My Cross to Bear

My Cross to Bear

Author	Gregg Allman Alan Light
Language	English
Genre	Autobiography memoir
Published	William Morrow and Company
Publication date	May 1, 2012
Publication place	United States
Pages	390
ISBN	978-0062112033

My Cross to Bear is an autobiographic memoir of American songwriter-musician Gregg Allman, co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band. It was written by Allman and American journalist Alan Light. The book was published by William Morrow and Company on May 1, 2012. The book's title stems from the Allman Brothers Band song "It's Not My Cross to Bear" (1969). Allman first began keeping a journal in the 1980s, with the intention to possibly write a memoir at some point. He worked with Light to use that, as well as new and old interviews to create the book.

The book chronicles Allman's life and career in music, including his beginnings with the Allman Joys and Hour Glass, finding success and later reforming the Allman Brothers Band, his solo career and albums, and his marriage to pop star Cher. A large portion of the book candidly details the drug and alcohol abuse he dealt with for much of his life. It also covers Allman's brother Duane, his death in a motorcycle crash, and how it affected him.

Upon its May 2012 release, My Cross to Bear achieved high critical reviews, with many praising its tone and honesty. The book was optioned for a feature film, Midnight Rider, which was eventually cancelled after a train accident on set caused the death of a member of the crew.