Saturday, October 8, 2011

Racism, Niggerhead Ranch and the ABB

Been a while since I have posted. I guess it's a combination of being busy and trying to find a subject that needs my attention. I keep waiting for this Occupy Wall Street to take some focus. So far I can't really put my finger on it enough to write about it. So I will continue to watch and hope that it might do something to turn what I believe is probably the inevitable end of the American democracy in another direction. Stranger things have happened.  Until it does I'll sit, watch and listen along with all of you and hope.

This week there was an incident that Hit The Note with me. It was the discovery that the Darth Vader of Texas, Rick Perry, has a hunting ranch that includes a very large entry stone at the entry with Niggerhead written on it. Of course Governor Perry just fluffed it off as a vestige of the racist past and insisted that it had "absolutely nothing" to do with him or his views, however, African Americans make up 12% of the population of Texas but 44% of the prisoners there. His execution rate is about the same proportion. I know Rick Perry can't take all of the blame or credit for this but it does indicate that, despite what the right would have us believe, racism is still rampant. The percentage of prisoners that are black compared with white is not just a Texas problem it is the norm country wide. Unemployment for blacks stands at 17% and 8% for whites. The average income is totally skewed in favor of whites and the list goes on.

I'm going to tell a story about the Allman Brothers Band traveling the deep south, southern Alabama, circa 1971, and just one of the times we were faced with blatant racism.

We had just finished playing The Warehouse in New Orleans. The Windbag (our Winnebago Camper) was in the shop so we were traveling in a pair of rental cars along with Black Hearted Woman (an old U-Haul truck that we had fixed up, painted black and were using to haul our equipment). We had hung at some party in N'awlins and pretty much everyone had done something illegal after the show. Dickey had gotten a couple of hits of some fairly effective acid and after we climbed into the cars decided that he didn't want the world to look like it was looking while crammed into a car with all the rest of us "hardlegs" (dudes). He had gotten a bottle of some type of downer, I think it was "reds" ( seconal) and was eating them like candy in an attempt to slow things down.

We were headed to a gig at The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and were planning to take the major highways. We had enough sense to know that the back country between New Orleans and Tuscaloosa in 1971 was not the safest place for ten long haired hippie type white guys and one muscle bound Afro haired black guy. Unfortunately Red Dog, who was driving the lead car, missed a turn and sure enough there we were driving down twisting two-laned roads way out in the boondocks.

I don't know what genius came up with the idea, but someone decided that they wanted to eat breakfast so the next little diner we came upon witnessed a sight seldom, if ever before, witnessed by the citizens of that area of the USA.

Several of the guys, including the malfeasant Red Dog, had fallen asleep in the various vehicles so they stayed in them while the rest of us, including Jaimoe, went in to eat. I remember about seven or eight of us pulling together some tables and sitting down hoping for some grits and eggs. I also remember from where I was sitting watching the unfolding scenario that was beginning to play itself out.

A woman in a waitress uniform started to walk to our table. She stopped, turned around and walked over to a booth on the other side of the diner and. low and behold there sat the sheriff and  a couple of his deputies. I could see the woman lean over and say very clearly to the sheriff "I ain't servin' that nigger." My guts began an exercise in getting a small as possible. I am certain you all know what I mean. At first the sheriff just shook her off and told her to go take care of her business.

Unfortunately Dickey's state of mind had chosen that particular moment to switch from an acid state to the reds. So here we sit in the diner with this mad as hell waitress (who, it turned out was the sheriff's wife), the sheriff and his deputies, all of us carrying multiple illegal substances, either on our bodies, or in our luggage and Dickey is outside, between the cars puking his guts out.

The waitress made a couple more trips in our direction but would stop, look at Jaimoe and do a rerun of her first trip. Finally the sheriff decided that that woman was not going to let him have his coffee in peace so he and his boys went to work. Dickey was the easiest, they just took him to a police car. Next they began a search of the guys that were asleep in the cars. One of them reached across Red Dog, found a coat laying next to him and found about 1/2 of an ounce of pot in a pocket. Bingo, we were fucked.

