''Searching for Simplicity'' is the sixth studio album by the American singer-songwriter

Gregg Allman Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman B ...

, released on November 11, 1997, by

550 Music 550 Music (originally known as Sony 550 Music) was a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, which operated through Sony Music's Epic Records division while in activity. Launched in 1992, the "550" name was inspired by the address of the Sony building ...

. The album is mainly composed of

cover song In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song released ...

s associated with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

, James Carr, and Jimmy Hughes, as well as originals.

Background

The album was produced by

Tom Dowd Thomas John Dowd (October 20, 1925 – October 27, 2002) was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multitrack recording method. Dowd worked on a veritable "who's who" of recordings ...

, who worked extensively with the Allman Brothers, and

Johnny Sandlin John Everett Sandlin Jr. (April 16, 1945 – September 19, 2017) was an American recording engineer and record producer. He is best known for producing albums by bands such as the Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Wet Willie, and Col. Bruce ...

, who co-produced Allman's first solo album, ''Laid Back''. The idea to record a new version of "Whipping Post" came from longtime Allman Brothers roadie Red Dog, who suggested it after the success of

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

's version of "Layla" on ''

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...

''. While recording "The Dark End of the Street"—once his brother Duane's favorite song—he had to stop and go outside because he was tearing up. The album came on the heels of Allman quitting drugs and alcohol, and the album's titled reflected his search "for a more simple life." He was nearly complete with the recording process, which spanned two and a half years, when he quit substances altogether. In all, he completed 20 songs for the project, but felt some were not as good as others. He cut the track listing down from there, but then decided it was too short. Near the end of the process, he went to

Fantasy Studios Fantasy Studios was a music recording studio in Berkeley, California, United States, at the Zaentz Media Center, known for its recording of award-winning albums including Journey (band), Journey's ''Escape (Journey album), Escape'' and Green Day's ...

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...

with Tom Dowd to record two new songs, a cover of "Memphis in the Meantime" and an original, "Startin' Over". The photo on the cover is of Allman at age 15.

Reception

William Ruhlmann of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

gave the album three stars, writing that the "album finds him growling through standard-issue blues-rock, some of the songs originals, some covers." Biographer Alan Paul, who wrote 2014's ''One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band'', called it Allman's "finest new solo work since ''Laid Back''."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Gregg Allman; except where indicated # "

Whipping Post The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, used during the medieval and renaissance periods for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. ...

" – 4:41 # "House of Blues" – 4:00 # "Come Back and Help Me" (Allman and Jack Pearson) – 3:35 # "Silence Ain't Golden Anymore" – 3:33 # "Rendezvous with the Blues" (Johnny Douglas and Jimmy Hall) – 3:53 # "Wolf's A-Howlin'" – 4:14 # "Love the Poison" (G. Nicholson and W. Wilson) – 3:29 # "Don't Deny Me" (J. L. Williams) – 4:37 # "

The Dark End of the Street "The Dark End of the Street" is a 1967 soul song, written by songwriters Dan Penn and Chips Moman and first recorded by James Carr. It became his trademark song, reaching number 10 on '' Billboard Magazine's'' R&B Chart, and crossing over to n ...

" (

Chips Moman Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman (June 12, 1937 – June 13, 2016) was an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is known for working in R&B, pop music and country music, operating American Sound Studios and producing hit albums li ...

and

Dan Penn Dan Penn (born Wallace Daniel Pennington, November 16, 1941) is an American songwriter, singer, musician, and record producer, who co-wrote many soul hits of the 1960s, including " The Dark End of the Street" and " Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" ...

) – 3:16 # "Neighbor, Neighbor" (Huey P. Meaux) – 3:55 # " I've Got News for You" (Ray Alfred and Roy Alfred) – 4:37 # "

Memphis in the Meantime Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memphis ...

" (John Hiatt) – 3:43 # "Startin' Over" – 5:51

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control 1997 albums Gregg Allman albums Albums produced by Tom Dowd 550 Music albums