When people talk about the Allman Brothers Band, the conversation usually starts and ends with the "twin-guitar" attack. You hear about Duane Allman’s slide or Dickey Betts’ country-inflected melodies. But if you’ve ever actually stood in a room—or a muddy field—while "Whipping Post" was playing, you know it wasn't the guitars that were hitting you in the chest. It was the low end. Specifically, it was the allman brothers bass player of the era, a position that saw five distinct titans over the course of 45 years.
Most people don't realize how much the bass evolved in this band. It wasn't just a time-keeping job. In fact, if you just stood there playing root notes, Duane probably would have kicked you off the stage within ten minutes.
Berry Oakley: The Man Who Played Bass Like a Lead Guitarist
Berry Oakley wasn't just the first allman brothers bass player; he was the primary architect of the band's sonic foundation. He didn't think like a bassist. Growing up in Chicago, he was a guitar player first. When he picked up the bass, he brought that "hot licks" mentality with him.
Berry’s sound was massive. He used a heavily modified 1962 Fender Jazz Bass, famously nicknamed "The Tractor." He’d shoved a Guild Bisonic pickup in the neck position, giving him this growling, distorted mid-range that could cut through two drummers and two lead guitars.
If you want to hear what he was about, listen to the "Mountain Jam" from Eat a Peach. He isn't just "backing up" the band. He’s weaving melodic lines that are just as complex as what Duane and Dickey are doing. Tragically, Oakley died in 1972 in a motorcycle accident just blocks away from where Duane had died a year earlier. He was only 24. Honestly, the band was never quite the same after that.
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Lamar Williams and the R&B Shift
After Berry died, the band was in a dark place. They needed someone who could keep the ship steady without trying to be a "Berry clone." Enter Lamar Williams.
Lamar was a different beast entirely. Where Berry was "lead bass," Lamar was the "pocket." He came from an R&B and jazz background, influenced by the legendary James Jamerson of Motown. When he joined for the Brothers and Sisters sessions, the band’s groove changed.
- He provided a more traditional, "anchored" feel.
- This gave the drummers, Butch and Jaimoe, more room to breathe.
- His playing on "Ramblin' Man" is the reason that song feels so bouncy and accessible.
Butch Trucks once said that during Lamar’s audition, they only played three songs before he yelled, "Enough of this tryout s***, let’s rehearse." They knew immediately. Lamar stayed until 1976 and later formed Sea Level with Chuck Leavell.
David Goldflies: The "Rook" of the Reunion
By 1978, the band was trying to pull itself back together. They recruited David "Rook" Goldflies. He had been playing with Dickey Betts in Great Southern, so he already knew the "language" of the band.
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Goldflies had the unenviable task of playing through the band's most commercially turbulent years. He’s the guy you hear on Enlightened Rogues and Reach for the Sky. While he was a powerhouse player, the band’s internal chemistry was fractured during this time. He was a phenomenal technician, but the songs were becoming shorter and more "radio-friendly," which didn't always allow for the deep-space bass explorations the ABB was known for.
Allen Woody: The Wall of Sound Returns
In 1989, the Allman Brothers Band had a massive 20th-anniversary resurgence. This is when we met Allen Woody. If Berry Oakley was the architect, Allen Woody was the demolition crew.
Woody was a collector. At one point, he had over 450 basses. He loved short-scale Gibsons and Thunderbirds because they had a "wooly," thick tone that filled every available frequency. He and guitarist Warren Haynes brought a heavy, blues-rock edge back to the group.
He stayed for nearly a decade before leaving in 1997 to focus on Gov't Mule. Sadly, Woody passed away in 2000, leaving behind a legacy of some of the most aggressive, soulful bass playing the jam world had ever seen.
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Oteil Burbridge: The Longest-Tenured Anchor
Most fans today associate the allman brothers bass player role with Oteil Burbridge. He joined in 1997 and stayed until the band finally retired in 2014. That’s 17 years—longer than anyone else held the chair.
Oteil brought a "world-class" jazz sensibility to the group. He was known for:
- Scat-singing along with his bass solos (a crowd favorite).
- Playing a 6-string bass, which allowed him to play chords and high-register melodies.
- His incredible "footwork"—he famously played barefoot to feel the vibrations of the stage.
He was the bridge between the old-school blues of the 70s and the modern "jam band" scene. After the Allmans retired, he went on to join Dead & Company, proving he’s basically the "hired gun" every legendary band wants in their corner.
Key Bass Performances to Study
| Song | Bassist | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| "Whipping Post" (Live) | Berry Oakley | The 11/4 time signature riff is iconic. |
| "Jessica" | Lamar Williams | Pure melodic pocket that drives the whole track. |
| "Pegasus" | David Goldflies | Shows off his technical jazz-fusion chops. |
| "No One to Run With" | Allen Woody | A masterclass in "heavy" Southern rock groove. |
| "High Cost of Low Living" | Oteil Burbridge | Deep, soulful pocket with modern precision. |
What You Can Learn from the ABB Bass Tradition
If you’re a musician or just a die-hard fan, looking at the evolution of the allman brothers bass player teaches you a lot about how a band's "feel" changes based on the rhythm section.
Berry taught us that the bass can be a lead instrument. Lamar taught us that the pocket is sacred. Woody showed us that tone is everything. And Oteil showed us that you should never stop evolving your technique.
Next Steps for Fans and Players
- Listen to the Fillmore East recordings: Focus purely on the left channel where Berry’s bass is usually panned. It’s a different experience.
- Check out "The Tractor": Look up photos of Berry Oakley’s modified Jazz Bass to see how he pioneered custom instrument mods.
- Watch Oteil's solos: Find YouTube clips of the 2003-2014 era at the Beacon Theatre to see how he integrated jazz scatting into Southern rock.
The bass player wasn't just a "member" of the Allman Brothers; they were the heartbeat of the most influential jam band in history.