They came into the restaurant and told those of us trying to get breakfast that they had found drugs on those in the cars and they were taking them to jail. This began a parade of all of us there heading to the restromm where the sound of the toilet flushing was pretty non-stop for quite a while.

What the sheriff and his crew were unaware of was that we had an extra rental car parked away from where all the action was taking place. After getting rid of everything we had on us we all piled into that car and made a bee line north as fast as we could. I remember Gregg getting out his suitcase and stuff flying out of the windows as we tried to make out get away. Well it didn't work.

As soon as the peace officers realized that we had a way out and, as they thought, were not trapped at the diner, they sent a car to bring us all back to the jail. And that's where we went. Directly to the four cells of the Grove Hill, Alabama city jail where we were told to go get in those cells. We were never told that we were under arrest, why we had to get into those cells and I doubt if Miranda meant anything to those rednecks at all. Getting Dickey's fingerprint was a real adventure for them. He kept missing the page.

The picture from the top of the page is of the five white members of the band from that morning: our mugshots. Jaimoe was taken somewhere else but we'll get to that in a minute.

Believe it or not we were beginning to have a ball. Dickey had stopped puking and started singing Hank William's I'm in the Jailhouse Now and we all joined in. Before too long there began a stream of young local boys walking by and looking into the cells. You'd hear a male voice saying something like " Son, I want you to walk down that hall and see what that long haired hippy shit'll getcha." Soon a very frightened boy, mostly preteen to early teens would slowly and with a lot of trepidation come walking by. Well Augie (Red Dog) decided to do something about this and the next unlucky little boy that came walking by was greeted by a skinny, buck naked, red headed dude jumping out from the back of the cell and jumping high up onto the bars and shaking himself while he howled like a wolf with genitals flailing. That kid turned about five shades whiter, screamed and ran out. No more little boys came down that hall that day.

Later that evening we were put into squad cars and transported to the county jail in Jackson. This is where we caught up with Jaimoe. It seems that in 1971, in this part of the country, jails were still segregated. Since Jaimoe was with us, luckily we were all put into the black side. I doubt if we would have fared very well with the rednecks on the white side.

We arrived at night and we ushered into a sleeping cell that consisted only of us. There were several other cells and after we finished a rousing rendition of The Coaster's Get a Job we were greeted by some of our fellow inmates. Red Dog was his usual vociferous self and started trading jive with a couple of the other guys.

We got some sleep and next morning were all lead into the common room for breakfast. I recall lookin around the room at razorblades laying in several places and thinking I sure hope we can be friends. About that time a short cannonball of a guy they called Louisiana Shorty and an older man started wrestling around close to me. Shorty got the older man in a hold right at my feet and I'll never forget him saying "is this what you're gonna do to that red headed fucker?" My guts resumed their contracted position.

Soon the jailers came to see if any of us wanted cigarettes, cokes or anything for the day and we bought cartons and bottles for everyone. This broke the ice and we would up having a great time while we were  
there.

For some reason it took a couple of days for our lawyers to bail us out and The University of Alabama made a public announcement that we were not welcome on their campus ever again. We all headed home, I believe, and took a few days off.

The outcome of all of this was that the prosecutor for that part of Alabama was coming up for reelection and this was the biggest thing to hit there like in forever. He knew he had no case. The searches were done incorrectly, the arrests were the same, but he also knew that the judge handling the case was his father-in-law.  He was right up front with our lawyers and told them that, although he knew he had no case he was going to set a date for trial when we had a big concert and we would all have to be there. It would be delayed and the next time we had a big show that would be the date of the next trial. He would wind up costing us a fortune and a ton of hassle. We would up pleading guilty o disturbing the peace and paid $50,000.00 for that disturbance.

The disturbance was, after all, taking a black man into a diner full of racists. This was just one of many indignities that we and most of all Jaimoe suffered back then. If you believe that is all gone now and racism is a thing of the past, just look at that rock in Texas.

