Jaimoe (Johnny Lee Johnson)

Major Works

in Allman Brothers Band Albums

• The Allman Brothers Band (1969)
• Idlewild South (1970)
• The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East (1971)
• Eat a Peach (1972)
• Beginnings (1973)
• Brothers and Sisters (1973)
• Brothers and Sisters (gold disc) (1973)
• The Road Goes on Forever (1975)
• Win, Lose, or Draw (1975)
• Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas (1976)
• Brothers of the Road (1981)
• Eat a Peach (ultradisc) (1988)
• Dreams (box set)(1989)
• Ludlow Garage (1990)
• Seven Turns (1990)
• Shades of Two Worlds (1991)
• A Decade of Hits: 1969-1979(1991)
• An Evening With the Allman Brothers Band (1992)
• Hell & High Water: The Best Of The Arista Years (1992)
• Legendary Hits (1992)
• The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East (ultradisc)(1992)
• The Fillmore Concerts (1992)
• Where It All Begins (1995)
• 2nd Set (1996)
• At the Fillmore East: February 1970(1996)
• Mycology: An Anthology (1998)

Major Works in Sea Level

• Sea Level (1977)
• Cats On The Coast (1977)
• On The Edge (1978)
• Long Walk On A Short Pier (1979)
• Ball Room (1980)

Guest Appearances (groups and albums)

• Charlie Daniel’s Band Night Rider
• Charlie Daniel’s Band Saddle Tramp
• The Marshall Tucker Band The Marshal Tucker Band
• The Marshall Tucker Band                 Dinnertime
• White Clay Records Alive Down South
• Bobby Whitlock One Of A Kind
• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Jaimoe: A Biography

By Chuck McPhilomy (SHS)

Jaimoe (aka Jai Johanny Johanson) is one of the original members of the Allman Brothers Band. He was also a member of another band called Sea Level. During his musical career, he has had to deal with several problems in the Allman Brothers Band. Jaimoe, also known as John Lee Johnson, was born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on July 8, 1944 (www.allmanbrothersband.com).

Before joining the Allman Brothers Band, he had played with Otis Redding, Butch Trucks, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, and Duane Allman. He had backed Percy Sledge, Patti Labelle & the Blue Bells, the 5 Stairsteps, Brenda and the Tabulations, and the Manhattans. Jaimoe joined Redding’s band in Dallas, Texas.

In less than two weeks the band had thirteen pieces. Edward “Woody” Woodson was the other drummer in that band. and the drummer on “Live at the Whiskey.” During this time Jaimoe says he really learned about playing live rhythm and blues and rock and roll from Woody Woodson and Butch Trucks.

Redding’s band played the Apollo Theatre in New York, the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the Regal Theatre in Chicago. Jaimoe did a forty-two date tour with Otis as well as a TV show, called “The Big Beat,” hosted by a disc jockey from the famous WLAC in Nashville. However, on the day of the taping for the show, the disc jockey got drunk and couldn’t go on. Otis Redding not only starred the show, but MCed and hosted the show. I played behind James Carr, Mitty Collier, the Ovations. Jaimoe says he learned a lot from Otis Redding.

On March 26, 1969, Greg Allman, Duane, Dickey, Berry, Butch, and Jaimoe formed the Allman Brothers Band. Their first album, The Allman Brothers Band, was released in November of the same year. In November of 1970, Idlewild South was released. Both of these albums were big hits in the Southeast (Ward, Stokes, Tucker 460). In July of 1971, the band released The Allman Brothers Band Live At the Filmore East (allmanbrothersband.com).

On October 29, 1971, Duane Allan’s life ended in a motorcycle accident in Machine, Georgia. The band decided to continue without replacing him. The quintet released Eat A Peach in February of 1972.

On November 11, 1972, Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle accident near Duane’s accident site. In the same month, Chuck Level and Lamer Williams joined the Allman Brothers Band. In March of 1973, Brothers And Sisters was released. In July of 1975, Win, Lose, Or Draw was released.

In May of 1976, the Allman Brothers Band broke up to pursue other projects. Jaimoe, Chuck Level, Lamer Williams, and Jimmy Nails formed the band Sea Level in 1977). That same year, Sea Level released Sea Level and Cats On The Coast. In 1978, On The Edge was released. In August of 1978, the Dickey Betts Band and the Greg Allman Band held a reunion concert in New York (allmanbrothersband.com).

In February of 1979, the Allman Brothers Band released Enlightened Rouges. In the same month, Chuck and Lamer left the Allman Brothers Band. Dan Toler and David Goldflies joined the band. Also in 1979, Sea Level released Long Walk On A Short Pier (allmanbrothersband.com). In 1980, Sea Level released their last album, Ball Room. In November of 1980, the Allman Brothers Band released Reach For The Sky. On November 17, 1980, Jaimoe left the band, and France Toler replaced him (allmanbrothersband.com).

