The Allman Brothers Band: Drug Beefs, the Dixie Mafia, and the Making of a President

When The Allman Brothers Band arrived on the scene in Macon, Georgia in 1969, they made an immediate impression. They rehearsed at full volume all day long, and spent their nights taking mushrooms together in a graveyard. To top it off, their band was integrated, which ruffled a lot of feathers in the deep South. But the biggest transgression the Allman Brothers would make was crossing the Dixie Mafia, a loose confederation of criminal gangs that spread from Austin to Atlanta. This episode was originally published on April 24, 2025. For the full list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com https://disgracelandpod.com Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - GET THE NEWSLETTER https://mailchi.mp/doubleelvis/disgraceland-email-newsletter Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/disgracelandpod/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@disgracelandpod X https://twitter.com/disgracelandpod (formerly Twitter) Facebook Fan Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/491024204626127/ TikTok https://tiktok.com/disgracelandpod See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Speaker 00

  This is exactly right.

• 0:13Speaker 01

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• 0:43Speaker 02

  She's been thinking about this sleepover all week, but I think about her food allergies all the time. Fortunately, her doctor prescribed Zolair, omalizumab. It's proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens.

• 0:56Speaker 03

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• 1:39Speaker 03

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• 1:58Jake Brennan?

  This is a story about a couple of brothers. One who died young, one who avoided dying over a drug beef. It's about the death of a rat, turning states' evidence, running drugs, lots of drugs. It's about the Dixie Mafia, the FBI, and an unlikely presidential candidate with a pretty awesome record collection. And this is a story about the Allman Brothers. A band that made great music. Unlike that music I played for you at the top of the show, that wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from my Mellotron called "Dust My Shrooms MK1."

• 2:43Jake Brennan?

  I played you that loop because I can't afford the rights to silly love songs by Wings. And why would I play you that specific slice of "Damn the Critics" cheese? Could I afford it? Because that was the number-one song in America on June 23, 1976. And that was the day that Greg Allman took the stand in the criminal trial of his friend and bodyguard, Scooter Herring. An event that would shape the 1976 presidential election and the nation's first RICO trial, and one that would ultimately break the Allman Brothers Band. On this episode, drug-running, turning states' evidence, Jimmy Carter, Elmore James, and

• 3:28Jake Brennan?

  the Allman Brothers Band. I'm Jake Brennan, and this is DisgraceLand.

• 4:04Jake Brennan?

  If you need to know one thing about the Dixie Mafia, it's this.

• 4:10Jake Brennan?

  The Dixie Mafia does not exist. At least not in any formal sense. There are no godfathers, no capos, and none of the street hierarchy of New York's Locosa Nostra. It's more like a confederacy of a bunch of loosely affiliated criminal gangs stretching from Austin to Atlanta. Instead of a family structure, there's just a shared culture, a deep mistrust of the straight world, a taste for brutal violence, and a couple of ironclad rules. Rule number one: He who makes the most bread gets to make the rules. And rule number two: Never talk to the cops.

• 4:54Jake Brennan?

  There was only one penalty for breaking this rule, and that was death.

• 5:01Jake Brennan?

  By 1976, this was common knowledge in every tavern, pool hall, and after-hours club in the South. But the FBI and local investigators were just catching up.

• 5:14Jake Brennan?

  First, there was the witness in Texas handcuffed to a cinder block and thrown in a river to drown. Then, the couple in Raleigh, who had their faces covered in duct tape until they suffocated. And the Macon, Georgia criminal turned informant, shot in the chest with a 16-gauge shotgun and left to bleed out.

• 5:33Jake Brennan?

  Deaths like these were why Greg Allman, one of the biggest rock stars in the world, was currently confined to the barracks of Robbins Air Force Base, surrounded by four FBI agents, in June of 1976. He was here because Greg Allman was about to break Rule Number Two. He was about to testify in court against his friend and bodyguard, John Scooter Herring, in a drug trafficking trial. A trial that had major implications for a notorious Georgia gangster named J.C. Hawkins. Rumor had it the J.C. had already killed one former associate-turned-informant. And now, word on the street was that he'd kill anyone who so much as uttered his name in court, including Greg Allman.

• 6:22Jake Brennan?

  Greg Allman stared down at the floor. His long blond hair hung over his eyes. He had studied every centimeter of the linoleum floor over the last two weeks, and there wasn't much else to do. He couldn't run to keep from hiding. And he had no TV, and no newspaper, and no radio. And the FBI agents wouldn't even chat with him, even while they followed him everywhere. Because even though Greg Allman was about to turn state's evidence, he knew these FBI agents hated his guts. Greg Allman may have been testifying for the prosecution, but as far as they were concerned, he and the rest of the Allman Brothers Band were ruining their sleepy town of Macon, Georgia.

• 7:07Jake Brennan?

  In 1969, Macon was a typical southern town when the Allman Brothers Band arrived. But right away, they made an impression. Maybe it was because they rehearsed at full volume all day. And maybe it was because they ate psychedelic mushrooms and hung out in a graveyard all night. And maybe it was because they all lived together in one ramshackle house with girls from nearby Wesleyan College streaming in and out. Or maybe it was because one of their two drummers, Johnny "J-Mo" Johnson, a guy who cut his teeth playing with Otis Redding, was black. That fact raised eyebrows and a whole lot more in Georgia in 1969. Back then, Lester Maddox was still the governor. And Maddox was a hardcore segregationist who threatened black customers with an ax

• 7:52Jake Brennan?

  handle at his restaurant. And later, he shut the place down rather than integrate. So the band heard plenty of comments about their lifestyle and their lineup. Not that they really cared what anyone else thought. And maybe it was the mushrooms, and maybe it was the hours spent rehearsing. But when all six of them got on the same wavelength, it was magical. It would start with Dwayne Allman's slide guitar playing, and then Dicky Betts would answer back with a bluegrass-inspired lick. And Jamo and Butch Trucks would toss drum fills back and forth like hot potatoes with Barry Oakley holding it down on bass. And then Greg's organ would swoop in and take it over the top on songs like Midnight Rider and Whipping Post.

• 8:38Jake Brennan?

  While the music played, Greg could forget about all the bullshit back in Macon, and the taunts about his long hair, and the slurs hurled at his drummer, the threats from the local cops. Greg would just float with the music while they got farther and farther out before they finally brought it back home. But once he was back home, Greg didn't like what he saw in Georgia. So although he wasn't particularly political, he supported a progressive candidate for governor in 1970 named Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter quoted Bob Dylan in his speeches, and he fought for integration. Compared with Lester Maddox, Jimmy Carter, for Dwayne Allman, was a huge breath of fresh air for the South.

• 9:21Jake Brennan?

  Music fans thought the Allman Brothers Band's sound was a breath of fresh air as well. Although their first two albums didn't do much, a powerful live recording of "At Fillmore East" touched a nerve. And out of nowhere, it shot to number 13 on the album charts. But 13 proved, of course, to be an unlucky number for Greg and the band, because a few weeks later, his brother Dwayne died in a motorcycle accident in downtown Macon. A year later, bassist Barry Oakley would die in his own motorcycle crash just a few blocks away. And despite this double dose of tragedy, the band soldiered on. And by 1976, Jimmy Carter was running for president, and the Allman Brothers Band was the biggest band in the country.

• 10:07Jake Brennan?

  All of this made authorities in Macon nervous.

• 10:13Jake Brennan?

  Because the FBI had been digging into the Allman Brothers Band and their label, Capricorn Records. And they were convinced that the band wasn't just connected to politicians. The FBI was convinced that the Allman Brothers Band were in deep with the Dixie Mafia. In central Georgia, that meant they were in deep with J.C. Hawkins. And it seemed like there wasn't a crime in Georgia that J.C. Hawkins didn't have a hand in. Stolen cars, extortion, murder-for-hire, and drugs, lots of drugs. In fact, the feds noticed a river of drugs and cash flowing back and forth between the Dixie Mafia and the Allman Brothers Band. Now, thanks to the brand-new law of the Federal RICO Act, they had a golden opportunity

• 10:55Jake Brennan?

  to take down the band and the Dixie Mafia at the same time. And if it helped their boss Gerald Ford's chances in the upcoming presidential election, well, that didn't hurt either. One of the FBI agents slapped a rough hand on Greg's shoulder and smirked down at him. "Time to go, pretty boy." Greg swallowed nervously. He tried everything to get out of testifying. His lawyer filed motions and made appeals. And when he testified for the grand jury, he took the Fifth when they asked him questions about drugs. But the prosecution got around that by giving him immunity. And with no chance of criminal prosecution, there was no chance to plead the Fifth.