68 comments:

  1. Like the new look - good story - sad but true these times are not yet gone...

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    1. Honestly no they aren't take a lookg around. Sit on a street corner and witness it. It's not gone. But u wouldn't know cause u prob don't take the time to look around you

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    2. I fight the good fight if u can't bow u heads for us then we won't for you

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    3. And I'm half white and half black and they still put as down. And honestly sick cause this land is your land and this land is my land. It's not just the pompous pricks of America. I want to be racial to me I'll call u every name in the book so watch what u say.

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    4. Look at George Floyd. Martin Luther king, jfk and Abraham Lincoln. And if u say that again I wish I was u to take the bullet they did

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    5. I can't even live on my block with out some dusche bag getting on me and they white. They don't want me here they want us blacks to hide

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  2. There are lots of things that make the ABB truly unique in the pantheon of rock & roll history. The first is a sentiment that Jaimoe and I both share, the ABB is truly "American" music, a bit of all of the musical styles on this continent.

    The other is the fact that you were an integrated rock band from the South. I don't believe this gets much play at all.

    I've often wondered about what y'all dealt with being an integrated band from the South--this is the one story I know about, but I'm sure there are more.

    Lord knows the South wasn't the only place that treated African Americans poorly, it was just the most overt. And through much of your early career, segregation had just finally ended. In & of itself, that had to make things particularly challenging.

    As always, thanks for sharing. I enjoy not only your stories, but your insight as well.

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    1. I will die listening to the abb because they told the truth about life death racism and relationships along with life. That is one band I can't call bullshit on any of there music. It's pure it's real life shit we all gotta go thro

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  3. Sadly, yes. Racism is still a part of our culture. I think how sterile my own life experience would be if I had limited my friendships and associations to people who look like me and think and believe the same as my family. Lucky for me my parents were bohemian free spirit advocates. But that's part of "my" story.

    Please keep writing. I had a friend put together a playlist for me to listen to while I read your blog. You bring me back to those times so effectively. It helps me see why I am who I am today.

    Your wife's artwork is wonderful by the way.

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    1. Only now it's the blacks that are the most racist, anti gay and anti jew.

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  4. Butch, I knew of this story. But it's never-the-less a great story to learn from. Nicely written. You definitely have to start working on writing your own book. You are not only a talented musician but you also have a talent for the written word. It would be a waste of your talent and wisdom not to put your thoughts into a novel of your life. P.S., the new look on the site is nice. Rock On!!!

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    1. Finally some good positive vibes from from someone. It's seems like the rest blow the message off

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  5. Yes sir, being a long-hair in the South back then was like bring a geek at the carnival at times. But most of the time it was cool because when you did run into another "freak", you had an immediate bond.

    Speaking of New Orleans, I recall once we just happened to be in The Big Easy on a road-trip from Panama City Beach. It must have been screwing season for dragonflies, because by the time we got to the city, my van was covered in wings and guts. There were millions of them on the road all the way along the Gulf Coast. Some were the size of helicopters, or so I thought in a PTSD kinda way.

    Anyway, when we got there, we heard that the Allman Brothers were playing the Grand Opening of the Super Dome with Wet Willie, and Marshall Tucker. We added up our money between the three of us and came up woefully short, but I found a check for my car insurance that I kept forgetting to mail, so we decided to try and cash it. Of course, no one would touch a check from a longhair, especially a check with the name of my insurance company scratched out and CASH written above it. I decided to try at a big-assed hotel, and walked up to the desk with my check and told the desk clerk some sad story. Fortuitously, I was wearing an Allman Brother jersey. The clerk looked at me, looked at my check, looked at my shirt, and to our surprise cashed it. He said he was coming to see us at the Dome later. I guess he might have thought we were in the band, or maybe it was the band's hotel, but I didn't let him think any different. What a show!

    Unfortunately, I forgot that I had used my insurance check and got cancelled.

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  6. Hey Butch, great story as usual....I always figured Dickey and Red Dog were the real rable-rousers of the group and this confirms it!!!....Any stories you can relate from the old Le Carousel nightclub??....I bet there's some real barn burners there!!!....Keep 'em comin', love hearing about the old brotherhood days!!

