**UPDATE**
We can now confirm that Butch Trucks’ death was ruled a suicide, after he shot himself in the head with a pistol while inside his Florida condo.
It is with heavy hearts that we report the death of Butch Trucks, one of the founding members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band The Allman Brothers Band. Trucks passed away at the age of 69 in West Palm Beach, Florida. His cause of death is unknown at this time.
The legendary Allman Brothers Band were founded in 1969, and the band experienced their first hit with the live album “At Filmore East,” which includes the songs “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Whipping Post.”
https://t.co/qK3rtvWL05 Butch Trucks, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, tragically died the night of Jan 24 in W Palm Beach, FL
— Allman Brothers Band (@allmanbrothers) January 25, 2017
From Rolling Stone:
Claude Hudson “Butch” Trucks was born in Jacksonville, Florida on May 11th, 1947. He started playing drums in the eighth grade and joined Jacksonville’s Englewood High School band, according to Skydog: The Duane Allman Story. His parents were strict Baptists and refused to buy him a drum kit of his own until 11th grade when he promised never to play in an establishment that served liquor.
Before graduating high school, he played in two bands – the Vikings and the Echoes – as well as the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Jacksonville Symphonette, where he played tympani. He went on to attend Florida State University where, he once said, he “majored in staying out of Vietnam,” and formed a group called the Bitter Ind.
It was at a Bitter Ind. gig in Daytona Beach where Trucks first encountered Gregg and Duane Allman. The latter would later call Trucks and ask him to play drums at a gig. Almost three years later, they would form the Allman Brothers Band.
Check out this interview of Trucks and fellow co-founder Dickey Betts from 1984 courtesy of YouTube:
The Allman Brothers Band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and were ranked Number 53 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In addition, they received a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Here’s another interview of Trucks describing the Allman Brothers’ unique decision to have dual drummers on stage:
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Trucks’ entire family during this trying time.
Please share your fondest memories of Trucks and his contribution to the music industry below!