Description
Gregg Allman – Laid Back – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Gregg Allman’s Laid Back, released in October 1973, is a deeply personal and emotionally resonant solo debut that stands as one of the most powerful statements to emerge from the Southern rock movement. Created during a period of intense personal and professional upheaval—shortly after the tragic death of his brother Duane Allman and amidst rising tensions within The Allman Brothers Band—Laid Back allowed Gregg to express a more introspective and soulful side of his artistry, distinct from the twin-guitar blues-rock fury that had defined the Allmans’ sound.
At its core, Laid Back is a sophisticated fusion of Southern soul, gospel, blues, and folk-rock, wrapped in lush arrangements and delivered with Gregg’s signature smoky, plaintive vocals. It’s a meditative, almost spiritual record that explores themes of grief, redemption, heartbreak, and self-reflection. While the album features some Allman Brothers connections in terms of personnel and reinterpreted material, it diverges dramatically in tone and texture, showcasing a more orchestral and emotionally rich sonic palette.
One of the standout tracks is the reimagined version of “Midnight Rider,” which originally appeared on Idlewild South (1970). Gregg’s solo take slows the tempo and brings in sweeping strings and a more atmospheric arrangement, turning the defiant outlaw anthem into something more mournful and reflective. It’s one of the rare cases where a re-recorded version arguably surpasses the original in depth and impact.
Another emotionally charged highlight is “Please Call Home,” also originally recorded by The Allman Brothers but rendered here with heartbreaking vulnerability. This version strips back the blues swagger and amplifies the hurt, emphasizing Gregg’s raw emotional delivery. In contrast, “Queen of Hearts” and “Multi-Colored Lady” are new compositions that delve into themes of romantic loss and emotional wandering, carried by gospel-tinged backing vocals and cinematic arrangements that evoke the Muscle Shoals and Memphis soul traditions.
Perhaps the most spiritually weighty track on the album is “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” the traditional hymn that Gregg infuses with both reverence and personal sorrow. Set against a gospel choir and subtle instrumentation, the song feels like a eulogy—for Duane, for innocence lost, and for the fractured familial bonds that often thread through Southern identity and mythology.
Produced by Johnny Sandlin, a trusted associate from the Capricorn Records circle and the Allmans’ extended musical family, Laid Back benefits from tasteful production choices that foreground Gregg’s voice and keyboard work while weaving in horns, strings, and layered vocal harmonies. The sound is rich and expansive, yet never overwhelming. It’s deeply Southern in tone, but not bound to the boogie-heavy expectations of Southern rock—it’s a record that feels as much at home alongside Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks or Leon Russell’s work as it does in the Capricorn Records canon.
Laid Back was well received and has since become a cult classic. It reached #13 on the Billboard 200, and its modest commercial success helped solidify Gregg Allman’s viability as a solo artist. More importantly, the album was a cathartic outlet for Gregg during a time of enormous personal turmoil. The success of the record led to a solo tour, documented in the 1974 live album The Gregg Allman Tour, which continued to develop the more soulful, expressive identity he began exploring here.
Laid Back is often hailed as Gregg Allman’s most artistically complete solo effort, a project that stripped away the expectations of genre and band identity to reveal the raw soul of a wounded, searching artist. It’s not just a solo record—it’s a quiet, deeply spiritual chapter in Southern rock history, imbued with gospel lamentation and the blues of lived experience. It shows that Gregg Allman, beyond the mythos of the Allman Brothers Band, was a master of mood and feeling, capable of crafting a sound that spoke directly to the pain and beauty of the human condition.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Midnight Rider
Queen Of Hearts
Please Call Home
Don’t Mess Up A Good Thing
These Days
Multi-Colored Lady
All My Friends
Written By – Scott Boyer
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
