Gregg Allman has a busy year ahead. He's slated to kick off a solo tour at the end of this month, leading up to the January 19th release of his new album, Low Country Blues. Then it's a short break before for the Allman Brothers Band's "March Madness" residency, taking place at New York City's Beacon Theatre on March 10th through 12th, 14th and 15th, and 17th through 19th.
Allman had a successful liver transplant surgery in June and says he's been feeling better ever since. He toured with the Allmans this fall, and although he loves playing live, the 63-year-old musican tells us getting back on the road has been tricky: "Well this one -- this first one is kind of rough but I'm doing fine. I mean it's not the playing; the playing's fine. It's mostly all the traveling and packing and unpacking and all that you know. That's the stuff that goes along with it."
Low Country Blues marks Allman's first solo set since his 1997 collection Searching For Simplicity. The album is Allman's first collaboration with producer T Bone Burnett, who's best known for his recent work with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, John Mellencamp, Elton John and Leon Russell, and Elvis Costello.
It features twelve tracks -- 11 blues classics and one new song written by Allman and Warren Haynes.
Gregg Allman tour dates (subject to change):
December 28 - Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania - Penn's Peak
December 29 - Stamford, Connecticut - Palace Theatre
December 31 - Westhampton Beach, New York - Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
January 1 - Tarrytown, New York - Music Hall
January 4 - Richmond, Virginia - The National
January 5 - Annapolis, Maryland - Rams Head On Stage
January 7 - Morristown, New Jersey - Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
January 8 - Kingston, New York - Ulster Performing Arts Center
January 9 - Lancaster, Pennsylvania - American Music Theatre
January 11 - Red Bank, New Jersey - Count Basie Theatre
January 12 - Engelwood, New Jersey - Bergen Performing Arts Center
January 14 - Burlington, Vermont - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts - Main Stage
January 15 - New Bedford, Massachusetts - Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
January 18 - New York, New York - Bowery Ballroom