New Gregg Allman doc, centering on a ‘story of redemption,’ hits theaters soon

Nearly midway through “Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul,” Devon Allman shares a riveting revelation about his dad, the film’s subject. He described the fear of Chank Middleton (Gregg’s lifelong friend) on the day Duane Allman (Gregg’s older brother) died.

While the elder Allman was hospitalized, Gregg overdosed on heroin.

“(Chank) thought he lost them both,” Devon revealed.

It’s a brief yet watershed moment coalescing Gregg’s grief with his drug and alcohol addiction — a theme in “Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul.” The new film, billed as the definitive documentary on the late Allman Brothers Band frontman, will hit theaters June 17. Macon’s Piedmont Opera Grand Opera House will host a sold-out premiere Thursday.

“I wanted to tell the story of his life, so people really got a full picture of who he was — a wonderful, kind soul,” said Michael Lehman, Gregg Allman’s manager and a producer of the film.

"Greg Allman: The Music of My Soul" will premiere in 200 theaters nationwide for one-night-only screenings June 17. (Courtesy of "Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul.")

Lehman first thought about making the movie after Gregg received a liver transplant in 2010, but the idea didn’t take shape until roughly a decade later. Gregg died of liver cancer in 2017.

Directed by James Keach (“Walk the Line,” “Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me,” “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice”), the documentary, distributed by Subtext and Rolling Stone Films, chronicles Gregg‘s rise as a Southern rock giant and his inner demons — which were equally immense.

There are the highlights: Duane and Gregg forming the Allman Brothers Band in 1969 in Jacksonville, Florida, and later moving to Macon, where the group achieved commercial success; Gregg’s marriage to Cher; his solo career and sobriety.

But there’s also the despair: Gregg‘s father dying when he was only 2 years old; Duane’s death in 1971; the death of the band’s founding bassist, Berry Oakley, the following year; Gregg’s longtime addiction.

Formed by Duane and Gregg Allman in the late 1960s, the Allman Brothers Band became one of the most influential and popular American rock bands despite personal turmoil and tragedy. Pictured are original members, from left: Jaimoe, Berry Oakley, Duane Allman, Butch Trucks, Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts. (Courtesy of Frank Driggs)

When researching Gregg’s story, Keach said he was drawn to the effects childhood trauma had on his career.

“I couldn’t imagine my brother dying at 24 and the two of us being at the height of most of our careers,” said Keach, whose older brother, Stacy, is an actor.

Keach also felt that he and Gregg shared a “kindred spirit,” given their Southern upbringings. Keach, of Taft, Texas, said he grew up dismayed at the sight of Confederate flags, so he was inspired by seeing a racially integrated band in the 1970s like the Allman Brothers (with Jaimoe, a Black drummer in the group).

“This was a true story about a guy in a band that had the courage to do the right thing,” Keach said.

The film runs for nearly 2½ hours, including new and archival interviews from Cher, Jaimoe, Devon Allman and Middleton. Macon staples like Grant’s Lounge, H&H Soul Food and Capricorn Records, the label home of the Allman Brothers, are highlighted throughout the documentary.

The film also incorporates previously unreleased interviews from Gregg.

“We were just really lucky,” Lehman said about the footage. “That’s what distinguishes this doc from a bunch of others is that he’s going to share his story. The depth and the knowledge that we have, I think, is really going to surprise people in a really great way.”

Rock legend Gregg Allman performs during the Music Midtown concert at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on Sept. 20, 2014. (Akili-Casundria Ramsess for the AJC)

Chuck Leavell, a former Allman Brothers Band member, also appears in the documentary. He said the film deftly exposed Gregg’s “warts,” aka his battle with addiction. But he also appreciated the scenes that delved into Gregg’s musical ingenuity.

Leavell, who resides in Twiggs County, will perform at Thursday night’s Macon screening.