Oteil Burbridge Again Hints At 2017 Allman Brothers Band Reunion

Tonight Dead & Company resumes Summer Tour at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Bassist Oteil Burbridge discussed the group in an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune, but also talked about the status of another legend act with whom he’s associated. Oteil says an Allman Brothers Band reunion may be the in the works for 2017 and added “I think the original guys have been talking.”

Oteil Burbridge was the focus of one of JamBase’s recent The Art Of The Sit-In columns and first discussed the potential ABB reunion. “Gregg [Allman] texted all of us right before the last Wanee about trying to put something together next year but I haven’t heard anything since then. I told him that I was down for it. I guess enough time has passed for him,” the bassist told us. When asked by the San Diego paper about a reunion Oteil “Oh, yeah, I’m always waiting for that call. Gregg (Allman) texted us not long ago, saying: ‘Hey, maybe we should start thinking about getting something together in 2017.’ I said: Hey, man, I’m here! Holler at me!’”

The surviving original members of the Allman Brothers Band are Gregg, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe. There’s no word on exactly who would be a part of a potential reunion though the last two guitarists to play with the group, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes, seem pretty firm about being done with their roles. Butch, Jaimoe, Oteil and former ABB guitarist Jack Pearson are part of the lineup for Les Brers who will perform at next month’s Peach Music Festival and have a series of Northeast shows set for September.

Oteil also revealed he’s been in contact with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and has Phil’s full blessing. “It’s definitely both approaches, because Phil’s philosophy gives you carte blanche,” Burbridge told the paper. “What am I going to do? Because there’s nothing I can do that’s too weird!. I was just talking with Phil a couple of days ago, and he quoted Beethoven: ‘Its’ an artist’s duty to confound expectations, even your own.’”

Head to The San Diego Union-Tribune for more from Oteil.