Gary James' Interview With
Gregg and Duane Allman's cousin
Emily Canissario
Imagine if you will, being related to someone really famous and not finding out about it until later in life. Well, that's exactly what happened to Emily Canissario. She found out she's related to the founders of The Allman Brothers Band - Gregg and Duane Allman.
Q - Emily, how is it that you are related to Gregg and Duane Allman? They're your cousins?
A - Yes. I actually didn't find out this until three years ago (2022). I'm from Rocky Mount, North Carolina where Mama A (Allman) is from. My grandmother and her were second cousins, Gregg and Duane's mother. I'm kin to their mother. And they have a lot of cousins in Rocky Mount that are still there.
Q - Where is Rocky Mount?
A - It's about an hour from Raleigh. A small town about 50,000 people That's where I'm from.
Q - How did you find out you were related to Gregg and Duane?
A - Through Ancestry.
Q - I'm guessing you never did have any inter-action with either Gregg or Duane.
A - I didn't. Gregg has eight children. When he was alive he only knew about five, but three more have been found through DNA. He has a daughter. I work for his daughter.
Q - Is that Liz?
A - Yes. Duane has a daughter named Pamela and she and I are good friends. She came to see me last Summer (2024). So, I've only just recently got in contact.
Q - When you found out you were related to Gregg and Duane what did you think? Did you realize it was a big deal?
A - Yeah. It's big. I really wasn't into The Allman Brothers at all. After I found out, I started listening to 'em. Oh, My God! They're great! (laughs) . But I've always had musical interests. A lot of Gregg's cousins in Rocky (Mount) are musical, on their mother's side. I wasn't surprised. It actually makes sense.
Q - When you tell people you're related to the Allmans, what's their reaction? Do they believe you?
A - (Laughs). My daughter told the music teacher that and the music teacher didn't believe her.
Q - And your daughter no doubt came to you and asked for something to show the music teacher to confirm that.
A - Yeah. People that are really big fans know that Mama A is from Rocky Mount. So, it's not that big of a stretch. But for people who aren't that familiar they're kind of like "Oh." (laughs). I've had older people tell me they've never heard of them (The Allman Brothers). Seriously? And younger people too. I'm like, "What?" I'm sure if they saw a picture they'd say, "Oh. Okay."
Q - I see The Allman-Betts Band is on the road carrying on the name of their parents.
A - I haven't met Devon. I talked to Michael. Michael sent my daughter a guitar. I ordered a guitar from Michael. So, I talk to Michael occasionally. I enact a little bit with Elijah, but I haven't talked to Devon. Gregg has two sons that don't want anything to do with the family, unfortunately.
Q - I wonder why that is.
A - I don't know. It seems strange to me, but it's their choice.
Q - You're a former teacher. What did you teach?
A - High school Social Studies and Special Education.
Q - You were also a health care professional?
A - Yes.
Q - What did you do in the health care field?
A - I was a nursing assistant and I worked at a drug treatment facility. I worked in Rehab.
Q - And you were a singer in a band?
A - I played in the band in high school. I was in the Chorus in high school and in the band in middle school.
Q - And now, you're an Associate Producer of Lipstick Booze and Backstage Passes Podcast at Magpie Music and Media. What is that all about? Do you interview famous singers and musicians for the Podcast?
A - Yes and their families and that's Liz's company. I know Sean Lennon is going to be on it. Pamela Anderson is going to be on there. Michael Des Barres was on there. We already got a lot of people signed up. It should be good. It should be interesting. A lot of people want to come on the show. Liz knows a lot of people. She knows Paul McCartney. She's friends with Paul McCartney's wife, Nancy. She used to be an event planner so she knows a lot of people already. The show was her idea. She came up with it. She found out she was Gregg's daughter through a DNA test. So, if it wasn't for Ancestry I would never know. My side of the family is super, super Southern Baptist Fundamentalist religious. I think they never admitted they were kin to Gregg because when I bring it up everybody goes quiet, if I bring it up to anyone in Rocky Mount. I think some of 'em genuinely didn't know, but I think some of the older people had to know.
Q - They go quiet because they didn't approve of the Rock lifestyle that Gregg and Duane had?
A - Right. There are a couple of cousins that are interested that I've told but for the most part they're not interested in getting to know any of the Allmans and I've given them the opportunity. I've told 'em. Hey, it's their loss.
© Gary James. All rights reserved.
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