Here's Who Inherited Gregg Allman's Money After He Died

Gregg Allman, the legendary co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, spent his final days visiting with his children and close friends, playing with his dogs, and spending time with his new wife, Shannon Williams, sitting near the pool in their house outside Savannah, Georgia. It was spring 2017, and Allman was dying from liver cancer that had spread to one of his lungs. He thought a lot about his brother, Duane, who died tragically in a motorcycle accident in 1971 and with whom he'd risen to fame with their band, beginning in the late 1960s.

Allman died peacefully in bed on May 27, 2017, with jazz on the speakers and Shannon and his best friend, Huell "Chank" Middleton, at his side. He left an estimated $5 million estate, per Celebrity Net Worth, while other sources say it was as much as $25 million. He'd been married seven times, left behind five adult children, and his current wife Shannon. Allman had long-standing substance issues, which may have negatively impacted his finances over the years. He'd been working with his personal manager Michael Lehhman, who'd helped him get back on track financially. This allowed him not only to provide for his family but also to set up several endowments for young musicians and students who plan to go into the music business.

Gregg Allman had five children, four of whom are also musicians. His oldest, Michael Allman, was born in 1966 to a waitress named Mary Lynn Sutton, with whom Allman had a brief relationship. His second child, Devon Allman, came along in 1972, during Gregg Allman's marriage to Shelley Kay Jefts, from 1971 to 1972. He also has two daughters, Delilah Island Allman, born in 1980, to Julie Bindas, Allman's fourth wife. She's the only non-performer of Allman's children. Layla Brooklyn Allman was born in 1993 from Allman's relationship with Shelby Blackburn. It's likely all the children inherited something from their dad's estate. But it's his third son, Elijah Blue Allman, who's substance use and mental health issues have shown a spotlight on his father's estate.

Elijah Blue was born in 1976, the product of the rocky four year marriage of Gregg Allman to mega-star Cher, from 1975 to 1979.  He was at the center of a dispute over his inheritance from his father's estate. In 2023, Cher sought to become the conservator over her son's finances after he allegedly blew $1 million in inheritance money he'd received over six years from his father's estate on drugs, luxury hotels, and other items. He denied the allegations. Cher later dropped her pursuit to control Elijah Blue's inheritance after reaching a private settlement with her son. In June 2025, he was rushed to a California hospital after having an alleged drug overdose.

Besides Gregg Allman's children, there's his wife, Shannon, and best friend, Chank Middleton. On his deathbed, Allman spoke with his manager, Michael Lehman, over the phone, who promised the singer the two would financially "be taken care of," according to Garden & Gun magazine. Then there's the various endowments Lehman helped Allman set up.

Endowed scholarships at the University of Georgia's Hodgson School of Music and the Syracuse University Bandier Program for Music and the Entertainment Industries were set up before Allman's death from money he earned from his 2014 "All My Friends" concert and related merchandise. A third scholarship, to Belmont University's Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, came through Allman's estate after he died. "Later in his life, philanthropy was important to Gregg through music education," Lehman said in 2022 (via Belmont University). "I'm grateful to continue that legacy with Belmont's Curb College and look forward to what's ahead." Allman's musical legacy lives on, not only through his own music, but that of his children, and his various endowments.