Duane Allman

No Money Down (1969)

It is almost impossible to label someone the "greatest of all-time" no matter what you're talking about. However, Duane Allman is the greatest guitar player of all-time. Yes, this can be easily debated, and if you want to change that label to one of the greatest guitarists of all-time, go ahead. The fact is Duane Allman's recording career only lasted about five years, and inside that time he has made a lasting impact on music--rock and roll, blues, soul, all of it.

There were few musicians during Duane's era that did not want to meet, record, or work with him in some capacity. Before his tragic motorcycle accident in 1971, he had been working on a solo record. It was never finished, but according to the record's producer, Duane was just beginning to truly find himself as an artist (that comes from statements made in the liner notes of An Anthology). One track from that album can be found on An Anthology, and two more can be found on An Anthology Volume II. The solo tracks show enormous potential. It is actually hard to imagine, considering Duane's amazing body of work in such a short period, what his output would have been had he not met an untimely demise.

To get the full story on Duane, you can check out his Wikipedia entry here. There doesn't seem point to regurgitate information here that can easily be found elsewhere. Duane had worked with a laundry list of legendary artists before his death. The anthologies available are a good summation of his work, however you can't really get enough Duane Allman. Included for your enjoyment is a solo recording of his--a Chuck Berry tune called "No Money Down." You really can't go wrong with this guy. If you don't have his anthologies, they really are must-haves. To check out some of his soul recordings, head over to Soul Shower. Enjoy.