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  7. Of topic, but since someone linked to the Allman Sisters in another thread (which I really dug), here's possibly the strangest version of Whippin' Post evah...

    But then what would you expect from Frank Zappa
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi-dm1JU4no&feature=related

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  8. I read this story a couple times and each time is better than the other. The greatest part of this story is the fact that there is a picture to go along with it. If it wasn't 1970's Alabama (seeming how Jaimoe wasn't in it) it would've been the greatest collection of rock photos ever. Dickey has a look that says 'yeah, fuck you pig' and Duane looks like its his first time in a candy/guitar store.

    As for racism, I grew up in a moderately racist home but I grew to despise it. I find it sick and very inhumane. And anyone out there that can say they hate someone because of the color of his/her skin - FUCK YOU - if there's a God, I hope I'm standing there beside him when you come strolling up. This world, this planet, is beautiful without any of us in it, and if you open your eyes, it could be even greater if we all would just learn enjoy it together.

    The topic of racism is no topic that I would ever care to debate on. I know it's out there, but its something I don't believe in, therefore, to me, it does not exist. Now I have my thoughts and opinions about it, but I keep it to myself. I put those ideologies and concepts so far in the back of my head, that I can't even begin to fathom how one person could judge or treat a person any different because of the color of his/hers skin. Call me crazy, call me stupid, but its just the way I deal with things. I never talk politics, religion, women, or racism. Live a pretty good simple life too I might add. Not to much bothers me these days. Now I'll listen, even get a little curious about these debates and peoples ideas but never will I engage. Just love each other dudes and dudettes.

    Diggin the new set up here Butch..............fancy.

    Peace and Allman Brothers

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  9. Remids me of that scene in "Easy Rider" when they are in the redneck diner. Love that movie.
    Your stories are pretty good too Butchie.
    Griff

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  10. Thanks, Mr. T- this is a historic account I've waited a while for. I knew of the incident but the absence of Jaimoe's mugshot from the group above (that group of shots was my wallpaper for quite a while) has always caused a lot of question and concern among fans.

    Makes me sick to think of someone of his stature- let alone anyone else at all- being treated with so little respect.

    Southerners everywhere must apologize for Alabama and Mississippi. Not that the rest of us have much to be proud of in that part of our past. I don't deny that the problem continues, but I honestly believe it's getting better all the time.

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  11. Butch that story is so true. I too have an african american drummer and it amazes me that to this day there are still places in this country that we can not play. Great blog by the way.

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  12. Zappa - classic !!! if you don't know the story it is indeed a great story ..read on...how many times have you heard "Freebird" yelled out at a show??? Well it all started with Whipping Post !! Long live the ABB and RIP FrankZ.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whipping_Post_(song)

    “The song also acquired a quasi-legendary role in early 1970s rock concerts, when audience members at other artists' concerts would semi-jokingly yell out "Whipping Post!" as a request between numbers, echoing the fan captured on At Fillmore East.[19] Jackson Browne took note of this occurring during his concerts of the time. Another such instance from 1974 in Helsinki affected rock guitarist and composer Frank Zappa, as described below.[20][21] Later this same yell-out-at-a-concert "role" would be taken over to a far greater extent by Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird",[19] although the "Whipping Post" tradition made something of a later comeback at indie rock shows.[22]


    In a 1974 concert in Helsinki, Finland, a drunken audience member repeatedly disrupted a Frank Zappa performance by shouting a request for "Whipping Post." Zappa responded by playing a southern rock version of his song "Montana",[21] subtitled "Whipping Floss".[20] (This incident was eventually captured on his You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 live album, released in 1988.) In 1981, Zappa's band learned "Whipping Post" and added it to their repertoire, since the band's new singer and keyboard player Bobby Martin knew the song and sang the lead vocals on it.[20] Zappa recorded a studio version of the song for the 1984 album Them or Us; a live recording of the song featuring Frank's son Dweezil Zappa on lead guitar was released in 1986 on the Does Humor Belong in Music?

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  13. "The percentage of prisoners that are black compared with white is not just a Texas problem it is the norm country wide. Unemployment for blacks stands at 17% and 8% for whites. The average income is totally skewed in favor of whites and the list goes on."

    Of course, it must be racism because it couldn't be ... a cultural problem ???

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    1. I’m sorry there have been plenty of programs for blacks starting with FDR and continuing with LBJ and Carter. An unholy alliance I guess considering that said programs were designed to cement black vote. Great job FDR LBJ and Carter. Great job for incentivizing the father for not being in the house and great job for incentivizing the proliferation of black children without a father. What a great thing you have done. You should be proud of your great accomplishment . We are paying for your ignorance 1000 fold. What a great thing you have done where 13 per cent of the population commit over 1/2 of the crime. And that is a conservative figure. Hats off FDR and LBJ I guess you are rotting in the grave now but many thanks for the people who have to live with disastrous consequences of your actions . I cannot express how much I appreciate your actions.
      Great job Jimmy
      I hope you have not sold your soul to the devil. Good intentions pave the way to hell

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  14. @Mayor of Moogis

    Thanks for the back story on Zappa, and to answer the question Does Humor Belong in Music. I agree with DB, Yes.

    The genre switch works both ways. Back in 1978, The Spinnaker discotheque on Panama City Beach was the place to go for action, and Macho Man was the dance hit of the summer.

    The Spinnaker also had live music on the beach deck. Two guys played bluegrass and were a welcome break from the thud of disco inside. Thing was, you could still hear the thud on the deck, so these two fine musicians worked up a bluegrass version of Macho, Macho Man that was a hoot. It was hilarious.

    Racism in the South was still prevalent in that summer of '78. I worked at the Spinnaker and one of our security employees, Bobby Brown (an African American),was shot in the face at the entrance of the club by a white guy. Bobby died there. Our bouncers chased the guy down and beat the hell out of him. The cops showed up and put the asshole in the back of the car, but our security wasn't finished yet. They smashed the windows out of the cruiser and commenced to re-kick his ass.

    If i recall correctly, the killer got a very light sentence in the local courts because he claimed it was in self-defense. At that time Panama City was known for its white beaches...the sand was pretty white also.

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  15. NiggerHead Ranch...
    I actually liked Cain...
    That is/"WAS" until he played that bullshit race card on Perry...
    I'm surprised he wasn't invited to the white House for a beer summit.

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  16. Mr. Trucks great story. I have one similar but with no jail time. But first I saw your music (and listened to it) on a Delta fight to Amsterdam.

    I was a young solider hitchhiking across the South in 1964 in uniform. I was trying to get home to California after completing schooling and before being sent to Germany for 2 years. I am a Colorado/California product. While racism was around me it had never been a significant part of my life and I harbored no ill will to people different from myself.

    I was along the Gulf Coast in Mississippi and I walked up to a gas station to get a drink of water. As I rose up from the outdoor drinking fountain a very large man was practically standing directly over me. He was big and straight out of a grade B movie, wife beater t- shirt that exposed his rather large abdomen both streaked with grease, he also had on that little bean type cap that mechanics wore a lot in that day and age. His expression and body language were not welcoming. He asked “What you doing BOY? You one of them trouble makers from up north? I was dumbfounded, I didn’t know what had brought this on. I answered “No sir I just wanted a drink of water” “ Do they teach you to read where you come from BOY?” “Yes Sir” I answered. At this he started pointing to a sign over the drinking fountain that said “Colored Only” Then read the sign BOY” he said. I just got the Hell out of there. That was a real eye-opener for me. It is sad because just that morning a black woman serving food at the PX Cafateria had told me I couldn't eat breakfast without grits. I had not had them before and like them to this day. She was showing caring and concern for a total stranger.

    Racism is still with us and will likely always be but I do believe that it is fading.

    BTW…I love Amsterdam for a lot of reasons; it was a real thrill to go back after over 40 years. …LOL

    http://aseasonedview.blogspot.com/

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  17. Butch-
    Stumbled upon the blog. Huge ABB and DTB fan. Love your content, looking forward to more. Peace.

