Gregg Allman Talks New Album, Illness & Potential Allman Brothers Reunion

This Sunday legendary performer Gregg Allman kicks off a series of 10 shows at City Winery in New York City. Allman has had a tough few months as he battled pneumonia, but he’s ready to get back at it and has lots of interesting things to say in a new Wall Street Journal interview.

Gregg revealed the title of his long awaited new studio album is Southern Blood and that he plans to release it next year. “It’s about some kick-ass music. [Laughs.] There’s some good ballads on there, some good shake-your-booties. It’s really good. Working with [producer] Don Was, he’s really open-minded and really intelligent. [We recorded] in less than two weeks,” Allman said of the new LP.

Allman also discussed he recent bout of pneumonia, which he’s still battling. “I had pneumonia. My first taste of it. You don’t want to catch that. [I took] an ambulance to the hospital and I still am not quite over it. They gave me a bronchoscopy – I had eight of them. That’s where they have a little tiny thing that’s a combination light/camera/vacuum cleaner. First they put you out. They go down and between your two vocal chords, into your lung, and suck all that stuff out of there. I had a little talk to the surgeon before we started and I said ‘Listen now. I’m a singer.’ And he said ‘I know, I bought your records.’ I said ‘Please, just be as careful as you can,'” Gregg explained.

The final topic Gregg Allman talked about was a potential Allman Brothers Band reunion. A little over two years after the group’s final show, it appears he’s back to talking with members about reuniting the band. “Yeah. Been talkin’ about it recently. Not ‘starting’ – but having a tour. We’ve been talking about it. Major city tour. Been talkin’ about it, now let’s get that straight. Nothing signed in blood yet,” Gregg said.

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