Skydog: The Duane Allman Story

by Randy Poe, Billy F. Gibbons (Foreword)

(Book). The definitive biography of one of the most revered guitarists of his generation. Duane Allman brought white-hot intensity to his life, onstage, in the studio, and beyond. Skydog reveals the complete story of Duane Allman, from his early struggles and his session days, to the formation of the Allman Brothers Band and his tragic early death at age 24. Skydog also includes a comprehensive discography, a meticulously researched roundup of his studio and stage instruments, and a look at the continuing lives and careers of Allman's friends and bandmates.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Southern, Rock N Roll

328 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Lawrence A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well-written biography of guitarist Duane Allman, and a good chronology of the Allman Brothers Band. I remember what an upset 13-year-old music fan I was when Duane was killed at age 24 in a motorcycle accident in 1971. The Allmans had closed the Fillmore East in June 1971 with an amazing set that was broadcast live on WNEW-FM and WPLJ-FM in NYC, and had played a live set at the WPLJ studio in August 1971. Duane's incredible virtuosity and passion, along with his transcendental and irridescent personality and musicianship, were just about to explode on the national rock music scene; the band's Live at Fillmore East album was released at the end of August 1971, and was getting lots of airplay on the local rock music radio stations. The Allman Brothers Band was booked to play 2 shows at NY's Carnegie Hall over the Thanksgiving holiday in November 1971, which would have been my first chance to see Duane in the flesh, but I couldn't attend since my folks wouldn't let me miss the holiday. Then Duane died only weeks before the scheduled gigs, and I thought that the band would cancel its appearances; the Allmans played Carnegie anyway, but my desire to see them was someone diminished. Wilson Pickett nicknamed Duane "Sky-man" on account of Duane's dabbling in psychedelics and his all-around driven, yet spacy, Southern-hippie, affect. Since Duane was also called "dog" by his buddies (apparently everyone in the Allman Bros Band had an "animal" nickname), the two monikers were combined into "Skydog," which stuck. Reading this book, you can almost feel the maniacal musical excitement generated when Duane led the Allman Bros, and there's no doubt why Lynard Skynard's tribute to Duane was entitled "Free Bird," a most apt appellation. Thankfully, the book is not a hagiography, but a warts-and-all recounting of a musical talent who left us all far too soon.

[M. Sarki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let it be said that I learned very much from reading this book. I will not be judging the quality of the writing at all but mostly commenting on how great a guitarist Duane Allman was and how skilled he was at noticing other great talents. The fact he only made to twenty-four is a sad statement of the times as he certainly wasn't alone in his self-destructive activities. There was much to be learned from reading this book.

http://mewlhouse.hubpages.com/hub/Dua...

[hele.b.ook · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Music is what keeps me together. It's the thing that keeps us all going. God, I've got no idea what I'd do if I wasn't playing. I don't know what would happen. - D.A.

Uživala sam maksimalno u svakoj stranici ove knjige. Svakom stranicom sve dublje sam ulazila u šezdesete i sedamdesete godine prošlog stoljeća i početak južnjačke blues glazbe kakvu su stvarali Allmani, ali i ondašnje glazbe općenito. Zaista je teško opisati osobu i glazbenika kakav je bio Duane Allman. Prije svega toliko zaljubljen u glazbu i gitaru. (mislim da definitivno mogu reći da su mu to bile najveće ljubavi u životu). Toliko talentiran, predan i posvećen svojem radu. Toliko svoj i za ono vrijeme tako ekscentričan i drugačiji. Sa samo 24 godine ostavio je trag u glazbenom svijetu kakav neki glazbenici ne ostave nikad, te postao idol mnogim gitaristima tada, pa sve do danas. Pitam se, koliko dobrih pjesama i glazbe bi svijet još čuo da se taj mladi život nije tragično ugasio tog kobnog dana u listopadu 1971. godine.

Ako volite glazbu, blues, glazbene biografije i ono zlatno vrijeme glazbe, ovo je apsolutna knjiška poslastica i definitivni "must read" za sve gitariste. :)

Randy Poe: clap clap clap, and standing ovations!

Ocjena 5/5

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was tough to get started, but there is a wealth of information. I had no real appreciation of how far reaching Duane Allman's influence reached. I always knew he was a great guitarist. A must read for guitar and rock enthusiasts.

[Blaine Tyrone · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a shame he is gone!

