As depicted on the double-live album of 1974, The Gregg Allman Tour, the Southern icon’s first road excursion as a solo artist was a most lavish affair. Besides featuring a backing band that included Brothers Jaimoe on drums and Chuck Leavell on keyboards (plus members of the opening act Cowboy), a full complement of horns, plus a twenty-four-piece orchestra, served to replicate the lush arrangements that had appeared on the Laid Back album released the previous autumn. In stark contrast, however, encores for the shows would feature the surviving Allman playing by himself, interludes Gregg would hearken to years later in some shows at the Beacon Theater as seen and heard in this clip of “Oncoming Traffic” live 3/19/09.
