David Becker/WireImage(SAVANNAH, Ga.) — Gregg Allman, co-founding lead singer, keyboardist and one of the main songwriters of the legendary The Allman Brothers Band, has died at age 69.

A statement on Allman’s official website reads, in part, “It is with deep sadness that we announce that Gregg Allman, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia.

“Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years. During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times.”

The website statement concludes, “The family will release a statement soon, but for now ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”

Allman cancelled all his 2017 tour dates in March, at the time of his death he was working on a solo album, Southern Blood, recorded with his back up band at FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals and produced by Don Was.

Allman formed The Allman Brothers Band in 1969 in Jacksonville, Florida, with his older brother Duane, guitarist Dickey Betts, bassist Berry Oakley Jr., and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson.  The band combined blues, soul, jazz and gospel influences en route to becoming one of the most popular and influential Southern rock acts of all time.

Gregg Allman’s soulful vocals and Hammond organ were key ingredients in the group’s sound, while he also wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s enduring signature hits, including “Whipping Post,” “Midnight Rider,” “Melissa” and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More.”

The band was shaken by the deaths Duane Allman and Oakley in motorcycle accidents in November 1971 and November 1972, respectively, but continued on with a number of lineup changes before temporarily disbanding in 1976.

The Allman Brothers reunited a few times during the ensuing years.  While internal squabbles and other issues led to more roster shakeups — including the 2000 departure of Betts — the lineup solidified in the early 2000s and the group continued until calling it quits in October 2014.

Gregg Allman also had a successful solo career that paralleled his work with the Allmans, including his 1987 rock hit “I’m No Angel” and his acclaimed 2011 album, Low Country Blues.

Allman struggled with addiction and alcohol abuse, and in 2010 underwent a liver transplant. He also had a turbulent love life, marrying and divorcing five times, including a high-profile four-year marriage during the 1970s to Cher.

Gregg Allman and the rest of the Allman Brothers were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012.  Shortly before his death, Allman had been busy touring with his solo backing band, and had recorded a new album that’s expected out in early 2017.

Gregg Allman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Allman Brothers Band in 1995, and was welcomed into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

According to his website, Allman is survived by “his wife, Shannon Allman; his children, Devon, Elijah Blue, Delilah Island Kurtom and Layla Brooklyn Allman; three grandchildren; his niece, Galadrielle Allman; lifelong friend Chank Middleton, and a large extended family.”

Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Singer and musician Chris Cornell was laid to rest at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles today, and many members of the rock community joined the musician’s widow, Vicky, to mourn and pay their respects to the late Soundgarden frontman.

Fellow musicians who attended the ceremony, according to KABC TV Los Angeles, included Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Dave Navarro, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica, singer/producer Pharrell Williams, and Tom Morello, Cornell’s Audioslave band mate.  Also attending were actors Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, James Franco and Josh Brolin, plus Lisa Marie Presley and others.

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington performed “Hallelujah” during the service.

Following the service, Cornell’s gravesite — he was buried next to his friend, Johnny Ramone — was opened to the public.  One fan, Melody Andrade, compared Cornell’s passing to the loss of Elvis Presley and John Lennon, declaring it was “one of the saddest days of my life.”

Cornell died last week at age 52, officially of suicide by hanging, though his family has suggested that prescription anti-anxiety medication may have contributed to his death. He’s survived by his widow, Vicky, and three children.

Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

Starz – 2017(NEW YORK) — If you like stylish, surreal sci-fi/fantasy shows like Legion and Preacher, Starz’ critically-acclaimed new series American Gods is right up your alley.

Based on the 2001 award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman, the show’s concept is that “old gods” — brought to America hundreds of years ago by immigrants — are being replaced by new gods, who reflect American obsessions with things like technology and media. 

An ex-con, Shadow Moon, played by Ricky Whittle, is hired by Mr. Wednesday, an old god played by Ian McShane, to help him save the old gods from extinction.

While the show is fantasy, Whittle points out it tackles real-life issues.

“We touch upon these very important themes…immigration, racism, sexism, women’s rights, homophobia,” he tells ABC Radio “I’m learning so much from these stories, as well as being entertained by them.”

A number of characters in the show are black or Middle Eastern.  Orlando Jones, who plays the African god Anansi, is pleased that none of it is stunt casting.

“Diversity is when…the culture is a part of the character,” Jones tell ABC Radio. “As opposed to a add-on to a character that, frankly, had nothing about it that was really diverse at all, other than the person that you cast.  So this is exciting, because…it raises the level of diversity in a really compelling and important way.”

Even if you haven’t seen American Gods, you may have heard about a very explicit scene in which African sex goddess Bilquis, played by Yetide [yeh-TEE-day] Badaki, literally absorbs her partner during sex.  Badaki, a huge fantasy fan, loves that she gets to transform into the opposite of who she really is.

“it was interesting because it was this journey from my geek to finding an inner goddess,” she laughs. “And if I can do it, anybody can.”

The latest episode of American Gods airs this Sunday night on Starz.

Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

© 2017 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC ENTERTAINMENT, LLC(TEXAS) — The boutique theater chain Alamo Drafthouse’s flagship Austin location caused a stir when it announced it’ll host a women-only screening of Wonder Woman next week.

The film, directed by Patty Jenkins, stars Gal Gadot as the iconic superhero. It opens June 2nd.

“Apologies, gentlemen, but we’re embracing our girl power and saying ‘No Guys Allowed’ for one special night at the Alamo Ritz,” read a release. “And when we say ‘People Who Identify As Women Only,’ we mean it. Everyone working at this screening — venue staff, projectionist, and culinary team — will be female.”

Ticket demand was so high, the theater added a second women-only screening. That’s when the theater was bombarded with complaints on social media, saying the women-only screenings weren’t fair.

Alamo Drafthouse defended the decision on Facebook, writing, “Very sorry if you feel excluded. We thought it might be kinda fun — for one screening — to celebrate a character who’s meant a great deal to women for close to eight decades. Again, truly, truly, truly, truly sorry that we’ve offended you. These screenings are just a way to celebrate the character and how important she’s been to women over the last eight decades.”

In response to the backlash, Morgan Hendrix, creative manager for the theater, told ABC News, “Providing an experience where women truly reign supreme has incurred the wrath of trolls [and] only serves to deepen our belief that we’re doing something right.”

She continued, “As a result, we will be expanding this program across the country and inviting women everywhere to join us as we celebrate this iconic superheroine in our theaters,” locations for which include cities like New York and Denver.