The Allman Brothers Band Release 'Live From A&R Studios'

Today, The Allman Brothers Band finally opened their vault for the group’s first new live archival release in over two years and first featuring the original lineup since 2007. Live From A&R Studios documents the band’s live radio concert from A&R Studios in New York on August 26, 1971 and the new release can be streamed in all its glory via Spotify.

Guitarist Duane Allman is on fire throughout the performance, while Gregg Allman’s voice sounds absolutely fantastic. The performance took place just days after King Curtis was murdered and the band honors the sax king by working “You Don’t Love Me” into “Soul Serenade.” Other highlights on the nine-track release include a scorching “Statesboro Blues,” a transcendent “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” and blistering “Hot’Lanta.”

Drummer Butch Trucks discussed the release with Rolling Stone. A crowd of 200 assembled to watch the band perform at the studio that day but many didn’t have a sight line to actually view the action. “That the crowd couldn’t see us didn’t mean a damn thing. Duane had two very iconic statements he used a lot. One was ‘This ain’t no fashion show.’ The other was ‘This ain’t no ballet.’ We were up there to play music. All you need is ears. You don’t need to be able to see it. We weren’t putting on a show. And those fans that made it into A&R were, I would imagine, the ones who came to see us at the Fillmore East every time. And they were there to hear what we had to play, not to see how cute we were or how big our dicks were,” Butch recalled.