Former Allman Brothers Band Guitarist Dan Toler Dead at 65

Former Allman Brothers Band guitarst Dan Toler died Monday in Manatee County, Florida. He was 65.

Toler had been battling Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS) and couldn't play guitar or speak during his final months.

Toler, who was known as "Dangerous Dan," was born in Indiana on September 23, 1948. His Allmans association began in the 1970s, when he joined Dickey Betts & Great Southern as second guitarist, appearing on 1977's Dickey Betts & Great Southern and 1978's Atlanta's Burning Down.

Toler's Betts connection led to full membership in the Allman Brothers Band in the late '70s. Toler played guitar on the band's successful 1979 reunion/comeback album, Enlightened Rogues (featuring the single "Crazy Love"), joining bassist David Goldflies as a new member. He also appeared on the band's less-popular early '80s albums Reach for the Sky and Brothers of the Road, the latter of which featured Toler's brother, David "Frankie" Toler, on drums.

The Tolers' Allmans connection led them to the Gregg Allman Band, which scored a major hit in 1987 with the album No Angel and the single "I'm No Angel," which features one of Toler's best (and best-known) guitar solos (Check out the video below). Toler also appeared on 1988's Just Before The Bullets Fly.

Toler rejoined Great Southern in 2002 and then formed the Townsend/Toler Band with John Townsend. That band's self-titled album was released in 2009. He joined the Renegades of Southern Rock (also with Townsend) and ended his career with the Toler Tucci Band.

David Toler died in June 2011; Dan Toler announced he had ALS two months later.