In June of 1989, Dan Toler, France Toler, and David Goldflies left the band. Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, and Johnny Neel joined the band. This band released Seven Turns in June of 1990 (allmanbrothersband.com).

In January of 1991, Johnny Neel left the band. Marco Quinines replaced Johnny. In June of that same year, Shades Of Two Worlds was released. In June of 1992, An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band was released (allmanbrothersband.com). In May of 1995, Where It All Begins was released. In May of 1996, 2nd Set was released (allmanbrothersband.com).

Warren Haynes and Allen Woody left the band in March of 1997. Jack Pearson and Oteil Burbridge replaced them (allmanbrothersband.com). In June of 1998, the Allman Brothers Band released their most recent album, Mycology: An Anthology. In March of 1999, the band began their 30th Anniversary Tour . On March 26, 1999, they celebrated their thirtieth anniversary. Two days later, Jack Pearson left the band. He was replaced by Derek Trucks (Allmanbrothersband.com).

To this day, Jaimoe continues to perform with the Allman Brothers Band. Jaimoe has become known for wearing body suits and throwing fruit into the crowd as well as his terrific percussion playing. During the time he has been with the band, the band has gone through several problems and even broken up, but they have reformed, leaving the past behind them.

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Timeline

• July 8, 1944: – Johnny Lee Johnson is born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
• April 18,1966-Sept. 5, 1966- Jaimoe becomes drummer for Otis Redding a week after the band did “Otis – Live at the Whiskey A-Go-Go”
• March 26, 1969: Jaimoe, Duane, Greg, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, and Butch Trucks form the Allman Brothers Band.
• November, 1969: The Allman Brothers Band release their first album titled The Allman Brothers Band.
• September, 1970: The Allman Brothers Band release Idlewild South.
• July, 1971: The Allman Brothers Band at the Fillmore East is released.
• February, 1972: Eat A Peach is released.
• March, 1973: Brothers And Sisters is released.
• July, 1975: Win, Lose, Or Draw is released.
• May, 1976: The band breaks up to pursue solo projects.
• September, 1976: Wipe The Windows, Check The Oil, Dollar Gas is released.
• 1977 (no exact date): Jaimoe, Chuck Level, Lamer William’s, and Jimmy Nails form the group Sea Level.
• 1977 (no exact date): Sea Level released Sea Level and Cats On The Coast.
• 1978 (no exact date): On The Edge is released.
• August 16, 1978: The band rejoins at a concert in New York’s Central Park.
• 1979 (no exact date): Long Walk On A Short Pier is released.
• February, 1979: Enlightened Rogues is released.
• 1980 (no exact date): Ball Roomis released.
• November, 1980: Reach For The Sky is released.
• November 17, 1980: Jaimoe left the Allman Brothers Band.
• June, 1989: Jaimoe joined the Allman Brothers Band again.
• June 28, 1989: The Dreams Box Set tour began in Chataqua, New York.
• June, 1990: Seven Turns is released.
• June 29, 1990: The band is interviewed by the Atlanta Constitution.
• June, 1991: Shades Of Two Worlds is released.
• June, 1992: An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band is released.
• May, 1995: Where It All Begins is released.
• 1995: Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Allman Brothers Band
• May, 1996: 2nd Set is released.
• June, 1998: Mycology: An Anthology is released.
• March 26, 1999: The band celebrates their thirtieth anniversary with a tour beginning in New York.
• 2017: Received Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Music
• 2017: Included on the Ocean Springs Mississippi Blues Trail Sign

