skydog7

One question I have that you touched on in the book (and in the earlier ebook) is how the ABB got from blues/rhythm & blues to the free-form jamming they ended up with.

It's clear that this was THE sound Duane had in his head while playing in Muscle Shoals and woodshedding on the chitlin' circuit, but it seems like such a leap in such a short period of time.

Do you have any insight into what Duane Jaimoe jammed on in the shoals? Or when BO shows up?

I'm struggling to make the connection between Duane in the shoals and the early jams of the abb. It's clear he had that sound in his head but DAMN I'd like to find out more from those who were there!

What kills me is that there are NO TAPES of Duane and Jaimoe and B.O. just letting it rip.

Got a follow-up then...I've always been intrigued by the statement that the Mountain Jam on Eat a Peach was mediocre (Butch has often called it the worst version they ever played). I find it positively transcendent.

Any sense of why they didn't cotton to that particular version?

Yes, long list, I know it wasn't on purpose. :) but did want your take

Jack brought back some of lilt in the band's sound. Dickey and Warren had been going toe-to-toe for so long--the band got heavy, almost too much at times for me.

The ABB were bookended by two great eras: the original band and the Derek/Warren band.

In a lot of ways, Jack and later Jimmy set the stage nicely for the 2001-2014 renaissance.

Just Ain't Easy > Liz Reed was an inspired segue for the 1979 tour, good call.

Loving your selection of Kind of Bird. Preferred it with the Mule, but only b/c they took it farther than the ABB did b/c of how difficult it was to play.

You missed Jack/Dickey... (Blessed to have Jack playing regularly here in Nashville)

What's your favorite song from each ABB era & why? I've listed mine just for s&g's:

Original band - gotta be Dreams with Liz Reed a close second

5 man band - Ain't Wastin' Time No More

Chuck/Lamar - Come & Go Blues

Enlightened Rogues - Pegasus (never understood why they didn't bring this back after that time)

Warren/Woody - Nobody Knows

Dickey/Jack - High Falls (Dickey always did better on songs he wasn't as familiar with)

Dickey/Derek - Dreams (Dickey's Dreams solos were kind of underrated)

Derek/Jimmy - Mtn Jam, hands down

Warren/Derek - High Cost of Low Living for original songs, Dreams (Derek) and Whipping Post (Warren) for songs from the canon

Yours?