• 11:37Jake Brennan?

  As Greg Allman prepared to make the trip to the courtroom, he wished he was back in L.A. with his new wife, Cher. Instead, she would be watching from the courtroom while he was forced to testify against one of his best friends.

• 11:53Jake Brennan?

  The Scooter Herring was a tall, raw-boned biker. Greg met him at a bar in Macon in 1973, and right away, they got along. Scooter looked intimidating, which made him a great bodyguard. He also had a connection with a crooked pharmacist. And by 1976, he was supplying Greg with half a gram of cocaine a day. Now unfortunately for Scooter, that pharmacist was also connected to the notorious J.C. Hawkins. And the feds wanted Scooter to roll on J.C. Hawkins. And Scooter, who knew all about J.C.'s reputation, refused. So now the feds were turning the heat up on Greg Allman. And of course, they weren't the only ones turning up the heat.

• 12:35Jake Brennan?

  Greg started getting phone calls at night, warning him, "Don't say a fucking word about J.C. Hawkins, unless you want a 16-gauge shotgun up your ass." Because even though J.C. Hawkins was currently locked up in federal prison awaiting trial on racketeering charges, he didn't plan to stay there long. And J.C. was bound to keep on ridin'. So he spread the word. If Greg Allman broke rule number two, Greg Allman was dead.

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• 13:58Speaker 05

  Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.

• 14:13Speaker 06

  People would always think I was lactose intolerant, so I just kind of shortened my explanation to "I'm deathly allergic," in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.

• 14:23Speaker 05

  And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.

• 14:29Speaker 07

  One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.

• 14:35Speaker 05

  So join us and hear their stories and more. Because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At The Table, the food allergy podcast, on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At The Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.

• 14:55Jake Brennan?

  Deputy Terry Singleton pulled into a Waffle House west of Macon on the morning of September 25th, 1973. He was driving a Chevy Monte Carlo and wearing civilian clothes. And that's because he was tailing J.C. Hawkins. Just a few months ago, the cops had caught Hawkins right-handed with a stolen truck full of 30,000 pounds of meat headed for sale on the black market. But Macon was a small town. And it turned out that J.C. Hawkins had a neighbor in the jury pool. Somehow, that man made it on to the jury. And after a late-night visit from J.C., somehow, this man was the only juror to vote not guilty. So now, J.C. was free to drive around town

• 15:40Jake Brennan?

  in his powder-blue Lincoln Continental. And the car was huge, impossible to miss. But right now, it was parked in the Waffle House parking lot, while Singleton watched Hawkins meet with a man named Jimmy Reeves. Jimmy was a small-timer who fenced stolen goods. It was a decent little side hustle until he got caught. Jimmy was facing serious jail time. And he had a wife and kids. So he made a choice. Instead of going to jail, he talked to the cops.

• 16:11Jake Brennan?

  He told them that J.C. Hawkins stole some equipment from a construction site in Atlanta. And he wanted Jimmy to sell it for him. And now Singleton watched as the two men walked out of the restaurant and climbed into Jimmy's pickup truck. And he followed as they pulled onto the interstate, heading west. And after a few miles, the truck's turn signal flipped on as it approached a dirt road just beyond an overpass. Then the truck slowed down. Singleton waited for it to turn. But instead, it sped up and continued straight. And as he drove by the overpass, Singleton immediately saw a Y. There was a black-and-white highway patrol car parked on the shoulder. It was just a good old boy with a radar gun. A complete coincidence.

• 16:55Jake Brennan?