Timeline of the Allman Brothers Band

• December 12, 1943: Forrest Richard “Dickey” Betts is born in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• July 8, 1944: Johnny Lee Johnson (Jaimoe) is born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
• November 20, 1946: Howard Duane Allman is born in Nashville, Tennessee.
• May 11, 1947: Claude Hudson “Butch” Trucks was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
• December 8, 1947: Gregory Lenoir Allman is born in Nashville, Tennessee.
• April 4, 1948: Raymond Berry Oakley is born in Chicago, Illinois.
• 1949 (no exact date): Duane’s and Gregg’s father died.
• 1958 (no exact date): The Allmans moved to Daytona, Florida.
• December 25 (no year): Gregg got a guitar. Duane got a Harley 165 motorcycle.
• Between 1958 and 1960: Gregg taught Duane how to play the guitar.
• Between 1958 and 1960: Duane traded in old motorcycle parts for another guitar.
• 1960 (no exact date): Duane and Gregg joined a group called the Y-Teens.
• 1961 (no exact date): Duane and Gregg played for dance parties in the Daytona area.
• 1963 (no exact date): Duane and Gregg formed the group called the House Rockers.
• 1965 (no exact date): Duane and Gregg formed the Allman Joys.
• 1965 (no exact date): The Allman Joys’ first release was a remake of the song Spoonful.
• 1967 (no exact date): The Allman Joys broke up in St. Louis.
• 1967 (no exact date): Duane and Gregg form the group called Hour Glass.
• October, 1967: Hour Glass released their first record titled Hour Glass.
• April, 1968: Hour Glass released their second record titled Power of Love.
• 1968 (no exact date): Hour Glass broke up.
• March 26, 1969 : Jaimoe, Duane, Gregg, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, and Butch Trucks formed the Allman Brothers Band.
• November, 1969: The Allman Brothers Band released their first album titled The Allman Brothers Band.
• September, 1970: The Allman Brothers Band released Idlewild South.
• 1971 (no exact date): Duane worked with Eric Clapton and other musicians as the group Derek and the Dominos. Layla Sessions was released.
• July, 1971: The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East is released.
• October 19, 1971: Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia. The Band continued without replacing Duane.
• February, 1972: Eat A Peach is released.
• November 11, 1972: Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle accident a few blocks away from Duane’s accident.
• November, 1972: Chuck Leavell and Lamar Williams join the band.
• March, 1973: Brothers And Sisters is released.
• July, 1975: Win, Lose, Or Draw is released.
• May, 1976 : The band breaks up to pursue solo projects.
• September, 1976: Wipe The Windows, Check The Oil, Dollar Gas is released.
• August 16, 1978: The band rejoins at a concert in New York’s Central Park.
• February, 1979: Enlightened Rogues is released. Chuck and Lamar leave the band. Dan Toler and David Goldflies join the band.
• November, 1980: Reach For The Sky is released.
• November 17, 1980: Jaimoe left the band. Frankie Toler joins the band.
• December, 1981: Brothers Of The Road is released.
• January 23, 1982: The band plays the song Leavin on Saturday Night Live. Afterwards, the band dissolved.
• April, 1986: The Dickey Betts Band and the Gregg Allman Band tour together. The bands later formed the Allman Brothers Band.
• July 12, 1986: The Allman Brothers Band performed at Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jam XII with Chuck Leavell and Dan Toler.
• October 31, 1986: The band performed at Billy Graham’s Crackdown anti-drug benefit in New York.
• May, 1989: The Dreams box set is released.
• June, 1989 : Dan Toler and David Goldflies leave the band. Jaimoe, Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, and Johnny Neel join the band.
• June 28, 1989: The Dreams Box Set tour began in Chataqua, New York.
• June, 1990: Seven Turns is released.
• June 29, 1990: The band is interviewed by the Atlanta Constitution.
• January, 1991: Johnne Neel left the band. Marc Quinines joined the band.
• June, 1991: Shades Of Two Worlds is released.
• June, 1992: An Evening With The Allman Brothers Band is released.
• May, 1995: Where It All Begins is released.
• May, 1996: 2nd Set is released.
• March, 1997: After the Beacon run in this month, Warren and Allen left the band. Jack Pearson and Oteil Burbridge joined the band.
• June, 1998: Mycology: An Anthology is released.
• March 26, 1999: The band celebrates their thirtieth anniversary.
• March 28, 1999: Jack Pearson left the band. Derek Trucks replaces him

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Review of Brothers and Sisters

by Chuck McPhilomy (SHS)

I only enjoyed one song from the Brothers And Sisters album. That song was Ramblin’ Man. I thought this song had a really good beat and the lyrics were great. It reminded me of the way my life is. This is a classic because of how long the song has been out. I can only recommend this song to other people to listen to. I listened to the other songs, but I didn’t really care for them. I believe that this may have been one of the Allman Brothers Band’s better albums, though.

Related Websites

• The official Allman Brothers Band Website. It has everything you need to know about the Allman Brothers Band.
• Mississippi Blues Trail marker in Ocean Springs

Bibliography

• Cavendish, Marshall. Marshall Cavendish Illustrated History of Popular Music. “Triumph and tragedy came too fast for the Allmans”. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1990. 1603 – 1605.
• Chronology. Available http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/people/chronology.html, April, 25, 1999.
• Discography. Available http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/music/discs.html, April 15, 1999.
• Discography: Guest Appearances. Available http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/music/guestdiscs.html, April 15, 1999.
• Discography: Sea Level. Available http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/music/sealevel.html, April 15, 1999.
• Early History of the ABB. Available http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/people/band.abbio.html, April 25, 1999.
• Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. “Allman Brothers Band”. New York: Guinness Publishing, 1995. 116.
• Stokes, Geoffrey, Tucker, Kenn, Ward, Ed. Rock of the Ages: The Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll. New York: Rolling Stone Press, 1995. 459 – 460.