Gregg Allman Cause Of Death: Songwriter, Founder Of The Allman Brothers Band Dies At 69

Gregg Allman, the founder of “The Allman Brothers Band” and one of the musicians credited with inventing the southern rock genre of music died Saturday at the age of 69.

According to a statement on the singer’s website, Allman "passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia." Allman’s family is yet to release an official statement on his death.

The statement on the website also mentions that Allman’s health deteriorated during the last few years of his life:

"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."

Read: Gregg Allman Book Tour: ABB Co-Founder Cleared For Book Dates, As Well As Allman Brothers Band Summer Tour​

Allman’s official cause of death is yet to be revealed, although he was known to suffer from chronic liver issues in the recent years, Rolling Stone reported. Also, in 1999, he was diagnosed with hepatitis C and had to undergo a liver transplant in 2010, Billboard reported.

In November 2016, Allman said that he needed to “focus on his health,” but still planned to tour in 2017. However, a short while after, it was announced on the musician’s official website that he had cancelled all his tour dates in 2017, according to a Billboard report.

Allman had founded The Allman Brothers Band with his older brother, Duane, a legendary guitarist, who was later killed in a motorbike accident November 1971. After that, he spearheaded the band on his own.

Apart from being the lead singer of the band, Allman was also the songwriter and the keyboardist of the band.

The band made into the Billboard 200 albums chart just a year before the death of Duane. The track “with Brothers and Sisters” reached number one spot and retained its position for five weeks in 1973.

In the following 34 years, a number of songs secure the top spots in various music charts all across the globe. “Ramblin Man,” “Crazy Love,” “Straight From the Heart,” “Good Clean Fun,” “Midnight Rider,” and “I’m No Angel.”

Some of the songs which were written, composed and sung by Allman were "It's Not My Cross to Bear," "Midnight Rider," "Ain't Wastin' Time No More,” "Melissa,” "One Way Out" and "Statesboro Blues."

Allman was also known for his prolific personal life. He had married seven times in his lifetime, his seventh wife being Shannon Allman, whom he married in 2013. His most famed marriage was to Cher, in 1975, which lasted merely three years and was ridden with controversies, mostly due to Allman's alcoholism and heroin addiction, Rolling Stone reported.

"It's too soon to properly process this," Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts said in a statement. "I'm so glad I was able to have a couple good talks with him before he passed. In fact I was about to call him to check and see how he was when I got the call. It's a very sad day."

Michael Lehman, Allman’s manager and friend stated: "I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music. He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard. His love for his family and bandmates was passionate as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him."

Many musicians have taken to twitter to express their condolences and prayers on the occasion.