JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — From the outside, it looks like another Riverside home. But inside, the legendary Allman Brothers Band was born.
"A lot of music started from this spot," Derek Trucks said. "Everything I've done, that's for sure, so it's a significant place."
Trucks, nephew of founding member Butch Trucks, helped unveil a historical marker at the home on Riverside Avenue on Saturday.
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With a round of applause from neighbors and fans, the home was officially dubbed the birthplace of the Allman Brothers Band.
The sign says a group of musicians held a jam session at "The Gray House" on March 23, 1969.
The owner of the home tells me this is the second story room where Gregg Allman came up with songs including “Whipping Post.”
— Brittney Donovan (@brittneyANjax) March 23, 2019
He says inside, Allman wrote the song on an ironing board cover with charcoal from matches because he couldn’t find pen and paper @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/MGttpX7wy6
The story goes, during that session, Duane Allman barred the doorway and announced that anyone in the group not willing to be in his band would have to "fight your way out."
Marking rock history. A historical marker has been placed at a Jacksonville couple’s Riverside home where a jam sesh led to the formation of the Allman Brothers Band in 1969 @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/NU8rFTqwm2
— Brittney Donovan (@brittneyANjax) March 23, 2019
"We sent Butch Trucks a picture of the front room, and he said yeah it was," Dennis Price said. "Always been a fan. Then to find out they actually lived here and jammed here, it was exciting."
Price and his wife bought the house in 1986 but didn't find out about the connection until 1999, when a fan came by while writing an article.
Price walked Action News Jax reporter Brittney Donovan through the room where the jam session was held and a den dedicated to Allman Brothers memorabilia.
Folks at the unveiling were excited to see Derek Trucks, nephew of founding member Butch Trucks. He told me he’s glad to see Jacksonville marking its rich music history @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/B3rtj3UGaQ
— Brittney Donovan (@brittneyANjax) March 23, 2019
In the back is the second-story room where Gregg Allman wrote songs, including "Whipping Post."
"Rock 'n' roll and the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were the bomb," Cindy Mcnally, who was at the unveiling Saturday, said.
The marker was unveiled on a special day, the 50th anniversary of the jam session.
The ceremony was a chance for community members to come together and share their love of rock 'n' roll -- and honor iconic musicians who brought so much joy to Jacksonville and beyond.
"I know my uncle would be proud and Gregg would," Derek Trucks said. "I think they'd all kick themselves or pinch themselves to know that it all started there, but they knew when it happened -- something significant happened."
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