  But Singleton knew that it was enough to spook J.C. Hawkins. And although he didn't know it at the time, it was also enough to make J.C. Hawkins suspicious of Jimmy Reeves. Meanwhile, across the county, Greg Allman was also worried about a rat in his organization. It was late on the night of September 26th, and he and Scooter Herring were banging on the door of a San Francisco hotel room. Greg should have been on top of the world. The Allman Brothers Band had just played a fiery four-hour set at the legendary Winterland Ballroom, and he still had his share of silver dollars. And three weeks before, the band released Brothers and Sisters, their biggest album yet.

• 17:37Jake Brennan?

  It was already at number one on the Billboard album charts. And the song "Ramblin' Man" was flying up the singles chart, too. In fact, the only thing blocking it from number one was a new song by Cher, which Greg could understand because Cher was just about the finest woman alive. But Greg wasn't on top of the world. He was freaking out because there was an undercover cop traveling with the band. And Greg had done the worst thing possible. Kid opened up to him on tape. Greg blamed Dicky Betts. Ever since Dwayne died, it was like Dicky had appointed himself leader of the band. And maybe that was a good thing because Greg was in no shape for the job. Sure, he could still bring it onstage,

• 18:22Jake Brennan?

  but when it came to writing songs, Greg's inspiration was gone. Suddenly, it was Dicky Betts bringing in songs like "Ramblin' Man" and the instrumental "Jessica." Suddenly, Dicky Betts was singing lead. And suddenly, Dicky Betts was calling the shots. Even when it came to letting a reporter from Rolling Stone travel with the band. Because the band had already talked to a reporter from Rolling Stone once on what turned out to be Dwayne Allman's final tour. And the reporter made them look like a bunch of backwater hicks. Even worse, they ran the article in the same issue that carried Dwayne's obituary. And after that, the band swore off Rolling Stone for good. At least until Dicky Betts vouched for this baby-faced reporter who had been traveling

• 19:07Jake Brennan?

  with him for the last two weeks. Dicky said that the guy had interviewed him for Cream magazine, and Dicky swore he was cool. But Greg wasn't so sure. This reporter looked like he was sixteen years old, and he kept following Greg around, pestering him for an interview. Greg managed to avoid it for two straight weeks, but then the reporter asked him about these days. And Greg included a cover of the Jackson Brown song on his first solo album, which was due out in a few days, and the reporter wanted to know why. Truth was, Greg included the song as a tribute to his brother. He and Dwayne lived with Jackson Brown for a few months when they made a failed attempt to crack the Laurel Canyon scene, and Dwayne always loved the song.

• 19:51Jake Brennan?

  But Greg didn't want to go into all that. It was too painful. He wasn't gonna let this guy catch him. No. So he just grabbed his acoustic guitar and played a mournful version right there in his hotel room while the magazine's photographer snapped away. After Greg finished the song, he pulled out a glass vial of cocaine and snorted a large spoonful. He offered it to the photographer, who gratefully accepted. And then he offered it to the reporter. But the kid shook his head no and kept scribbling in his notepad. And then they started talking. And maybe it was the coke, or maybe it was the song, but Greg let it all out. He told the reporter everything.

• 20:33Jake Brennan?

  How his father was murdered by a hitchhiker when he was three. How Dwayne stepped into that role, and when his brother died, it was like losing a father for the second time. How he had to numb himself with drugs to get through the day. And how he would probably be dead if it weren't for music. And that's why he and the band kept playing. Because playing music was the only peace of mind they ever had.

• 20:59Jake Brennan?

  Greg, however, was not feeling that peace of mind right now as he pounded on the door of the reporter's hotel room. And after the interview, Greg and Scooter Herring had kept taking snorts from the glass vial of cocaine, and Greg got to thinking about the reporter and his notepad, his tape recorder. God, Greg had told him so much about his drug use and who knows what else. How well did he know this reporter, anyway? He was so straitlaced, so intense. He seemed like a cop.

• 21:34Jake Brennan?

  The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and Greg knew he had to get those tapes back. So he and Scooter pushed their way into the reporter's hotel room as soon as he opened the door a crack. And with Scooter towering over his shoulder, Greg demanded the tapes from the interview, and he wanted to see some ID, too.