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skydog: The Duane Allman Story

Written by: Randy Poe foreword by: Billy F. Gibbons
narrated by: Arthur Flavell
Tantor Audio @tantoraudio
Released: Jan. 12, 2021


Review:
This expanded audiobook is a biography of the legendary late guitarist Duane Allman. Poe covers Allman’s life and musical legacy from birth until his tragic death at the young age of twenty-four in a motorcycle accident. As a fan of The Allman Brothers Band, this listening experience was a fascinating lesson in musical history. Especially interesting to me was Allman’s work as a studio musician in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. I definitely looked up some videos of his work with artists other than The Allman Brothers. The book is well researched and comprehensive. It features a foreword, prologue, 24 chapters, afterword, acknowledgements, Farther Up the Road section about his friends and associates, and a discography.

Flavell did an excellent job of narration, adding emotion to the layers of Allman’s too-short life. It was hard, of course, to hear about the less healthy lifestyle choices that Allman sometimes made, as did so many creative musical artists during this time period. With a main focus on the music, this is an excellent biography of Duane Allman. It captures his deep passion and unsurpassed musical gifts.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic dedication to the great Duane Allman, my favorite guitarist. Despite knowing a ton about him, I learned a good bit about his life, even the unsavory parts. Poe has a gift for crafting an interesting narrative. Far before the discussion of his death in the book one can feel an insidious build up to the awful tragedy. What is our reprieve, as discussed in his actual eulogy, is the music. And with that, Poe really shines: he has a clear passion for Duane's music and describes it beautifully in an accessible way without relying too much on jargon. He provides sufficient context of the genres Duane worked within and around. The only parts I thought could have used editing were the extended segments regarding the development of certain studios and the confused contracts and producer histories.

Listen to his solo on the studio version of "Blue Sky", his live work on "Whipping Post", and "Why does love got to be so sad? from the Layla album--in fact, many are unaware that some of the most spectacular parts of that great Clapton album were in fact played by or conceived of by Duane--to see how truly gifted he was. There's a reason that in 2003 Rolling Stone said he was the second greatest guitarist ever.

[Patrick Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Duane Allman, Skydog, is like the story of a shooting star. I've read a couple books on the Allman brothers and it was nice to see one delve into Duane more as an individual and guitar player rather than just part of a band. It covered his childhood and went deeper into his session work and relationships with other musicians that the other books I have read.

The book shows you how the Allman Brothers Band was Duane's vision and his baby. How he molded and motivated the musicians around him and how he shined on stage and left the audiences speechless.

One of the highlights for me was the appendix that offered thoughts of other well known professionals in the music business on how Duane impacted them. The man was listed in Rolling Stone as the second best guitarist of all time behind Jimi Hendrix, quite a tribute. All these accolades and the huge impact on those around him are still fresh 30 years after he passed away, before his 25th birthday.

Bottom line: a decent music biography and very good one for a fan of Duane or the Allman Brothers.

[Robert Waterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that should be included in any library of musical history. I did find the parts about his guitars a bit boring, but to read about how much this man accomplished and the iconic people he played with and the recordings they made...all by the age of 24. Such a tragic loss when you think of what could have been. So under rated as a guitar player these days.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still mourningelp his loss after all these years. Well written and very thorough. I used lSpotify to follow the development of his guitar mastery as laid out in the book. Made the book more enjoyable.

[Chris Hoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably know all of the Allman Brothers Stories here. Still a good read.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Very detailed to the point of tediousness. More a biography of his career as a musician and short on personal details.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh...

[Michael Tapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Def only for the hardcore fans.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on youtube

[Justin · Rating 1 out of 5]

A perfectly pathetic attempt at capturing the short life of a man with an energy unparalleled.

Although Duane graced us with a short explosion of existence, it is a pity that this is the defining "story" of a man that had a much more complex life than what is promoted here, a book written with all the eloquence of a middle schooler. It is difficult for ANY writer to capture the intricacies of the short time Duane walked the earth, but is nearly impossible for someone who never had first person contact with the man. First-hand interviews are hard to come by, but many members of the group collective are still available, and I don't feel there is any excuse for writing a biography that includes so little of the personal words/anecdotes of Duane and those he has touched. Whole sections of his life seem to be passively mentioned or, even worse, left out entirely. Toward the end, Poe drops a tidbit about Duane's 2-year-old daughter, which was a bit confusing for the audience, who had been kept out of the loop about this newsflash. I know Duane conjured a certain magic between himself and those he came into contact with, but I don't believe he had the power to spontaneously help birth a 2 year-old girl.

In this book, his professional life stole the majority of the attention from his personal exploits, which I can dig, but the man's legend looms large according to both, which must be honestly included. Finally, a outrageous proportion of the book meandered through the history of the ABB in the post-Berry Oakley days, when the magic had been all but lost for 90 percent of 20+ years (until the current lineup, which was conveniently given very little time considering the fact that the Derek-Warren-Oteil arsenal could easily be the most talented one ever assembled by the Brothers).

