In 1977, the music world witnessed one of the most baffling collisions in history. It wasn’t a plane crash or a stadium riot. It was a piece of vinyl titled Two the Hard Way. Billed to "Allman and Woman," this was the infamous Gregg Allman Cher album that attempted to bridge the gap between gritty Southern rock and glittering Hollywood pop. Honestly, it went about as well as you’d expect.
Most people remember the marriage—the nine-day divorce filing, the heroin-fueled chaos, the tabloid frenzy. But the music? That’s usually a footnote. Or a joke. Even the die-hard completionists tend to look the other way when this record comes up in conversation.
Why Does Nobody Talk About Two the Hard Way?
The short answer is that the album was basically buried. After it tanked upon release, it vanished from the shelves. For decades, you couldn't find it on CD. It wasn't on streaming. It became this weird, urban legend of a record that only existed in dusty dollar bins or on bootleg tapes.
Cher actually owns the master tapes now. For a long time, it seemed like she was perfectly happy letting them rot in a vault somewhere. You can’t blame her. The 1979 Rolling Stone Record Guide didn't just give it a bad review; they called it "worthless" and gave it zero stars. Ouch.
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But why was it such a disaster? You’ve got two of the most distinctive voices of the 70s. Gregg Allman had that whiskey-soaked, soulful growl. Cher had that deep, unmistakable contralto. On paper, maybe—just maybe—it could have been a cool, bluesy soul experiment. In reality, it was a total mess of styles.
The Sound of a Relationship Imploding
Recording the Gregg Allman Cher album was apparently a nightmare. At the time, Gregg was struggling hard with addiction. He’s gone on record saying he was often "out of it" during the sessions. Meanwhile, Cher was trying to keep her career afloat after the end of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
The tracklist is a bizarre mix of covers and originals:
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- "Move Me": The lead single. It’s got a weird, almost-disco beat that feels completely wrong for Gregg.
- "You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me": A Smokey Robinson cover. They actually harmonize okay here, but it feels like they’re singing in two different rooms.
- "Shadow Dream Song": A Jackson Browne track. This is actually a highlight. Gregg sounds vulnerable. It's the one moment where you hear what the album could have been.
- "Island": Cher’s big solo ballad. It’s pure 70s melodrama.
The Tour That Ended Everything
If the album was the spark, the tour was the gasoline. They hit the road in 1977 to support the record, traveling through Japan and Europe. It was a disaster from night one.
Imagine the audience. Half the crowd is wearing denim and flannel, waiting for "Whipping Post." The other half is there for the feathers and the sequins. When the two fanbases met, fights literally broke out in the aisles. Southern rock purists hated seeing their hero "domesticated" by a pop star. Cher fans didn't know what to do with the long, rambling blues jams.
By the time they got to Belgium, the wheels had fallen off. Cher reportedly discovered Gregg had relapsed, packed her bags, and flew back to the States. The tour was canceled. The marriage was effectively over. And the album? It was relegated to the "what were they thinking?" category of music history.
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Is It Actually Any Good?
Look, if you go into this expecting At Fillmore East or Believe, you’re going to be miserable. It’s not that. But if you like 70s curiosities, there’s a certain charm to it. It’s "Los Angeles studio slick" meets "Macon, Georgia grit."
In 2021, Cher surprisingly allowed the album to be remastered and released digitally on her YouTube channel. It was the first time many fans had ever heard the songs in high quality. It didn't suddenly become a masterpiece, but it showed that they actually had a decent vocal chemistry. They just didn't have the right songs or the right headspace.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Cher "forced" Gregg to do this. Truth is, they both thought they could make a "Sonny and Cher for the rock era" thing work. They were in love—or at least a very intense version of it. Gregg once described her as smelling like a "mermaid," and Cher stayed by him through multiple rehab attempts. This album wasn't a cynical cash grab; it was a failed attempt by two people to find a middle ground that didn't exist.
Actionable Next Steps for Collectors
If you're looking to experience this piece of history for yourself, here is how to find it:
- Check YouTube: Cher’s official channel has the "Restored & Remastered" versions. It’s the easiest (and legal) way to hear it.
- Hunt for Vinyl: If you want the physical copy, look for the "Allman and Woman" billing. Original Warner Bros. pressings from 1977 usually go for anywhere from $15 to $50 depending on the condition.
- Listen for the Nuance: Skip the disco-leaning tracks and head straight for "Shadow Dream Song" and "Can You Fool." These are the moments where you can actually hear the soul beneath the production.
- Read the Memoirs: To get the full context, read Gregg’s My Cross to Bear and the first volume of Cher’s memoir. They both tell very different, very heartbreaking stories about this specific era.
The Gregg Allman Cher album stands as a monument to a specific moment in the 1970s when celebrity culture and rock music collided head-on. It’s messy, it’s overproduced, and it’s deeply human. It didn't save their marriage, and it didn't top the charts, but it’s a fascinating look at what happens when two icons try to change their stripes for love.