• 21:51Jake Brennan?

  And the reporter reluctantly walked across the room and grabbed his wallet in an orange bag full of tapes. And as he came closer, Greg snatched the wallet and snarled at him. "How do I know you're not a cop?" And then he looked down at the license, and the name read, Cameron Crowe. Date of birth, July 13, 1957. Holy shit, this reporter wasn't just baby-faced, he was actually a baby. This was no undercover cop. He was a 16-year-old kid. And Greg was relieved, but he was also taking no chances. So he kept the tapes. For safekeeping, he explained to the kid, as he walked out of the room with Scooter behind him. All right, hold up.

• 22:36Jake Brennan?

  If this story is sounding somewhat familiar, that's probably because it's the plot of the movie Almost Famous, which is based on Cameron Crowe's real-life experience as a teen reporter for Rolling Stone, which is a completely crazy story, but I'm getting off track. Anyways, back to our story. A few weeks later, Greg Allman had a change of heart. Cameron Crowe got the tapes back, and on December 7, 1973, the Allman Brothers Band had a cover story in Rolling Stone magazine. And the band capped off the year with a live broadcast on New Year's Eve, joined by members of the Grateful Dead. They performed a monster six-hour set that was broadcast to an estimated 40 million fans.

• 23:18Jake Brennan?

  A number that big was sure to draw attention from concert promoters and radio programmers, and from the FBI. And also, from a peanut farmer in Georgia, who had big plans of his own.

• 23:37Jake Brennan?

  We'll be right back after this.

• 23:43Speaker 01

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• 24:13Speaker 05

  Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.

• 24:27Speaker 06

  People would always think I was lactose intolerant, so I just kind of shortened my explanation to, "I'm deathly allergic", in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.

• 24:38Speaker 05

  And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.

• 24:44Speaker 07

  One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.

• 24:49Speaker 05

  So join us and hear their stories and more, because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At the Table, the food allergy podcast, on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At the Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.

• 25:11Jake Brennan?

  Greg Allman's lunazine pulled down the driveway towards a massive gate in front of the mansion. It was almost 1:00 a.m., and the gate was locked tight. He was about to tell his driver to turn around when suddenly it clanged open.

• 25:27Jake Brennan?

  And the car inched forward in the darkness. Greg didn't know what he would find at the end of the driveway, but it was too late to turn around. As the car rolled forward, the headlights shined on the porch. He saw a lone figure creeping around in a black t-shirt and a ripped pair of Levi's. And what the hell was this weirdo doing creeping around the governor's mansion in the middle of the night? Greg hopped out of the limo to find out. And on the lawn, there were scenes from a party all around him. Cocktail tables were still covered with empty plates and leftover food. But there was no one around except the lone figure standing on the porch. And then that figure walked toward Greg and held out his hand. And that's when it hit Greg. It was Jimmy Carter.

• 26:12Jake Brennan?

  On a January night in 1974, the governor of Georgia attended a Bob Dylan concert in Atlanta. And then he invited Bob Dylan and the entire band and the crew to join him at the governor's mansion for a post-show party. Jimmy Carter also invited Capricorn Records head Phil Walden and the Allman Brothers Band. And no one else from the band made it to the reception. Greg was rehearsing for his upcoming solo tour until almost 11:00 PM. By the time he arrived, everyone was gone. So he didn't hear Jimmy Carter say that songs like "Maggie's Farm" had changed his life, and he didn't hear Jimmy Carter announce that he was running for president. Now, despite the late hour, Jimmy Carter didn't hesitate.

• 26:54Jake Brennan?

  He didn't tell Greg Allman to pack it up and go home. Instead, he pulled out a bottle of J&B Scotch and turned on an Elmore James record. And as the pair polished off the bottle of Scotch, they talked. Greg was used to authority figures treating him like an embarrassment. But Jimmy Carter called the Allman Brothers Band "the pride of the Peach State." And Greg couldn't believe that this man in jeans and t-shirt, sipping Scotch and listening to blues records, was the governor of a state. But he almost spit out his drink when Jimmy Carter told him he was running for president. It seemed like a crazy dream, but Greg couldn't help it. He liked the guy. And as he left, he said he would do anything he could to help the campaign.