It's possible that I am being slightly harsh because I had just finished the respectable Jerry Garcia biography when I picked this up, but I think it is fair to say that "Skydog" is one of the most disappointing and meagerly written biographies that doesn't include a litany of typographical/grammatical errors (James Taylor biography, I'm looking at you). This work feels barely researched, and it is executed with a lack of pure love. Worst biography ever? Probably not. Most disappointing? Easily.

The legend of Duane deserves better. I got more information about his life from the liner notes of the Duane Allman Anthologies.

[max · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a workmanlike treatment of a man Rolling Stone recently ranked as the second best guitar player in the world (after Jimi Hendrix). Duane Allman was a musical genius, a player whose chops were unsurpassed. He was devoted to growing and learning as a player and, like Jimi, pushing the boundaries of rock music to places that were altogether new.

The book is a fair and accurate evaluation of his musical life. It is common knowledge that Duane was a passionate individual, a brilliantly talented guitar player who was unwilling to compromise his musical integrity for commercial success. Moreover, his outstanding ability as a player was matched by his talent as a bandleader. After the Hourglass (his pre-Allman Brothers Band outfit), turned out to be a commercial and musical failure, Duane did session work while searching for the right combination of players to bring his musical vision to fruition. He was deeply rooted in the blues and also well schooled in jazz. He brought the best of these musical genres to bear on rock and came up with something that was altogether new, exciting, and pathbreaking.

I recently read Clapton's autobiography, which is really awful compared to this book. Clapton, whose musical gifts are arguably almost as good as Duane's, never succeeded in either leading a band successfully or creating a new musical idiom that would inspire generations of musicians to come. It is one thing to be a great player, it is quite another to take the music to a whole new level. That was Duane Allman's singular achievement.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skydog: The Duane Allman Story by Randy Poe (Backbeat Books 2006)(780.92) is a fine book about one of the icons of Southern rock n' roll. Duane Allman, one of the founding members of the legendary Allman Brothers Band, died in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia on October 29, 1971 at the age of twenty-five. He left quite a mark for one so young; Rolling Stone magazine has anointed him as the second-best guitar player of all time behind only Jimi Hendrix. This is also a great book about the Allman Brothers Band. It is especially refreshing to read a volume about this band that accentuates the positives (and there were many) and honors the memories of what many believe to be the greatest Southern rock band of all time. This contrasts sharply with a new-in-2012 axe-grinder of a memoir by Duane's brother Gregory Allman which seems to unnecessarily reopen old wounds when a bit of forgiveness would be welcomed. If the reader is interested in Duane Allman or his legendary "Band of Brothers," this is the definitive volume - and a pleasure to read! My rating: 8/10, finished 10/24/12.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since there aren't any books on the late great Duane Allman other than this one I am aware of, this one as such should be considered definitive. The book explains his life well, from the early death of his father, a decorated war veteran, in a bar fight, to his evolution as a player in bands and a studio musician in Muscle Shoals Alabama, through the formation (and breakup) of his original band wit his brother Gregg, and their reconstitution as the Allman Brothers Band. I feel for myself it was the influence of Duane Allman originally brought me to playing slide guitar - everyone who comes to it generally finds some novel and unique manner of tool. For Duane it was a Coricidin bottle, for others, table knifes, bottlenecks & such. For me it was a 7" Phillips screwdriver! The book takes you through the career of the Allmans after Duane's tragic accident, the accident that claimed Barry Oakley their bassist a year later and a couple blocks away, through their resurrection and the years subsequent to that fateful Crossroads.

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably unlike most folks who read this book, I don't listen to much rock music. But at some level I've been an Allman Brothers Band fan since I was about 13 - about the time At Fillmore East came out - and in recent years years the ABB in all its incarnations have gained more and more playing time among the jazz, blues, classical, and world music I usually listen to. I picked Randy Poe's book up a couple of years ago, enjoyed reading it, and learned a lot about Duane and the ABB. The later chapters were helpful to me in understanding the band's various breakups and comebacks after Duane's death, and the chronology and quality of their album releases.