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  18. Thank goodness some people have loving and giving hearts no matter the color of people's skin. e.g. Mama Louise.

    My bucket list: see ABB someday. Also dTb.

    I named my daughter after the song Jessica. It wasn't just because I liked it, but I see it as a very complete song: a little rock, a little jazz, etc. and there is time for each instrument to shine. A metaphor for life.

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  19. Thanks for the story, it was great! After that incident the band must not have taken off too many days because I saw you perform within a week in Decatur, AL. One of the best shows I have ever seen. Thanks again.

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  20. The image of naked, flailing Red Dog is probably still burned into that kids mind.

    Brian

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  21. Butch,
    I wanted to share this link with you all.
    I'm hoping you all find it informative, interesting, and an enjoyable read...
    Figured also you might get some ("stimulus/Stimuli" ??? spelling???) ideas to write about (Butch) where you like to blog about political issues etc...
    Enjoy...(I Did!!!)
    http://gunston.gmu.edu/pfiffner/index_files/Page949.htm

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  22. Butch, have you noticed the disproportionate number of ignorant piss-ant redneck racist scum that seem to follow the ABB, despite the fact that you guys make it abundantly clear that you despise everything they stand for? I've always been interested in the comparison between the ABB fans and the Dead fans...sorry, but I sure as hell don't want any ABB fans moving in next door to me. But then again, my neighborhood isn't zoned for double-wides, so I guess I have nothing to worry about.

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  23. Anonymous,
    Interesting choice of words you used there.
    Hmm...
    Maybe you should think about upgrading to a double wide and expand your mind…

    Personally I prefer the ABB crowd…(I never had a hot chick grab my ass at a dead concert but on the other hand while at an ABB show….
    Awe Never mind I’ll keep that one in the vault LMFAO !!!

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  24. Anonymous: do you really, honestly believe that Allman Brothers fans all live in trailers? You can't really be that ignorant, can you?

    Brian

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  25. The disturbance was, after all, taking a black man into a diner full of racists. (It had nothing to do with the fact that we were all fucked up drugged out Hippie low life's AKA young dumb and full of cum
    DAUGH!!!!!

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  26. Nigger Head is an island in North Queensland, Australia. Maybe we should not be so sensitive to words..."sticks & stones." However, the my-stery is in his-tory and the truth is in the word.

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  27. Butch sittin in with Lucinda !!

    http://www.jambands.com/news/2011/10/25/butch-trucks-guests-with-lucinda-williams

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  28. Great story Butch.

    My problem with your overall premise is that to illustrate racism of the present, you go back 41 years in the past.

    That is probably when the rock at Perry's ranch was painted as well. And I understand Governor Perry painted over it. I have a hard time believing any politician anywhere, especially the Governor of a large state who has national ambitions, would casually ignore something like that, let alone create it.

    Don't get me wrong. I am no fan of Rick Perry. But I am not going to imply egregious things about him. And nowadays Sheriffs in Dixie are more concerned about Miranda and not being seen as profiling or violating minority or immigrants' rights.

    Glad you and everyone else, especially Jaimoe, got out unscathed. Personally, I would have been terrified, but you guys handled it well.

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  29. Is there a way to get email notifications of when new comments are posted? (like I get when you post new Blog Butch? It's really annoying and a real PITA to have to keep checking back here for updates and new comments

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  30. I was not using the incident from 41 years ago to illustrate racism of today. I simply used a current event as an excuse to tell an Allman Brothers war story. I might even do it again. We shall see. BTW I missed a very important date yesterday. Tom Dowd passed away Oct 27, 2002. Look up his discography and spend some time remembering a very great man.

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  31. Hey Butch,

    I truly enjoy your stories of the ABB, but how about telling us all about how instrumental you guys were in electing an American president. There is a heck of a story to be told there and it is one that would not only be entertaining, but also instructive. While our politics may differ, the influence that the ABB had on the 76 election cannot be disputed. Carter was about "Hope and Change" after the Watergate years more than most people these days would realize. Your thoughts on that would be much appreciated.

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  32. And 40 years ago today..another very sad day.
    Thankful you've all kept it going because it is truely amazing..