• 27:38Jake Brennan?

  Meanwhile, back in Macon, the feds were closing in on J.C. Hawkins. And the gangster drained his Scotch glass and waited for the phone call. He hoped it would solve his problems. And ever since his meeting with Jimmy Reeves, it was like the cops were always one step behind him. And now he was hearing that the feds had a witness who was prepared to testify against him. But who was it? That's why he was waiting for a phone call. Because for this job, J.C. had turned to someone he could trust. Family. He turned to his brother to sniff out the rat. The phone rang and he picked it up and listened silently for a few minutes. And then, he spoke. I think, son of a bitch, you won't be around much longer.

• 28:23Jake Brennan?

  And then he hung up the phone. On May 29, 1974, Jimmy Reeves kissed his kids on the head. He rushed out the door, telling his wife he didn't have time for breakfast. He pulled out of the driveway in his pickup truck. And an hour later, he was found dead next to that truck. With three 16-gauge shotgun blasts in his chest. J.C. Hawkins had taken care of another witness. But his problems were far from over. Because the FBI was tapping his phone. And they were almost ready to take him down. And they just needed to find... ...one more witness.

• 29:01Jake Brennan?

  Greg Allman was sitting in the offices of Capricorn Recording Studio when Scooter Herring finally arrived. Greg was back in town to begin recording the Allman Brothers' follow-up to Brothers and Sisters. But first, he needed a fix.

• 29:15Jake Brennan?

  Gone were the days when the band ate mushrooms and hung out together all night. Now it was heroin, and it had its hooks in Greg. He tried to keep it a secret, but his habit was so bad that he couldn't work in the studio without a little pick-me-up. Not that there was much work being done in the studio at the moment. Because in 1976, the Allman Brothers Band had hit a wall. And they needed time to grieve their lost brothers. Time to decompress after years of massive stadium shows like the Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, which drew 600,000 people. And they needed some time apart, to relax, to experience the finer things in life. And for Greg, the finest thing of them all was his new wife, Cher.

• 29:59Jake Brennan?

  He still couldn't believe it, the superstar, the woman who blocked Ramblin' Man from the top of the charts. Somehow, she had seen him play at the Troubadour in LA. And somehow, even though he turned into a giggling groupie around her, they hit it off. And there was only one problem. Greg was hiding his heroin addiction from Cher, and there was no way she would understand. So even though he loved spending time with her in Los Angeles, it was sometimes a relief to be back in Macon, where he could let down his guard, and where a scooter could always find for Greg whatever he needed. If the Allman Brothers Band was teetering by the end of 1975, Jimmy Carter's presidential hopes looked like they were finished.

• 30:44Jake Brennan?

  Because Jimmy Carter was running out of money ahead of a must-win primary in Iowa, and the donors wouldn't touch his long shot campaign. But Carter's team saw an opportunity thanks to their connection with the Allman Brothers Band, because they understood the power of rock and roll. Even with the band in rough shape, Jimmy Carter didn't shy away from them. In fact, he told people if they didn't think an Allman Brothers fan should be president, then they should feel free to vote for another candidate. So with the campaign desperate for cash, the Allman Brothers Band agreed to host a benefit concert for the Carter campaign in Rhode Island that November. And the concert generated thousands of dollars for the campaign.

• 31:24Jake Brennan?

  More importantly, it turned the band's legions of fans on to the virtually unknown politician. And thanks in part to funds from the concert, Carter's team flooded the airwaves and squeaked to a first-place finish in Iowa in January. Suddenly, people around the country were paying attention. And back in Macon, the feds were paying attention too.

• 31:47Jake Brennan?

  The band's growing political clout spooked the feds. Because the more the feds dug into the Dixie Mafia, the more sure they were that the Allman Brothers Band was connected. They were tracking hundreds of pounds of marijuana, thousands of amphetamine pills, huge quantities of pharmaceutical-grade cocaine, all running through a pharmacy and making all connected to J.C. Hawkins. Rumors spread that a drug bust was coming. And those rumors intensified after Greg Allman testified for a grand jury in January. And paranoia was everywhere. No one in the band was talking. And then, it happened. In May, the feds raided Capricorn Studios.

