Founding Mission Statement

 "GABBA is a foundation of fans who feel like family, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Allman Brothers Band musical heritage in Georgia by making tangible contributions to projects, programs and plans to insure this heritage is not lost but indeed remembered, revered, and reveled in as an important part of Macon’s, the South’s, the nation’s and even the world’s musical and cultural legacy whose very roots are found here in Georgia.  We respect and admire their music and feel as if we are members of their extended family yet still respect and admire their personal families without infringing or imposing on their private lives.

From the beginning to now, through tragedy and triumph, their music has enriched our lives, and we feel we must, and we can, give something back to insure the proper and perpetual preservation of this musical heritage that has so blessed our lives.  Our goals include the collecting, preserving, nurturing, and sharing of this music history, contributing to the care and upkeep of Rose Hill Cemetery and recognizing other ABB landmarks in Georgia, and contributing to the development of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (GMHF) and the Big House Foundation Museum."

 Among the many accomplishments of GABBA since its inception are:

• 16 GABBAfest reunions/revivals have been held since 1992.
• Angels were returned to Rose Hill Cemetery with a dedication ceremony.
• Joined the "Adopt a Spot" beautification program, adopting Rose Hill Cemetery.
• Preserved the Capricorn collection at Phoenix Studios.
• Preserved and donated framed mushroom pendant belonging to Duane Allman to the Big House/Allman Brother's Band Museum.
• Donated 58 records and "Hittin the Note" magazine issues to Washington Memorial Library in Macon
  for the Middle Georgia Archives, 30 records to Phoenix Studios and 15 records to the Georgia Music
  Hall of Fame.
• Donated framed first album front cover to Beall's Restaurant and framed first album back cover to Rose Hill Cemetery.
• Donated framed prints to the Grand Opera House of the Allman Brothers Band and Gregg Allman performing there.
• Created the "In the Footsteps" Macon map notingimportant sites in the history of the Allman Brothers.
• Contributed to the Southern Poet's and Musician's Garden at Piedmont Park in Atlanta.
• Annual contribution to the Macon Methodist Home for Children and Youth in honor of Joe Dan Petty.
• Dedication of the Duane Allman Boulevard and the Berry Oakley, Jr. Bridge signs.
• Proclamation of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, Jr. Day in Macon.
• Planted trees and placed markers in Rose Hill Cemetery to honor Heather McDonald, Joe Dan Petty, Mama Louise and Mama Hill and Twiggs Lyndon. The most recent tree honored Bill Ector, the late publisher of "Hittin' the Note".
• Member's donations of hair to "Locks of Love" for disadvantaged children suffering from medical hair loss.
• Volunteered services for Big House clean-up days in January 2008, February 2008 and October 2009.
• Contribution to the Big House Foundation.
• Contributions to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
• Annual contribution to the Historic Rose Hill Cemetery Foundation.

The GABBY Award

The GABBY award has been presented each year at GABBAfest since 1997 to an individual or group as recognition and acknowledgement of their efforts to further the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band. Nominations for this award are made and voted on by the GABBA board members. The award itself is a beautiful glass artwork created by Celia Meech-Henigman, a very talented artist in Forsyth, Georgia. GABBA has presented this award to the following very deserving individuals and groups:

The GABBY Award Recipients:

1997: Phoenix Studios
1998: Mama Louise
1999: Gov’t Mule
2000: The Big House
2001: Founding GABBA board members
2002: Chank Middleton
2003: Joe Dan Petty (posthumously)
2004: Gregg Allman, Jaimoe, Butch Trucks and Dickey Betts
2005: GABBAfest was not held in 2005
2006: Willie Perkins
2007: The Roadies: Red Dog (Joseph Campbell), Mike Callahan, Kim Payne and Tuffy Phillips)
2008: GABBAfest was not held in 2008
2009: Hittin’ the Note
2010: Bill Ector
2011: Greg Potter

 updated October 11, 2011