Macon City Mushroom

This is an extremely rare, original 1972 concert poster from the Allman Brothers Band’s first concert back in their hometown without Duane Allman. Said to be one of the Allman Brothers Band’s most poignant performances, the concert was later released as an archival live album and it marked the beginning of a new era for the Allman Brothers Band which gives this poster historical significance. Even though the band had been playing out on the road beginning 3 weeks after Duane’s death, this concert really cemented the five-member lineup consisting of Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Jaimoe and Butch Trucks.

Fans who saw the concert say any doubts about the band's ability to carry on without their lead guitarist were quickly put to rest. "I was amazed at how they stepped up to the plate," recalled Skoots Lyndon, who watched the show from the wings.  Second guitarist Dickey Betts had big shoes to fill that night, and "he really started to shine," Lyndon said. Word is that there was not a dry eye in the house.

Artist James Flournoy Holmes grew up in Spartanburg South Carolina, the son of two artistically inclined parents. His father was a musician and his mother a ceramics teacher and they encouraged his drawing abilities at an early age. He attended the University of Georgia on a full art scholarship, and got his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in drawing and painting. According to the artist, “I don't remember the exact number printed but it was a small run, just for the stores selling tickets and some telephone poles, I did a flyer that had much larger run.”

In his early 20's Holmes visually defined the Southern Rock phenomenon of the early 1970's creating notable album covers and artwork for bands like The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, Outlaws, Sea Level, Hank Williams Jr, Kansas and many others. His mushroom images at that time exploded upon the world music scene and have become international icons. The Allman Brothers album "Eat A Peach" (which Duane Allman and Flournoy named) is an iconic piece of album cover art. The Georgia Peach Growers Association said Flournoy's imagery helped to bring the Georgia Peach to national prominence. His 1980 album cover for Christopher Cross (a Grammy winner and multi-platinum seller) depicting a flamingo drawing on the cover was credited for the resurgence of the pink flamingo yard art craze of the eighties.