• 32:29Jake Brennan?

  With cops streaming into the building in an envelope full of drugs in his pocket, Scooter told Greg Allman he would take the heat. Then the cops hauled him away in handcuffs. They hoped they could pressure him to flip on J.C. Hawkins. And they hoped they could pressure Greg Allman to talk as well. Meanwhile, J.C. Hawkins was also behind bars, caught up in a federal raid that snared Scooter Herring. Of course, even behind bars, he was able to pass a message to Dixie Mafia associates on the outside. And his message was clear. If Greg Allman talked, Greg Allman was a dead man.

• 33:29Jake Brennan?

  Greg Allman closed his eyes. He hesitated for a second. He knew the entire room was staring at him, waiting. He took a breath and leaned into the microphone. And then he strummed a chord on his acoustic guitar. And he launched into a gorgeous version of Jackson Browne's "These Days."

• 33:49Jake Brennan?

  As he started the song, memories of his brother Dwayne swirled through his mind. His grief, his anger, his loss. It almost overwhelmed him. But as he dug into the melancholy melody, those swirling thoughts started to slow down. And he felt them drift away as he got lost in the music. And finally, he felt at peace. And the crowd erupted in applause as the song finished. But this was no massive stadium show. Greg Allman was playing in a high school auditorium in Buffalo for a bunch of Catholic schoolkids. Greg was in Buffalo to try to kick his heroin habit at a rehab center. And some students from the nearby high school wrote letters asking him to perform at their

• 34:34Jake Brennan?

  school. And much to their surprise, he agreed. Even more surreal, there on the edge of the stage sat Greg Allman's wife, Cher. In her arms was the couple's three-month-old baby, Elijah Blue. Although their marriage had been rocky, Greg had been wrong about one thing. He didn't need to hide his drug addiction from Cher. And when she found out he was hooked on heroin, she didn't leave him. She stood by him. She helped him check into rehab. And now she was helping him get clean. And the same could not be said for the rest of the Allman Brothers Band. When Greg Allman took the stand on June 23, 1976, not a single other member of the band was there in the courtroom.

• 35:18Jake Brennan?

  None of them watched him testify against his friend. They didn't see the DA pushing him, daring him to make one false statement so they could take him down for perjury. All his bandmates knew was what they heard on the street or read in the papers. And the papers said that Greg Allman copped a plea and hung Scooter Herring with a 75-year prison sentence. But anyone following the case closely knew that the papers were wrong. Greg Allman was granted immunity, but he never copped a plea. It was a pressure play to get Scooter Herring to roll on J.C. Hawkins. But Scooter Herring refused. So the judge threw the book at him.

• 36:00Jake Brennan?

  Capricorn's lawyers appealed, and soon the 75-year sentence was reduced to two and a half years. Even without Scooter Herring's testimony, the feds were able to use the RICO Act to tie J.C. Hawkins to the construction equipment theft and the murder of Jimmy Reeves. And a month after Greg Allman testified, J.C. Hawkins became the first person in America convicted under the RICO Act. The day that Greg Allman was taken into FBI custody, Jimmy Carter clinched the Democratic nomination for president. And despite the controversy surrounding Greg Allman, Jimmy Carter refused to back away from him. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the prosecution of Scooter Herring and

• 36:42Jake Brennan?

  the FBI's scrutiny of the Allman Brothers Band was part of a politically motivated plot to damage the Carter campaign. But if that was true, it didn't work. A month after Greg's impromptu performance in a Buffalo High School gymnasium, Jimmy Carter was elected president. As for Greg Allman, after testifying, he became a pariah in the music industry. Rolling Stone reported that his career was finished. Dicky Betts said he would never play onstage with Greg again. And the Allman Brothers Band was finished. But Greg Allman wasn't finished with music. It was, after all, the only way he could find peace.

• 37:25Jake Brennan?

