Allman was undoubtedly among rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest and most significant artists, his soul-fired and utterly distinctive voice still one of the defining sounds in all of American music. From his founding role in the one and only Allman Brothers Band to his long and storied solo career, Allman consistently proved himself to be an iconic singer/songwriter and exceptional practitioner of the American blues tradition. The award-winning author of such modern standards as “Midnight Rider,” “It’s Not My Cross To Bear,” “Dreams,” and “Whipping Post,” Allman accrued a remarkable list of honors over his five-decade musical journey, including the Allman Brothers Band’s 1995 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. Allman detailed his brilliant career in 2012’s critically acclaimed, New York Times best-selling memoir, My Cross To Bear, chronicling a truly astonishing life burdened by unimaginable loss, alcohol and drug addiction, told with clear-eyed wisdom and sharp hindsight.
Gregg Allman died due to complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, GA on May 17, 2017, leaving behind a remarkable creative legacy that will undoubtedly live on for generations to come. Beyond dozens of studio and live recordings, Allman passed on the opportunity of music to others via two ongoing scholarship funds, The Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at the University of Georgia and the Allman / Lehman Endowed Scholarship at Syracuse University.
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GREGG ALLMAN BAND
GREAT AS EVER: LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA ’86
(Sawrite Records)
Release Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Tracklist:
Don’t Want You No More
Ain’t My Cross The Bear
Sweet Feelin’
Hot ‘Lanta
Need Your Love So Bad
Trouble No More
Things You Used To Do
Queen of Hearts
Melissa
Midnight Rider
Just Ain’t Easy
I’m No Angel
Recorded January 11, 1986, at Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia, PA
Produced by Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman Band:
Gregg Allman – Lead Vocals, Hammond B-3, Acoustic Guitar
Dan Toler – Lead Guitar
Frankie Toler – Drums
Tim Heding – Keyboards, Vocals
Bruce Waibel – Bass, Vocals
Chaz Trippy – Percussion
Executive Producers: Michael Lehman & Devon Allman
