The Allman Brothers Band

The debut studio album by the iconic American group The Allman Brothers Band, which was founded in Jacksonville in 1969 and is widely regarded as the genesis of Southern rock. It features the outstanding original formation, including Duane & Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jaimoe. Both Duane Allman and Berry Oakley would die in motorcycle accidents (in 1971 and 1972, respectively). The LP was released in November of 1969, and was recorded and mixed in two weeks at Atlantic Studios in New York City. Much of its material was premiered live over the preceding months and combines blues, jazz and country music to varying degrees. It includes notable originals such as “Dreams”, which highlighted the band’s jazz influence, and “Whipping Post”, which became a crowd favorite. The cover for the album was taken by photographer Stephen Paley, who spent a week in Macon partying with the band, while taking pictures of them anywhere in town that seemed interesting, including fields, old houses, railroad tracks, and the cemetery. The record received critical acclaim from publications such as Rolling Stone, where it was described as “subtle, honest and moving”.