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?

Also have to replace Oteil, no? Who does that?

Dickey only huh? Interesting. The Warren/Woody band could have really SLAYED that song based on the amazing True Gravity versions they did in Summer 1996.

Alan, good work as always. Love how you've carried the torch and shared the story so well.

One question that I think i probably know the answer to, but thought maybe you'd have more insight on, why the long gap in playing Mountain Jam? They played it a lot with the (very underrated) 5-man band, a few times with Chuck (Watkins Glen & that 12/31/73 Cow Palace show come to mind), those mini-versions in the November 1993 tour through Florida and the Southeast (my first shows), but then it went away until the magical summer of 2000 with Derek/Jimmy. From there it remained in the setlist.

Any insight?