Raymond Berry Oakley III was an American bassist and one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band. Known for his long, melodic bass runs, he was ranked number 46 on Bass Player magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time". He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Allman Brothers Band in 1995.
Berry Oakley
Oakley with the Allman Brothers in 1972
The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, as well as Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). Subsequently, based in Macon, Georgia, they incorporated elements of blues, jazz and country music and their live shows featured jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals.
The Allman Brothers Band in May 1969. From left to right, (back) Duane Allman and Gregg Allman (front) Butch Trucks, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley and Jaimoe.
"The Big House" in Macon, Georgia, where the band lived in the early 1970s
Duane Allman, the group's leader, was killed in a motorcycle crash in 1971.
Gregg Allman on the band's 1975 tour