    Janine/Long Island

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  33. Subscription options on upper right corner of the page - get updates via Google home page, email etc

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  34. Hi Butch,

    Great story. We don't hear enough of them. Would love to chat with you one day about how those experiences affected band members' relationships and the music in general.

    Best Regards.

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  35. The music of The Allman Brothers Band is but one facet of who they are. I have always felt that the social aspect was just as big as the music. When the story of this band is written, this topic has to be a long chapter. It had to be rough for the band and particularly Jaimoe. So glad that they perservered and changed a lot of prejudice especially in a town that was branded as extremely racist. That story has got to be told one day.

    @ Tony Tyler....Little Bro, can't believe that this stuff is still going on and I absolutley hate it.

    Oh and I am racist too. I don't believe in anything other than the HUMAN race..:)

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  36. Sex, Drugs, rock and roll, the Vietnam war, the civil right's movement, the black panthers,the SDS, the weather underground (homegrown terrorists)bring the war home, making US Citizens suffer and bringing down Capitalism... the list goes on and on... Why don't you tell the whole story Mr. Trucks for those who are to young to remember or weren't born yet Mr. Trucks...Ya you were all just victims of racism and some asshole judge.....Fuck You you liberal Ass anti American...low life loser...give everyone the big picture of what was going on back then....OOO thats right you were a victim of racism....YA RIGHT OK Buddy what ever you say!!!! I hope all you readers are not buying this truck load of BS From Mr Trucks

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  37. I grew up on the west coast of Florida in the 1950s. As late as 1971, there was a hand-lettered sign on Turner's Fish Camp in Citrus County firmly stating, "No nigger guides allowed on this river." I was never quite sure what that meant, but it was obvious that racism was alive and well.

    Thanks for so many years of great music. The last time I saw Duane and Jimi alive was at the Atlanta Pop Festival. I've always believed that those two are the greatest guitarists that have ever lived because they reinvented the guitar and have been emulated ever since.

    I'm hoping that someday before we are all too old and you boys quit playin' I can finally get to the Beacon. It's been a dream of mine for a long, long time.

    Lissie

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  38. I personally think racism has come a long way since71,I grew up in the south and remember seperate everything for blacks,Water fountains, bathrooms , back of the bus seats, etc..I'm not saying that we don't still have a way to go,but things have improved.
    I'm not a Rick Perry fan, but the reference about the ranch was, atbest a cheap shot. After all it was back about 40 years ago when the rock had the verbage on it, and it was corrected. Perry didn't even put it on there.Someone elese did it before they bought the place.
    While I'm at it, ANYONE that can look at the mess this country is in and want more of the same thru 2016 has got to be out of touch at best. Look at any aspect of this economy, it's a real mess. Tax and spend does not work.

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  39. Butch - I have been screaming that to everyone who will listen for quite a while now. Racism went underground, sort of, but I swear it has gone public again with the election of President Obama.
    Ulterior motive - I have a blog - whiskeywisdom.blogspot.com
    Give it a shot, you might like it.
    I have loved The Allman Brothers Band since 1969 and I will into eternity.

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  40. More blacks are in jail because more of them are committing the crimes. No one is framing these drug dealers, thugs and gang members. No one is forcing them into a life of crime. I work at a grocery store and a warehouse; if I can handle two jobs, they should be able to handle one. An earlier poster raised the idea that it might be a cultural problem, and that is correct. Rap music does nothing but glorify being a convict and a hater of women. I'm sick to death of people throwing up these percentages and saying it's racism. It's easier to thread the eye of a needle with barbed wire than to get somebody actually locked up these days. Black youths who come from Welfare-based families ARE COMITTING MORE CRIMES THAN ANY OTHER RACE. It's a fact. Now why don't you try to round up the ABB and make some new music and stop reissuing stuff from 40 years ago.

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  41. Jimmie Rodgers wrote the song "In the Jailhouse Now."

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  42. Well...

    I just found this blog and Thank You Butch Trucks... First saw the ABB and the GD at Watkins Glen so many years and roads ago.

    Anyway, it is sad to see some of the unenlightened comments, although perhaps it is not surprising notice many of the saddest ones are also anonymous, hatred hiding behind anonymity.

    Thanks Butch, keep writing and as many old stories will certainly be welcome. ps writing while listening to the Cow Palace New Years Eve '73 show... My my... Peach pie! and I haven't got past set one yet!

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  43. Butch, despite all that's gone down between ABB members, it's refreshing and gratifying to read your posts and pick up on your seemingly fond reminiscences of Dickey. I don't expect there's any future for the ABB and Dickey, but I'm glad that you're able to acknowledge your past adventures with what seems (to me) to be a smile. Thanks, and post more often. Maybe on the OWS/1% movement?

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  44. Great story, Butch. Can you post a version of the picture that I can be printed and framed? I tried with this one, but no luck.

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  45. Butch,
    Thanks for this true story.
    I can just see Red Dog in all his glory in this vignette: so in character.
    Just glad I missed this "party"!

    Peace LOVE & Happiness,
    Mr. Natural from Florida Presbyterian College

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  46. This story proves that racism was a LOT worse back in the 60s.

    But blacks are FAR more racist than whites nowadays. It is a sad, inconvenient reality that we simply must wake up to. Blacks blaming whites because THEY are killing one another and stealing from one another. Blacks impregnating women and not taking care of the kids, and they think white people are to blame for this?!

    I will have to disagree. Just because blacks have a higher prison population, it doesn't necessarily indicate racism in the system...it just means that blacks are committing more crimes.

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  47. I tripped over some Mothers Finest tunes the other day and was wondering what all them cats had to put up with back in the day...and no it isn't gone, just swung full pendulum.

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  48. Trust a member of the integrated Allman Brothers Band to be a holier-than-thou leftist scumbag.

    Screw you, hippie...;o)

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  49. According to Dept.of Justice statistics, your beloved black Victims o' Racism brutally murdered 45,000 White Devils between '64 & '94 - more than were killed in the Korean War. Their stats also show that 90% of all interracial violence is BLACK on WHITE; 17,000 White women are raped EVERY YEAR by the black dicks with feet; on the other hand, ZERO black wimmins are raped by "creepy-ass crackers".

    Suck on it, pinko....;o)

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  50. I love you Butch Trucks. Loved seeing you last night in Atlanta at the Gregg tribute. Love that you wanted to blog and share your stories. This is the first time I've been here. I hope you'll write more and stick with your policy of not reading the horrible posts. Just read mine, ok? I love you and your opinions (and the statements of fact aren't half bad either!)

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  51. The best years of " rock & roll " was built from such stories. Being a Atlanta native, I saw the issue's. The music events were a place of gathering's & getting along for the most part. Early days @ Piedmont Park & Chastain were magic. Being a Marine Vet during those years, we received our own special welcome off base, so I know the drill. Had the pleasure of meeting you guys as a younger man, ran into Dickey back stage @ Chastain 2 years ago. After a show in Atl in 73, attended the private party at the Ramshackle Club after the show, next to Uncle Sam's ( downtown ). Walked in the door ten feet & Jaimoe walked up me a pre-rolled fat 1. He had acquired a red,white & blue hat from uncle Sam's, filled with high octane Ga-Fescue, & was doing the Jaimoe " cut & shuffle roll & stroll ". A true evening Southern Style, thanks for banging it out Butch. AlWhitton@windstream.net

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  52. Thanks for this post, all the others, and the whole blog Butch. So many friends from the old days have gone over to the other side, it does me much good to see someone else is still keepin' the faith.

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  53. So the Midnight Rider got caught after all. Myth busted!

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  54. Great story from an amazing musician:) I didn’t expect to see so many ignorant comments but I guess that just proves the point that we all have a long way to go . Peace , Love & RocknRoll Brother

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  55. Great story ! Gregg once mentioned the hardest thing about writing a book was the chronological order. "Shit happened on almost a daily basis" . I believe that. Musicians seem to have a endless supply of interesting stories. RIP Butch.

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