Duane Allman: The 1981 Pete Carr Interview

[JasO]

A renowned studio guitarist and solo artist, Pete Carr was there the night Duane Allman was inspired to learn slide guitar. At the time, Pete was bassist in the Hour Glass, Duane and Gregg's final lineup before the Allman Brothers Band. He and Duane were sharing an apartment in Los Angeles. One evening they chanced to see Taj Mahal perform at a local club. Taj’s guitarist, Jesse Ed Davis, bottlenecked through a rip-roaring band version of Blind Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues.” According to Pete, Duane instantly became obsessed with mastering both the style and the song, which he’d transform into the Allman Brothers’ signature tune. Pete’s time playing alongside Duane was short-lived – about a year – but resulted in two memorable projects: the Hour Glass’ Power of Love album, and the stellar “B.B. King Medley” that begins Duane Allman: An Anthology. They remained friends until Duane’s death in 1971.

 

A decade later, I interviewed Pete while putting together my Guitar Player magazine cover story on Duane Allman. Bits of the conversation were assembled into a small feature, but interview itself was never published. I've just transcribed it and posted it on my website. Pete has some interesting insights on Duane's time in Greenwich Village with the Allman Joys, the Taj Mahal-Jesse Ed Davis connection, the breakup of the Hour Glass, the changes in Duane's style, and his personality. If you're interested in seeing it, it's posted here:

Duane Allman: The 1981 Pete Carr Interview

[Duende]

A renowned studio guitarist and solo artist, Pete Carr was there the night Duane Allman was inspired to learn slide guitar. At the time, Pete was bassist in the Hour Glass, Duane and Gregg's final lineup before the Allman Brothers Band. He and Duane were sharing an apartment in Los Angeles. One evening they chanced to see Taj Mahal perform at a local club. Taj's guitarist, Jesse Ed Davis, bottlenecked through a rip-roaring band version of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues." According to Pete, Duane instantly became obsessed with mastering both the style and the song, which he'd transform into the Allman Brothers' signature tune. Pete's time playing alongside Duane was short-lived – about a year – but resulted in two memorable projects: the Hour Glass' Power of Love album, and the stellar "B.B. King Medley" that begins Duane Allman: An Anthology. They remained friends until Duane's death in 1971.

 

A decade later, I interviewed Pete while putting together my Guitar Player magazine cover story on Duane Allman. Bits of the conversation were assembled into a small feature, but interview itself was never published. I've just transcribed it and posted it on my website. Pete has some interesting insights on Duane's time in Greenwich Village with the Allman Joys, the Taj Mahal-Jesse Ed Davis connection, the breakup of the Hour Glass, the changes in Duane's style, and his personality. If you're interested in seeing it, it's posted here:

Duane Allman: The 1981 Pete Carr Interview

 

thanks Jas!

 

Awesome website you have too

 

Matt

[rct]

A renowned studio guitarist...

 

I remember you well and when Guitar Player was the only guitar magazine, and looking so forward to it. Thanks Jas.

 

Got any BettsLevellHallTrucks stuff?

 

rct

[JasO]

I remember you well and when Guitar Player was the only guitar magazine, and looking so forward to it. Thanks Jas.

 

Got any BettsLevellHallTrucks stuff?

 

rct

 

Here's an in-depth interview with Dickey done around the same time as the Pete Carr. It's focused on Duane: The 1981 Dickey Betts Interview

[rct]

Here's an in-depth interview with Dickey done around the same time as the Pete Carr. It's focused on Duane: The 1981 Dickey Betts Interview

 

Thank you Jas. I hadn't thought about those interviews since, well, 1981! I dearly love Mr. Betts and it was good to see those words again.

 

Thank you again, and I've enjoyed poking around yer web place book thingy.

 

rct

[cookieman15061]

Great stuff! Thanks for the post.