''Playin' Up a Storm'' is the second studio album by the

Gregg Allman Band The Gregg Allman Band, also known as Gregg Allman & Friends, was a Southern rock/blues rock group that Gregg Allman established and had led since the 1970s, during periods when Allman has been recording and performing separate from the Allman Br ...

, released in 1977 on

Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label founded by Phil Walden and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia. Capricorn Records is often credited by music historians as creating the southern rock genre. History Label and studio foun ...

. It peaked at number 42 on the ''Billboard'' 200.

Background

''Playin' Up a Storm'' was Allman's second solo studio effort, following 1973's ''

Laid Back Laid Back is a Danish electronic music duo group from Copenhagen, formed in 1979. The duo consists of John Guldberg (vocals, guitar, bass) and Tim Stahl (vocals, keyboards, drums, bass). They are best known for the hits "Sunshine Reggae" and " ...

''. It came after the breakup of

the Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...

in 1976. During this time, Allman had moved to Hollywood to live with his then-wife Cher. The album was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman, and in his memoir, ''

My Cross to Bear ''My Cross to Bear'' is an autobiographic memoir of American songwriter-musician Gregg Allman, co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band. It was written by Allman and American journalist Alan Light. The book was published by William Morrow and Compa ...

'', Allman remembered that Waronker was frustrated with his unpunctuality in regards to studio time. The album was released in May 1977, on

. Allman claimed that

Phil Walden Phil Walden (January 11, 1940 – April 23, 2006) was a co-founder of the Macon, Georgia-based Capricorn Records, along with former Atlantic Records executive Frank Fenter. Biography Walden received his undergraduate degree in economics from M ...

, owner of Capricorn, was incensed over his move to the West Coast to live with Cher, and only printed 50,000 copies of the LP.

Critical reception

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' called the album a "harder-hitting" followup, writing that it "actually eclipsed most of the Allmans' work of the same period."

Track listing

;Side one #"Come and Go Blues" (

Gregg Allman Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman Br ...

) – 4:48 #"Let This Be a Lesson to Ya'" (Gregg Allman, Malcolm Rebennack) – 3:42 #"Brightest Smile in Town" (

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Barry De Vorzon Barry De Vorzon (born July 31, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and composer. His earliest hit compositions were "Just Married" (1958), written with Al Allen and recorded by Marty Robbins, which reached number 26 on ''Billboar ...

, Bob Sherman) – 3:06 #"Bring It on Back" (Gregg Allman) – 4:49 ;Side two #"Cryin' Shame" (Steve Beckmeier,

Steve Berlin Steven M. Berlin (born September 14, 1955, Philadelphia) is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs, the Blasters, and the Fles ...

) – 3:44 #"Sweet Feelin'" (

Clarence Carter Clarence George Carter (born January 14, 1936) is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. His most successful songs include " Slip Away", "Back Door Santa" (both released 1968), " Patches" (1970) and "Strokin" (1986). Ear ...

, Marcus Daniel,

Rick Hall Roe Erister "Rick" Hall (January 31, 1932 – January 2, 2018) was an American record producer, songwriter, and musician who became known as the owner of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. As the "Father of Muscle Shoals Music", he was in ...

, Candi Staton) – 3:37 #"It Ain't No Use" (Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, Florence Kaye) – 3:54 #"Matthew's Arrival" (Neil Larsen) – 3:50 #"One More Try" (Gregg Allman) – 3:53

Personnel

The Gregg Allman Band

– vocals, organ, piano, Fender Rhodes, acoustic guitar *Steve Beckmeier – guitar *Ricky Hirsch – guitar, slide guitar *John Leslie Hug – guitar *

Willie Weeks Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also ...

– bass *Neil Larsen – synthesizer, piano, keyboards, Fender Rhodes, horn arrangements *Bill Stewart – drums

Additional musicians

*Fred Beckmeier – bass *

Red Callender George Sylvester "Red" Callender (March 6, 1916 – March 8, 1992) was an American string bass and tuba player. He is perhaps best known as a jazz musician, but worked with an array of pop, rock and vocal acts as a member of The Wrecking Cr ...

– bass *

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

– piano, clavinet *

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

– percussion *

Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pi ...

– background vocals *

Clydie King Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...

– background vocals *

Milt Holland Milton Holland (born Milton Olshansky; February 7, 1917 – November 4, 2005) was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnomusicologist, and writer in the Los Angeles music scene. He pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percus ...

– percussion *David Luell – horn, saxophone *Steve Madaio – horn *Pat Rizzo – horn * Sherlie Matthews – background vocals * Bill Payne – synthesizer, keyboards *Nick DeCaro - string and horn arrangements, conductor *

Marty Paich Martin Louis Paich (January 23, 1925 – August 12, 1995) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director, and conductor. As a musician and arranger he worked with jazz musicians Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kento ...

- string and horn arrangement, conductor on "Brightest Smile in Town" *Harry Bluestone, Sid Sharp - concertmaster

Technical

*Noel Newbolt, Sue Haverback, Tori Hammond - production assistance *Diana Marie Kaylan - art direction *David Alexander - photography

References

{{Authority control 1977 albums Gregg Allman albums Albums arranged by Marty Paich Albums produced by Lenny Waronker Albums produced by Russ Titelman Capricorn Records albums