Family, friends bid final farewell to rock legend Gregg Allman
MACON, Ga. - Family and friend gathered Saturday in Macon to bid their final farewells to music legend Gregg Allman. He died May 27 at his home near Savannah, Georgia, at age 69.
Fans lined the streets as music legend Greg Allman was carried to his final resting place at a cemetery in Macon.
The private service was held at 1 p.m. at Snow's Memorial Chapel in Macon, Georgia. Notable guests included former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Allman's ex-wife, singer and actress, Cher.
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Allman was buried alongside his late brother, founding Allman Brothers guitarist Duane Allman and late bandmate Berry Oakley at Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery.
Allman's manager, Michael Lehman, blamed liver cancer for Allman's death. Lehman said Allman died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones.
Allman's bluesy vocals and soulful touch on the Hammond B-3 organ helped propel The Allman Brothers Band to superstardom and spawn Southern rock.
Carter, the 39th President of the United States, released the following statement about honoring Allman.
"Rosalynn and I were deeply saddened when we learned that Gregg Allman had passed. I met Gregg through Phil Walden of Capricorn Records, which was headquartered in Macon. Gregg and the Allman Brothers Band were very helpful to me in my 1976 presidential campaign. Gregg Allman was better known than I was at that time. The band got the campaign political attention and raised much needed funds. In those days, raising funds for a presidential campaign was very difficult. The maximum anyone could donate to a primary campaign was $1000, and corporations could not donate anything directly to a candidate. At many concerts the Allman Brothers Band held for me, the people who attended would donate the ticket price to the campaign and then the federal government matched that amount. Gregg Allman was there when I needed him and Rosalynn, and I have always been grateful to him. I was very proud to participate in Mercer's awarding Gregg an honorary doctorate, and will attend the funeral to show my respect and concern."
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