Photo by Arnie Goodman

Butch Trucks, one of the Allman Brothers Band’s founding drummers, died on Tuesday, at age 69. Trucks is widely credited for laying the foundation for southern-rock drumming.

The Allmann Brother Band formed in 1969 with brothers Duane (slide and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar) and Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny “Jaimoe” Johanson  on drums. Surviving original members include only Gregg Allman, Betts and Johanson.

Trucks played gigs under his own name and formed a new group, Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band, which was successfully booked through spring, though Butch would play what would be his last show on January 6th.