Duane Allman’s Death: A Dark Day Near Macon, Georgia

The band were flying high when the dreadful news arrived, on October 29, 1971, that Duane Allman had been killed in a motorcycle accident.

The Allman Brothers Band were flying high in 1971, as they followed two studio releases with the defining At Fillmore East live album that was on its way to becoming their first platinum record. The concert set stood at No.46 in its 15th week on the Billboard 200 when the dreadful news arrived, on October 29, that Duane Allman had been killed in a motorcycle accident.

Duane was a mere 24 years old when the accident occurred near Macon, Georgia, during a period when the band were between touring and recording commitments. The Allmans had recently completed a tour of the West Coast and were preparing for a new East Coast run.

“According to police reports,” ran the Billboard story, “he apparently lost control of his motorcycle to avoid crashing into a tractor-trailor. He died on the operating table at Middle Georgia Medical Center, three hours after the accident.” Ironically, the same issue of Billboard reported that the Fillmore East album had gone gold.