Greg Allman, all burned out

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Here’s another story from the Beer Guy, as told to Ashvegas (see archives for other stories, including “Johnny and Jesus in the Clouds”).

(A little background here for starters: Cher screwed around on Sonny with several men (and probably a few women), including Allman, whom she married five days after her 1975 divorce with Sonny. They got hitched in Las Vegas. Cher left Allman 10 days after she married him. Cher and Allman had an off again-on-again relationship until about 1979. Cher did have a child by Allman, named Elijah Blue.)

(Sonny and Cher were America’s Couple in the 1970s. They cranked out hit songs and had a hit TV show that everyone watched. Their divorce was huge! By contrast, Allman was a ’70s outlaw, heroin-addict type. The whirlwind around his linkage with Cher rocked his world.)

So here’s the Beer Guy’s story:

I don’t know, it was 1982 or ’83, and me and Hagit went over to the old Asheville Music Hall on Wall Street to see Southern rocker Greg Allman give a show.

We got there and listened to his show. Afterward, we went back stage to do the interview. He had just broken up with Cher, and he was coked out of his gourd.

I introduced myself and told him that I was there to do a story about him. “I ain’t gonna talk about Cher,” Allman said, his words all slurred.

I said “No, no, Greg. You’ve got it all wrong. I’m doing a story about your show. Maybe you can tell me a little about your album…”

“You ain’t gonna make me talk about Cher,” Allman said. He was getting more agitated and he was really out of it.

“Greg, don’t worry. I don’t know Cher. I don’t care about Cher. Cher who? I want to talk to you…”

“Well, OK. But I’m not gonna talk about Cher.”

Then they kicked us out.

Here’s a sample of some Greg and Cher lyrics:
Girl I can understand how it might be
Kind of hard to love a guy like me
I don’t blame you much
For wanting to be free
I just wanted you to know

I’ve loved you better
Than your own kin did
From the very start
And it’s my own fault
For what happens to my heart
See I knew you’d always go

[Chorus:]
But you just do what you gotta do
My wild sweet love
If it should mean I never
Kiss your sweet lips again
Hey there’s no mind
Chase that dapple dream of yours
Come on back and see me
When you can, oh

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

2 Comments

  1. Ash May 22, 2005

    Hey Funky, feel free to copy and post it on your blog, which I love, by the way. Thanks for reading.

    Reply
  2. funk-o-meter May 21, 2005

    Love that story can you or I repost it on my local music blog? http://www.ashevillemusic.com Ive got a guest account you can use, or i’ll just invite you to join.

    -funk-0-meter-

    Reply

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