Poe's writing is not as objective as I like in a biography - it has something of a "gee whiz" fan quality to it. But that really didn't bother me, and probably won't bother most people who read it, since they are likely to be fans of the Allmans as much as Mr. Poe seems to be. Unless you already an expert in all things Allman, I would recommend Skydog if you have an interest in Allman's life and music.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Skydog" by Randy Poe, for me, was an incredibly compelling read, a laser beam account of Duane Allman as a musician and band leader. The events around the beginning of his career, through the voluminous session work he did and around both, the formation of The Allman Bros. and many of their most noteworthy concerts are expertly interwoven. Duane's daughter, Galadrielle Allman, published, "Please Be With Me" and these books together complete a portrait of the musician and the man. Both books overlap, for example Galadrielle shares Duane's dream after Jimi Hendrix died that inspired him to write "Little Martha" and Randy included many of the friendships and anecdotes about Duane that illustrate the kind of man he was. It's just read together, you get the life he lived multi-dimensionally. I've always loved The Allman Bros. AND the Duane era Bros. occupy a rarefied genius space few other bands inhabit.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about a flawed, but oh so highly talented and driven, rock guitarist and leader of the Allman Brothers Band, the band that is one of the best (if not THE best) Southern rock band.
Duane was only 24 when he died on 29 Oct 1971, but Poe doesn't dwell overly much on Duane's youth, only his amazing talent as one of the best rock guitarists in rock history (second only after Jimi Hendrix) by Roling Stone magazine. Duane brought the Allman Brothers Band to existence after years of other bands formed and disbanded. Brothers being literal with Gregg as well as the rest of the band of brothers as they thought of themselves.
My favorite part of the book has to be the meeting between Duane and Eric Clapton and then the making of the album 'Layla' with Derek and the Dominoes.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just read Gregg Allman's biography, MY CROSS TO BEAR, and Randy Poe's book lacks the personal insights of a founding member, but is much more 'fact based'. Randy Poe provides a wealth of information about the early bands and musicians that later became The Allman Brothers Band. The author is a music industry insider who has tracked down the important people who knew and influenced Duane Allman, and helped to create and develop this most important American band. And, the book contains a comprehensive discography of Duane Allman's work with his own bands and his musical contributions to other artists' recordings. And, Poe also includes a complete rundown of Duane's guitars, both studio and stage, and provides a continuing update on the lives and careers of friends and band-mates of The Allman Brothers Band organization.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this book since I found out about it. I discovered the FSU music library had a copy and went there immediately to pick it up. The research and effort that went into writing Skydog is immense. Every sentence--every word--is pulled from an interview or pulled from an album liner note or a studio log or a newspaper article--how Poe managed to collect this scattered, forgotten information is mind-boggling. For any person with an interest in Southern blues or the evolution of black music into rock and roll, this is a must-read. Encyclopedic, but with passion, reverence, and heart. If you are an ABB fan, this book will give you chills.

Now, how does this book compare with other music biographies and memoirs? I don't care. 5 stars.

[Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Allman Brothers Band or of blues guitar, this is a great read. While it covers the life of Duane Allman, it focuses primarily on his musical career, including early groups and session work. It covers his personal life somewhat superficially, so it is hard to get a really good understanding of what motivated him and made him the natural band leader that he was. It also touches on his musical influences, but not as much as I would have liked. The book is well written and an easy read, but probably not of interest if you are not a fan.

[J.C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars. In my opinion it was slightly better than this. Way to many tangents that attempted to describe the way the guitar playing sounded on a particular record instead of focusing on the (way to short) life of the man. Taken from interviews the author conducted over the course of 30 years, as well as source material from other magazines and books, it feels as hollow as it sounds. The only bonus was I found a few new albums titles to check out. Boz Scaggs here I come!

[Pamela Montano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of the one and only Duane Allman. His time with us was way too short and his impact on us will live on forever. I had no idea of the incredible legacy he left or the vast and varied session work he did. He just loved to play and it didn't matter what the style, jazz, country, rock, southern rock or folk. He loved it all and saw everything as a learning experience. He's one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived. Always willing to teach anyone who wanted to learn and always willing to learn from anyone who wanted to teach. Long live Duane Allman.

[Ben Eldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duane Allman is a fantastic guitar player and I've since discovered 'The Fillmore Concerts' live album and have been enjoying it very much.
His complete disregard for his own personal safety when riding his motorbike, of course, results in his premature death.
When someone cuts the chin strap on their helmet before they go riding , then their (tragic) story tends to illicit litte sympathy from readers and fans.
Still, a great player.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the serious Duane Allman fan, Poe's book is the definitive biography, pulling no punches. Paints an accurate portrait of Allman with all his human flaws and his genius too. The pictures in this book are amazing. Contributors were everyone who really knew Duane, including childhood friends and most of the musicians who worked with him both in studio and live. A must read for all Southern blues/rock fans.

[Jack Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done by an expert on the Muscle Shoals music scene, providing an informed perspective on the sessions where Allman played with an eclectic mix of artists. Illuminates how Allman's music was influenced by jazz greats like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and King Curtis. Provides the backstories behind his collaborations with Eric Clapton and Herbie Mann. Oh yes, there's also a bit about a southern powerhouse called the Allman Brothers Band.