Article Contributed by Big Hassle Media
Published on 2026-02-20
Photo by Jeffrey Mayer
Subtext, the U.S. independent film production and distribution company launched in January 2026 by industry veterans Danielle DiGiacomo, Brian Levy, and Teddy Liouliakis to champion music-driven and culturally resonant cinema, has acquired the North American rights to the eagerly anticipated new film, Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, marking the company’s inaugural release. Directed by GRAMMY® and Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker James Keach and produced by Michael Lehman, the full-length feature documentary explores the life and work of Gregg Allman, one of the most distinctive voices in American music and, as co-founder and frontman of the Allman Brothers Band, a groundbreaking architect of Southern rock. Subtext plans to release Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul theatrically this coming summer.
“Gregg Allman’s music is woven into the fabric of American culture, and this film captures both the artistry and the humanity behind the legend,” said Brian Levy of Subtext. “We’re proud to bring the film to American audiences, offering devoted fans rare insight and archival material while introducing Gregg’s legacy to a new generation.”
Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul traces Allman’s journey through profound personal tragedy and hard-won redemption, revealing how his raw honesty and blues-soaked power permanently reshaped American music. Told through never-before-seen interviews and rare performance archives, the film weaves an intimate portrait of Allman, candidly reflecting on the death of his brother and bandmate Duane, his battles with addiction, and the personal demons that shaped both his life and his music. The documentary is anchored by electrifying, rarely seen concert footage that captures the Allman Brothers at their creative peak, offering audiences an immersive, front-row view of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most powerful live bands.
Beyond the music, Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul explores what Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band came to represent in American culture – an ethos rooted in artistic freedom, collaboration, and defiance of convention. It highlights how Gregg and the band rejected the racial divisions that defined much of the American South, grounding their sound in deep respect for Black musical traditions and collaboration with Black musicians at a time when integrated rock groups were rare. The documentary also examines Allman’s complicated relationship with fame, including his highly publicized marriage to Cher, and how life in the public eye collided with his restless pursuit of authenticity. Together, these threads position Gregg Allman not just as one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest and most influential artists, but as a lasting cultural force whose influence extended far beyond the stage.
Keach, whose previous credits include 2005’s Academy Award-winning Walk The Line and such acclaimed documentaries as 2014’s Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me, 2019’s David Crosby: Remember My Name, and the GRAMMY® Award-winning Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, directed and produced Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul alongside producer and longtime Gregg Allman manager Michael Lehman and Alex Komisaruk of PCH Films, as well as Emmy-, Golden Globe-, and GRAMMY® Award-winning executive producers Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank (Music by John Williams, Faye, Laurel Canyon) of Amblin Documentaries, Douglas Banker of Five All in the Fifth, Michael Hughes and Greg C. Lake of DLP Media Group, Robert Stein, and Brian Levy and Theodore Liouliakis of Subtext. The film was made in association with Rolling Stone Films and is executive produced by Alexandra Dale, Head of Film and Premium Content for Rolling Stone. The acquisition deal was negotiated by Subtext partner Danielle DiGiacomo, with Submarine’s Josh Braun, Dan Braun, and Matt Burke on behalf of the filmmakers.
“I am honored to have worked with Gregg and to have called him my dear friend,” says Michael Lehman. “This film captures his true essence, and it’s profoundly meaningful to be able to share his remarkable story with the world. Gregg’s music has outlived him and will bring joy to many generations in the future.”
“I personally connected to Gregg Allman in his close relationship to his brother and his battles with addiction,” says James Keach. “For me, Gregg’s incredible voice resonates not just in his music but in his humanity, in overcoming the murder of his father, the early death of his brother Duane, and his personal demons. His soulful voice and brilliant songs reflect a life of redemption and hopefully will inspire all who witness his journey.”
“Few bands have shaped the sound and mythology of American music like the Allman Brothers Band, and Rolling Stone has long been honored to chronicle their rise, reinvention, and resilience,” adds Alex Dale. “We’re proud to help bring Gregg Allman’s story to the screen in a way that captures the depth, complexity, and soul of his legacy.”
ABOUT GREGG ALLMAN:
Born December 8, 1947, in Nashville, TN, Gregg Allman was undoubtedly among rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest and most significant artists, his soul-fired and utterly distinctive voice still one of the defining sounds in all of American music. From his founding role in the one and only Allman Brothers Band to his long and storied solo career, Allman consistently proved himself to be an iconic singer/songwriter and exceptional practitioner of the American blues tradition. The award-winning author of such modern standards as “Midnight Rider,” “It’s Not My Cross To Bear,” “Dreams,” and “Whipping Post,” Allman accrued a remarkable list of honors over his five-decade musical journey, including the Allman Brothers Band’s 1995 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards. Allman detailed his brilliant career in 2012’s critically acclaimed, New York Times best-selling memoir, My Cross To Bear, chronicling a truly astonishing life burdened by unimaginable loss, alcohol, and drug addiction, told with clear-eyed wisdom and sharp hindsight.
Gregg Allman died due to complications from liver cancer at his home in Savannah, GA on May 17, 2017, leaving behind a remarkable creative legacy that will undoubtedly live on for generations to come. Beyond dozens of studio and live recordings, Allman passed on the opportunity of music to others via three ongoing scholarship funds, The Allman / Lehman Endowed Scholarship at Syracuse University, The Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at the University of Georga, and The Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
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