Chords for GREGG ALLMAN INTERVIEW @ Saenger Theater New Orleans 1982

_ [Gbm] _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [D] _ [E]
4.30 in the afternoon on the stage of the Sanger Theater in New Orleans and the [Em] newly formed Greg Allman [A] band is [Em] in the middle of a soundcheck for a concert performance that night.
Greg [E] Allman on center stage seated behind an electric organ is hard to miss with his long flowing blonde hair.
[Em] At 34 years old he is a superstar in the rock world.
13 years ago he and his brother Dwayne formed a group called the Allman Brothers Band.
His brother died [E] only three years after the band's start but Greg and the other members kept on going, producing a number of million selling albums with hits like [D] Ramblin' Man and Midnight Rider.
[Em] The Allman Brothers music is considered southern rock.
Greg and Dwayne were born in Nashville, Tennessee and the group for many years was based in Macon, Georgia.
And Greg who calls himself a southern boy says he was quite surprised when such immense [E]
success came to the band.
I didn't plan [N] on any none of us planned on it you know I mean it didn't seem like anybody was into it _ for _ fame [E] _ fortune anything like that.
We were just we [N] just knew that when we were together playing we felt the best. _
_ _ _ That's when we were all at our best.
That's when _ _ any life's problems just went away when we played.
But with success didn't a lot of things come to you _ including some big problems?
_ _ _ Well the age old story of _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _
[N] fast _ _ cars drugs things that kill you [Em] you know _ I mean they're just they're made so easily [Dbm] available to you _ that _ [N] a lot of people _ we've lost a lot of real good players.
_ And because of Allman's use of alcohol and hard drugs he admits that he almost lost his life to them as have many other late rock stars.
Now his drug habit was quite well publicized especially with the breakup of the Allman Brothers band in 1975 and because of the public trial of the group's road manager for allegedly supplying Allman with cocaine.
Then with all that going on Allman met Cher and the two were married. _
From that time on Allman's problems were no longer big news in just the rock world.
His troubles and their marriage were put in the forefront of public curiosity.
And to tell you the truth I didn't even think about that.
_ _ One day she said to me after _ _ we had realized that the two of us had fallen in love she said you know [E] _
this could get you in some real trouble _ _ and that you [N] know the press is going to be all over you. _
And I thought no of course not I mean I _ _ _ love is really blind that's for sure.
_ And all of a sudden I mean I couldn't make a move.
I couldn't go out in the front lawn and wash my car without people being over the gate.
_ _ [E]
I thought this is [N] ridiculous.
Now when you and Cher got married I imagine a lot of people thought that you two were well rather a strange combination.
[E] _ Well I mean _ [Db] it didn't seem like _ _
[C] _ well to me it seemed perfect. _
[N] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
And to her it seemed perfect. _
And for a while it was perfect. _ _ _
_ _ _ There was so much I mean _ a day in the life _ _ _ of Cher and Greg Allman was _ _ staggering.
Allman says one of the hardest things to cope with during that time was the constant invasion of his personal life.
Like back then a photographer who brought in a picture _ of me looking like I was really stoned _ really was in the chips man.
I mean five six thousand bucks for a picture.
After you and Cher had a baby Elijah Blue _ and things seemed to be going pretty well _ what caused you two to break up?
The reason [E] that we _ split up _ I think was more [Am] _ _ her _ _ _ [C] _ surroundings. _ _
[E] Where she was I [Bm] mean [C] Beverly Hills _ Hollywood.
_ _ [N] I just I couldn't take it I couldn't live that way.
I couldn't do it. _
_ I [Bb] mean I _ _
_ [Db] _ had to come back down south.
It's where I belong.
I think if she had come with me it _ might have worked.
Did you ask her?
_ [E]
No I didn't because I _ knew that [G] that was where her roots were [A] and I _ respected that.
_ _ _ _ [E] I didn't really [Am] have to ask her.
_ _ [Db] Allman's drug use according to published reports was always a concern of Cher's.
In fact because of it she filed for a divorce only nine days after the couple was married.
But she stayed with him because he tried even though unsuccessfully to kick the drug habit.
Now years after he and Cher were finally divorced Allman says he is off drugs for good and claims he's a new person.
[E] _ [D] I'm not preaching that _ [A] anything _ _ [C] that _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I've [Db] done is right for anybody else or wrong.
_ [E] I just _ _ [N] realize that food water and air is a groove _ _ and you can make the rest of it happen.
It's great now it's better than ever.
Every day I wake up I'm so glad to be here and something different happens.
[Gm] _ _
_ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ It's this [Gm] new band I got.
_ [Bm] It's just wow.
[Bb] _ _ The guys that I play with are just _ _ _ the best.
[C] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Bb] _ _ _ _ _ And while Allman enjoys working with this new band and plans to cut an album with them soon he says the Allman Brothers band is still alive and will be working together in the future.
Now while many in the rock world have [Eb] wondered whatever happened to Allman and his band he's quick to say that he's doing fine, playing better than ever and that the world hasn't heard the last of Greg Allman. _ [Bb] Allman _ _ _
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_ [Bb] _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _