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Longtime Allman Brothers Band Roadie Passes Away

Joseph “Red Dog” Campbell passed away yesterday afternoon. Campbell was one of the original Allman Brothers Band roadies (he embraced that term and preferred it to “crew member”). He worked with the band for over three decades and appears on the back cover of the group’s At Fillmore East album. Cameron Crowe paid tribute to Campbell by naming a character Red Dog in the film Almost Famous. Last year Campbell was diagnosed with cancer and on August 14 and 15 a number of musicians came together in Macon for a sold out show, the Throw The Dog A Bone Benefit to help defray his medical expenses. Back in 2001, Campbell chronicled his adventures with the ABB in A Book of Tails. Crowe offered his support when the book was published, writing:

“I’ll admit it right now. I am a big fan of Red Dog, and have been even before he allowed me to interview him back in 1973 for a story in Rolling Stone. Hell, he was already legendary back then. But now I just have to say that I am extremely jealous of the Great Dog, because I’ve just finished reading A Book of Tails. True rock, the kind that lasts forever, is about honesty and humor and love and chasing the elusive buzz of greatness.

Red Dog’s book captures all this and more. You can’t put this thing down, and best of all, it makes you want to listen to music. Not just the Brothers, but all music. Red Dog really caught something with his writing. This book, and a copy of “Live at Fillmore East” belong in the time capsule reading — Kick back and see what you missed. Two centuries from now I doubt anybody will have said it better. As you can tell, I’m still a fan.

A statement on the Allman Brothers Band website, which announced his passing adds, “He will always be remembered by all those who knew him. The Old Dog is out of the house, howling with his Brothers.”