Allman Brothers Band Member Johnny Neel Dies at 70

Johnny Neel, best known for his time as a member of the Allman Brothers Band, has passed away.

Neel passed away on October 6 at the age of 70. His death was confirmed by former bandmate Warren Haynes in a statement on social media.

“Aside from being an amazing musician and singer, Johnny was one of the funniest people on the planet—a true character. ‘Johnny Neel stories,’ as we refer to them in our little chunk of the music world, are legendary,” Haynes wrote.

Haynes then shared the story of how he and Neel first met at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN. He said that Neel was performing, and his amazing talents made Haynes want to approach him and introduce himself.

“The first time I met Johnny was at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville when I had just moved there,” Haynes continued. “He was sitting in with a band at a blues jam and he sang a song and played harmonica. The first thing I noticed, other than that he was blind, was that he sang better than their singer and he played better harp than their harp player. After he was done, I approached him and introduced myself and told him how much I enjoyed hearing him…”

“We wrote a lot of music together, we played a lot of music together, and we traveled the world together, and maybe most importantly, we had a lot of fun times and created a lot of beautiful memories. Hence the stories,” he added. “Johnny’s music and his legend will live on forever. Miss you Neely.”

As of now, the cause of death has not been released. However, Neel had experienced some health issues over the past few years, including a stroke five years ago.

About Johnny Neel’s Legacy

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1954, Neel recorded his first single at the young age of twelve with a group called Shapes of Soul.

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Born blind, Neel overcame the odds and went after his dream of making music. At 30, he moved to Nashville and soon met Haynes. They joined the Dickey Betts Band, which eventually led them to the Allman Brothers Band. Neel was not only an amazing singer and songwriter but also a skilled musician, playing the keyboard and harmonica.

In 2012, Neel and the Allman Brothers Band received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their incredible contributions not just to rock music, but to music as a whole.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Johnny Neel’s friends and family during this difficult time.