The Allman Brothers Band Museum facts for kids
The Allman Brothers Band Museum, also known as The Big House, is a special museum located in Macon, Georgia, United States. From 1970 to 1973, this house was home to the original members of The Allman Brothers Band, their families, and many friends. Today, The Big House is an exciting, interactive museum. It helps us remember and learn about the history of The Allman Brothers Band. The museum opened its doors in November 2009 after being carefully restored by The Big House Foundation.
A Home for Music
In 1970, Linda Oakley, who was Berry Oakley's wife, rented The Big House. The rent was $225 a month. The house was a great spot because it was close to Capricorn Records. This was the recording studio where The Allman Brothers Band made their music.
Right near the house was H&H Restaurant. The kind owner, Mama Louise, often fed the musicians there. She helped them out when they didn't have money for food.
The Big House was quite large, with 18 rooms and about 4,440 square feet. Many people lived there at first. This included Berry Oakley, his wife Linda, and their daughter Brittany. Berry's sister, Candy Oakley, also lived there. Duane Allman, his wife Donna, and their daughter Galadrielle were residents too. And of course, Gregg Allman called it home.
Many famous songs were created in this house. Dickey Betts wrote "Blue Sky" in the living room. He also wrote "Ramblin' Man" in the kitchen. Gregg Allman wrote "Please Call Home" and "Ain't Wastin' Time No More" here. Other songs like "Leave My Blues at Home" and "Midnight Rider" were also written by Gregg while living in The Big House.
After some sad events and changes within the band, the members moved out. In January 1973, Linda Oakley left The Big House. Years later, in the summer of 1993, Kirk and Kristen West bought the house. They hoped to turn it into a bed and breakfast. However, the house needed a lot of repair work. So, The Big House Foundation took over. This non-profit group worked hard to transform the house into the interactive museum we see today.
What You Can See
The Big House is now home to the largest collection of items from The Allman Brothers Band. When you visit, you can see many cool things. These include instruments, clothing, and personal items that belonged to the band members. It's a great way to learn about their music and their lives.
See also
- List of music museums
