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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Although the Association's original founder was from Chattanooga, Pinkston helped assemble a team from Macon, including support from the Macon-Bibb Convention and Visitors Bureau (now Visit Macon), to assist her efforts, formalize the meet-up and make it locally grown. After all, Macon, Georgia, is where it all began. "In 1992, we had the first GABBAfest. Marty Willet had the sense to form a board. He had the know-how, and I had the dream," Pinkston said. Today, GABBA's mission is to preserve, promote and protect the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band. With a roster of close to 500 members, they do this a number of ways. They primarily raise funds through yearly and lifetime memberships and proceeds from their annual GABBAfest fundraiser. MORE THAN A FAN CLUB Laraine Potter, current GABBA president, described the charitable work they do. "Years ago, before there was a Big House Museum or a Georgia Music Hall of Fame, GABBA donated and worked toward getting both of those going. We have since started donating to youth music organizations. We have donated to the Otis Redding Foundation music camp and the Macon Youth Symphony. The Douglass Theatre for a while had a youth jazz program, and we donated to that," she said. "We've also donated in the past to musicians who had health problems and didn't have insurance. So, we just try to do good." Added to the list of doing-good GABBA beneficiaries: The Methodist Home for Children and Youth, Daybreak Day Resource Center and the Rose Hill Foundation. "We always have our ear LEFT: GABBA MEMBERS AT THE BIG HOUSE GABBAFEST 2019. BELOW: GABBA WORKED CLOSELY WITH ROCK CANDY TOURS, HISTORIC MACON AND CLAIRE AND CHARLIE COX TO INSTALL THE HISTORIC MACON MUSIC REGISTRY PLAQUES, LIKE THE ONE MARKING THE LIBRARY BALLROOM FOR ITS ALLMAN BROTHERS HISTORY. ALL THINGS ALLMAN: VISIT THE BIG HOUSE The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House, located at its original historic address of 2321 Vineville Ave., is where members of the Allman Brothers Band, their roadies, friends and families lived from 1970 until 1973. It was nicknamed "the Big House" because Linda Oakley, Berry Oakley's wife, reportedly said it was the biggest house she'd ever seen. According to the museum's executive director, Richard Brent, the Big House is the world's largest collection of Allman Brothers Band memorabilia. "What fans are going to see when they come is a well-curated step back in time," Brent said. "There is some great memorabilia, and once you get upstairs, the bedrooms are decorated about 85 percent original. Duane's room and the Oakley suite have the beds, clothes, instruments, road cases, song lyrics, reel to reels, cassette tapes and eight tracks." Brent said it's always fun explaining the latter to young people because they've never seen that technology. A lot of big hits for the band were written at the Big House, including "Ramblin' Man," "Blue Sky," "Hot 'Lanta," "Midnight Rider" and "Please Call Home." Brent, a big Allman Brothers Band fan in his own right, shared, "The House has a vibe all its own. It truly is a step back in time. It kind of transports you and puts you in a different mindset." If you'd like to visit the Big House Museum, the hours of operation are Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20. Students, seniors and military are $15. Don't forget the gift shop. You can find groovy merchandise at the House or online by visiting thebighousemuseum.com. JUNE/JULY 2022 | maconmagazine.com 107