Brothers and Sisters by The Allman Brothers Band captured the Phoenixlike group at a new creative high when it came out 50 years ago, but it would end up being so much more.
The July 22 edition of Greasy Tracks featured an in-depth look at the legendary 1973 album as author Alan Paul discussed his masterwork, Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Defined the 70s, which is published July 25 by St. Martin’s Press.
Check out the archive, while the playlist is here.
Paul — a seasoned music journalist who has written extensively for Guitar World, The Wall Street Journal and Billboard among numerous other publications — unravels the intricate story behind the album that helped change the course of rock history.
It’s his second Allmans book following One Way Out: The Inside History of The Allman Brothers Band (St. Martin’s Press) in 2014. In 2019, he and Andy Aledort co-wrote Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan Band (St. Martin’s Press). Each book was a New York Times bestseller.
More than 7 million copies of the album were sold and the Allmans enjoyed chart success they would never again equal, but it also impacted the music industry, social fabric and even the political landscape of the country.
The burgeoning “southern rock” genre was elevated by the massive AM and FM exposure of Brothers and Sisters which went to No. 1 on the Billboard chart for five weeks, boosted by “Ramblin’ Man” which was the band’s lone Top 10 single, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, “Jessica” went to No. 29 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart and No. 65 on the Hot 100.
Band members have roundly disliked the category the band has long been associated with. Guitarist Dickey Betts once told a writer: “we’re just a progressive rock band from the south.”
One person who benefitted from the Allman’s new star status was Jimmy Carter, the then-governor of Georgia who enlisted the band to help him raise money to fund his long-shot presidential campaign in 1975.
The success of the album thrust the band into the national spotlight and far eclipsed any sales or chart appearances from their previous studio efforts with only At Fillmore East – the renowned double live album captured from four 1971 appearances at the fabled New York City venue — reaching No. 13, but not hitting platinum status until 1992.
This all came after the band was at an all-time low as it was still reeling from the death of its true leader and visionary, guitarist Duane Allman who was killed in a motorcycle accident less than four months following the release of At Fillmore East. Bassist Barry Oakley would die in a motorcycle accident a year later. They were each 24 years old.
The book takes the reader behind the scenes, offering an intimate perspective on the band’s triumphs, challenges and the creative process behind this groundbreaking record. Dive into the vibrant tapestry of the ’70s music scene as he delves into the band’s journey, exploring their unique blend of rock, blues, jazz, soul and — as evidenced by Brothers and Sisters — country.
In addition to tracking through Brothers and Sisters, the feature will include outtakes from sessions the band did during that period of time as well as well as live material from across the Allman’s career. A number of tracks by groups influenced by the Allmans will also work their way into the playlist.