Happy Birthday Gregg Allman: Revisiting The Pre-Allman Brothers Group Hour Glass

“I’ve been on the road for 45 years because I live to play music with my friends for my fans,” Gregg Allman, who today turns 69 today, said recently when announcing he was taking an extended break from the road to address health issues. Though 2016 has been challenging for Gregg, with a new album, rescheduled City Winery residency and even the potential for a The Allman Brothers Band reunion, the outlook for 2017 is promising.

While wishing Gregg a full recovery and a happy birthday, here’s a look back at the pre-The Allman Brothers Band group Gregg and his late brother, guitarist Duane Allman, formed that was known as Hour Glass. Signed in 1967 to Liberty Records, the Los Angeles-based Hour Glass featured Gregg and Duane as well as future standout session players at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals bassist Pete Carr, keyboardist Paul Hornsby and drummer Johnny Sandlin. That year the band issued a pop-oriented self-titled album that was ill-received by both the public and Gregg. They followed it up in 1968 with the more blues-driven Power Of Love LP that included a number of Gregg’s compositions, but served to be their final release before breaking up.

On Power Of Love a young Gregg can be heard showing early signs of his signature Southern rock sound on his originals such as “I Can Stand Alone,” “I Still Want Your Love” and “Going Nowhere.” Their sophomore album also featured covers of Spooner Oldham’s “Power Of Love,” Eddie Hinton’s “Down In Texas” and The Beatles “Norwegian Wood” with Duane on sitar.

Below is a 2009 remastered reissue of Power Of Love featuring six bonus tracks culled from recording sessions from that time period that Gregg participated in for Liberty. Among the previously unreleased songs is an early version of what became the ABB classic “Southbound.” Listen to Gregg and Duane laying the foundation for The Allman Brothers Band below: