Today, January 15, 2024, is MLK day, the 39th official federal holiday honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., though it has only been celebrated in all 50 states since 2000. I am old enough to remember how controversial it was, and the role that music and musicians -specifically Stevie Wonder - played in making it happen. I hope everyone has a chance to pause and think about the man and his ideals today. I’m glad that the day has not become an excuse for sales.
It’s always good opportunity to share “God Rest His Soul,” Gregg Allman’s beautiful tribute to Dr. King, which he wrote and recorded in 1968, shortly after the assassination. The song was never on any of Gregg’s sanctioned releases. He said that he never intended to release it and just wrote it as a personal tribute, but he also sold the song for a few hundred bucks to producer Steve Alaimo when he needed money to get back from Florida to Los Angeles.
“He was an unprincipled, opportunist son of a bitch,” Gregg told Kirk West in 1986, in an interview that appears in Brothers and Sisters. Alaimo had a minor 1963 hit with “Every Day I Have to Cry” for Chess Records and went on to help launch disco music with George McCrae (“Rock Me Baby”) and KC and the Sunshine Band.
Alaimo also bought “Melissa,” which ABB manager Phil Walden eventually bought back 50 percent of. My understanding is he basically went to Alaimo and said, “You can own 50 percent of a song that’s on a best-selling Allman Brothers Band album or 100 percent of a song that Gregg will never record.” Good deal all around at that point. I wish something similar had ever happened with “God Rest His Soul.”
There are multiple versions of “God Rest His Soul,” all of which were essentially demoes. I think it’s a great tribute to a great man. I am going to with this one, which was featured on One More Try, a brilliant two-CD anthology of outtakes and alternate versions that I worked on with Kirk, who produced it. I wrote what was at the time my greatest essay for the liner notes, and was involved in every step. it almost immediately went out of print because of a legal dispute, which was gutting. I have re-used some of my favorite lines from the essay over the years. There’s probably something from it in my latest book!
This also presents a wonderful opportunity to recall Gregg’s late-in-life thoughts on the Confederate Battle Flag, and reflect on the disturbing fact that Alabama and Mississippi, still choose to celebrate the Confederate general Robert E. Lee alongside King.
“Well, I was taught how to play music by these very, very kind older black men. My best friend in the world is a black man. If people are gonna look at that flag and think of it as representing slavery, then I say burn every one of them.”
I think it’s important to remember that when Dr. King was assassinated he was in Memphis marching in support of striking garbage haulers. I’m sure many of those striking men could have and would have done a lot of other things had they had the opportunity to do so. It bothers me that we have garbage pickup on MLK Day.
Please listen to Dr. King’s haunting final speech, “I Have Been to the Mountaintop.” it is unbelievable. Highlights:
This blog remains free for one and all and it is a word of mouth operation, so if you enjoy, please subscribe and share.
Such a great tribute from a great songwriter and musician I agree wholeheartedly with his idea of burning all the confederate flags and what they represent
Deep thanks for showcasing this track. Allman’s plaintive voice is augmented by a thoughtful piano and the cymbals near the end add a haunting accentuation. Even the studio chatter is as awesome as this ballad!
Such a great tribute from a great songwriter and musician I agree wholeheartedly with his idea of burning all the confederate flags and what they represent
Deep thanks for showcasing this track. Allman’s plaintive voice is augmented by a thoughtful piano and the cymbals near the end add a haunting accentuation. Even the studio chatter is as awesome as this ballad!