Allman Joy: Keeping the Beat with Duane and Gregg
ALLMAN JOY: KEEPING THE BEAT WITH DUANE AND GREGG is Bill Connell's insightful account of the mid-1960s musical journey he went on as the drummer for The Allman Joys, a group that was a precursor to The Allman Brothers Band. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Connell began drumming as a teenager, and worked his way through the burgeoning Tuscaloosa music scene. A passing encounter with the brothers Allman in 1966 led to Connell being offered the drummer's chair in The Allman Joys. The day after high school graduation at age seventeen, he found himself headed to New York City's Greenwich Village to join the band. His experiences touring with the group over the next several years make for captivating stories and offer tremendous insight into a little-known chapter in the development of The Allman Brothers Band. Connell's time in the band was cut short by the draft, but he remained in contact with both Allmans, and he resumed his musical career after his service in the U.S. Navy was completed. Bill Connell's love for Duane and Gregg shines brightly throughout the book. This memoir is loaded with touching personal thoughts and hilarious tales from the road, making it a must-read for music fans of all ages.