Tributes from fellow musicians and celebrities poured in for Gregg Allman, the pioneer of soulful Southern rock and co-founder of the legendary Allman Brothers Band who died Saturday at 69.
Country legend Charlie Daniels tweeted, “Gregg Allman had a feeling for the blues very few ever have.”
“Hard to believe that magnificent voice is stilled forever.”
Allman’s bluesy vocals and wizardry on the Hammond B-3 organ rocketed the group to stardom. And songs like “Whipping Post,” “Ramblin’ Man” and “Midnight Rider” spawned Southern rock, opening the doors for such stars as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band.
The soulful singer-songwriter had canceled his performances for the rest of the year in March, citing health reasons. The cause of Allman’s death hasn’t been released.
Among the mourners was his ex-wife, Cher, who used their pet names.
“I’ve tried . . . Words are impossible Gui Gui . . . Forever, Chooch,” she tweeted.
Allman’s marriage to Cher was short-lived even by show-biz standards. They married in 1975, three days after she divorced her husband and singing partner, Sonny Bono.
Cher requested a divorce just nine days after their Las Vegas wedding, although she dismissed the action a month later.
They had one child together, Elijah Blue, before Cher filed for legal separation in 1977.
Musician Bob Seger called Allman “one of my favorite rock singers of all time.”
“So sad,” he wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “We’ve lost another music titan.”
Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge wrote: “My southern-rock heart is breaking.”
With Post wires