  After he finished rehab, he returned to the road in 1977. And that's where he spent the next 40 years, conjuring up as much peace as he could find, a few hours at a time, onstage, until he died in 2017. And all that time, he never uttered the name J.C. Hawkins. Even his latest, 2014, when he published a tell-all autobiography. In the book, he opened up about his marriage to Cher, his drug addiction, his brother, his testimony against Scooter Herring. But he still refused to say the name J.C. Hawkins. 2014 was also the year of the final Allman Brothers Band concert.

• 38:09Jake Brennan?

  Because not long after Greg Allman finished rehab, the band reunited, although with another new lineup. In fact, by the time they called it quits, over 20 different musicians had spent time in the Allman Brothers Band.

• 38:25Jake Brennan?

  But after Greg Allman testified in 1976, the core group from the Brothers and Sisters album would never play together again. And that is a disgrace.

• 38:38Jake Brennan?

  I'm Jake Brennan, and this is DisgraceLand.

• 38:54Jake Brennan?

  All right. Thanks for checking out this episode of DisgraceLand. Listen, question of the week this week. Which southern rock band is your favorite? Favorite of all time? Obviously Allman Brothers. They probably don't like that classification, southern rock band, but I don't care. You hear southern rock, you think Allmans, you think Lynyrd Skynyrd, right? Who's your favorite amongst? It can be anyone. I think Black Crows, I think the Barquays. I mean, there's so many to choose from. Let us know, 617-906-6638. We'll unpack it all in this week's bonus episode, the after-party. You might hear yourself. Leave us a voicemail, send us a text, hit us on email, [email protected]. All right, guys. Appreciate you hanging out with me. Here comes some credits. DisgraceLand was created by yours truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis,

• 39:38Jake Brennan?

  the Exactly Right Network, and iHeart Podcasts. Credits for this episode can be found on the show notes page at disgracelandpod.com. If you're listening as a DisgraceLand All-Access member, thank you for supporting the show. We really appreciate it. And if not, you can become a member right now by going to disgracelandpod.com/membership. Members can listen to every episode of DisgraceLand ad-free. Rate and review the show and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, @disgracelandpod, and on YouTube at youtube.com/atdisgracelandpod. Rock-a-rola.

• 40:18Speaker 02

  He's a bad, bad man.

• 40:22Speaker 02

  She's been thinking about this sleepover all week, but I think about her food allergies all the time. Fortunately, her doctor prescribed Zolair, omalizumab. It's proven to significantly reduce allergic reactions if a food allergy accident happens.

• 40:35Speaker 03

  Zolair 150mg is a prescription medication used to treat food allergy in people one year of age and older to reduce allergic reactions due to accidental exposure to one or more foods. While taking Zolair, you should continue to avoid all foods to which you are allergic. Don't use if you are allergic to Zolair. Zolair may cause a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Tell your doctor if you ever had anaphylaxis. Get help right away if you have trouble breathing or if you have swelling of your throat or tongue. Zolair should not be used for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Zolair is for maintenance use to reduce allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, while avoiding food allergens. Serious side effects such as cancer, fever, muscle aches and rash, parasitic infection, or heart and circulation problems have been reported. Please see zolair.com for full prescribing information. Ask an allergist about Zolair. This is an advertisement for Zolair,

• 41:19Speaker 03

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• 41:49Jake Brennan?

  Hey, guys. Time to dust off your detective skills while unwinding in the Caribbean on Virgin Voyages' second true crime voyage. It's back by popular demand. This five-night, adults-only escape sets sail March 20, 2027, to Grand Turk in the Beach Club at Bimini. The difference between this year and last will be that I will be on the cruise this year, along with Zeph, and he and I will be taping a live version of DisgraceLand, along with podcast hosts from Exactly Right's buried bones, podcast of the year award winners, wisecrack, and other fan favorites. Get on this cruise with us, guys, and enjoy live podcast recordings, behind-the-scenes storytelling, exclusive meet-and-greets, and immersive true crime programming throughout this one-of-a-kind voyage.

• 42:34Jake Brennan?

  Head over to www.virginvoyages.com/truecrime to secure your spot.