[3] The version on Eat a Peach was recorded in tribute to Duane Allman, who considered the song among his brother's best and a personal favorite.

[6] In 1968, the duo recorded it during a demo session with the 31st of February, a band that featured Butch Trucks, the Allman Brothers' later drummer.

[6] Gregg Allman sold the publishing rights to "Melissa", as well "God Rest His Soul" (a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.), to producer Steve Alaimo for $250 (equivalent to $2,260 in 2024) shortly thereafter.

He had been tied up in Los Angeles, contractually bound by Liberty Records (who had previously issued albums by the Allmans' first band, the Hour Glass), and used the money to buy an airplane ticket to fly back.

[8] Following Duane's death, manager Phil Walden arranged to buy back the publishing rights in order to record the song for Eat a Peach, the band's fourth album.

They felt it lacked a compelling instrumental backing element so guitarist Dickey Betts created the song's lead guitar line.

[8] "Melissa" has enjoyed renewed popularity in the 2000s due to its feature in a commercial for Cingular/AT&T Wireless cell phone company and the use of it in a scene in Brokeback Mountain.