Hittin' the Note
Encyclopedia
Hittin' the Note is a 2003 studio album
by the American
Southern rock
group The Allman Brothers Band
. Released through Sanctuary Records
, it was their first studio album to include lead slide guitar
player Derek Trucks
and bass
player Oteil Burbridge
and marked the full-time return of guitar
player Warren Haynes
to the band. It was also their first studio album not to include original guitarist Dickey Betts
.
The CD was recorded live in the studio in New Jersey
in December 2001 with lead vocal and minor overdubs recorded in early 2002. It was the first Allman recording co-produced by bandmember Haynes and Michael Barbiero
. The album also marked the band's exit from Sony/Epic Records
and was released jointly by Sanctuary Records
and the band's Peach Records.
The album was met with critical acclaim but very limited radio airplay. Wall Street Journal, Allmusic, and Rolling Stone
magazine were three of many prominent publications to give the record positive reviews. The track "Instrumental Illness" garnered two Grammy Award
nominations in 2003 and 2004, both in the Best Rock Instrumental
category.
Much of the record was written by the writing team of Gregg Allman
and Warren Haynes
. The band's history was not ignored: The structure of concert favorite "Desdemona" recalls that of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
", while "High Cost of Low Living" features the guitarists quoting from other Allmans classics such as "Blue Sky
", "Dreams", and "Mountain Jam
". But the future is served too: The acoustic track "Old Friend" closes the album, and including only Haynes and Derek Trucks, thus becoming the only Allman Brothers Band track ever not to include an original member.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
group The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
. Released through Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
, it was their first studio album to include lead slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
player Derek Trucks
Derek Trucks
Derek Trucks is a Grammy Award-winning, American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He founded The Derek Trucks Band and worked as a session musician when he was still in his early teens. Throughout those teenage years, he toured with The Allman Brothers Band primarily as a slide...
and bass
Bass (instrument)
Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
player Oteil Burbridge
Oteil Burbridge
Oteil Burbridge, in Washington, D.C.), is a Grammy Award-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the current resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band...
and marked the full-time return of guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
to the band. It was also their first studio album not to include original guitarist Dickey Betts
Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won with the band a best rock performance Grammy Award for his...
.
The CD was recorded live in the studio in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in December 2001 with lead vocal and minor overdubs recorded in early 2002. It was the first Allman recording co-produced by bandmember Haynes and Michael Barbiero
Michael Barbiero
Michael Francis Barbiero , is an American record producer, mixer, engineer, songwriter, and journalist.-Background:Michael Barbiero has worked with a number of artists, such as Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tesla, Cinderella, Blues Traveler, Ziggy Marley, Belouis Some, Cutting Crew, Counting Crows,...
. The album also marked the band's exit from Sony/Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and was released jointly by Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
and the band's Peach Records.
The album was met with critical acclaim but very limited radio airplay. Wall Street Journal, Allmusic, and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine were three of many prominent publications to give the record positive reviews. The track "Instrumental Illness" garnered two Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations in 2003 and 2004, both in the Best Rock Instrumental
Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance was an honor presented to recording artists for quality instrumental rock performances at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
category.
Much of the record was written by the writing team of Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
Gregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
and Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
. The band's history was not ignored: The structure of concert favorite "Desdemona" recalls that of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is a jazz-influenced instrumental composed by Dickey Betts that became one of the best-known works ever recorded by The Allman Brothers Band, especially the version on their 1971 live album At Fillmore East.-Overview:...
", while "High Cost of Low Living" features the guitarists quoting from other Allmans classics such as "Blue Sky
Blue Sky (song)
"Blue Sky" is the eighth track by the Allman Brothers Band off the Eat a Peach album.Dickey Betts wrote this about his Native American girlfriend, Sandy "Bluesky" Wabegijig. And for a while, Betts refused to perform this after their 1975 divorce....
", "Dreams", and "Mountain Jam
Mountain Jam
"Mountain Jam" is an improvised instrumental jam by The Allman Brothers Band. The song's first known recording is on 5-4-1969 at Macon Central Park, but was officially released later on the albums; Live at Ludlow Garage: 1970, Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival: July 3 & 5, 1970, The...
". But the future is served too: The acoustic track "Old Friend" closes the album, and including only Haynes and Derek Trucks, thus becoming the only Allman Brothers Band track ever not to include an original member.
Track listing
- "Firing Line" (Gregg AllmanGregg AllmanGregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
/Warren HaynesWarren HaynesWarren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
) – 5:17 - "High Cost of Low Living" (G. Allman/W. Haynes/J. Anders/R. Burgin) – 7:52
- "Desdemona" (G. Allman/W. Haynes) – 9:20
- "Woman Across the River" (B. Crutcher/A. Jones) – 5:51
- "Old Before My Time" (G. Allman/W. Haynes) – 5:23
- "Who to Believe" (W. Haynes/J. Jaworowicz) – 5:38
- "Maydell" (W. Haynes/Johnny Neel) – 4:35
- "Rockin' Horse" (G. Allman/W. Haynes/Allen WoodyAllen WoodyDouglas Allen Woody was bass guitarist best known for his tenure in the rock groups The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, The Artimus Pyle Band, The Peter Criss Band, Blue Floyd, and Montage.-Biography:...
/Jack Pearson) – 7:23 - "Heart of StoneHeart of Stone (song)"Heart of Stone" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in the United States, and on an extended-play single in Europe, as pictured to the right...
" (M. Jagger/K. RichardsJagger/RichardsThe songwriting partnership of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, known as Jagger/Richards , is a musical collaboration whose output has produced the majority of the catalogue of The Rolling Stones....
) – 5:06 - "Instrumental Illness" (W. Haynes/Oteil BurbridgeOteil BurbridgeOteil Burbridge, in Washington, D.C.), is a Grammy Award-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the current resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band...
) – 12:17 - "Old Friend" (W. Haynes/C. Anderson) – 6:12
Personnel
- Gregg AllmanGregg AllmanGregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
: Hammond B-3 Organ, Piano, Clavinet & Lead Vocals - Butch Trucks: Drums
- Jai Johanny JohansonJai Johanny JohansonJai Johanny Johanson , frequently known by the stage name Jaimoe, is an American drummer and percussionist. He is best known as one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band.-Early years:...
: Drums - Warren HaynesWarren HaynesWarren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
: Lead, Slide, Acoustic, & Acoustic Slide Guitars (Left Side), Lead & Background Vocals - Marc QuiñonesMarc QuiñonesMarc Quiñones is an Puerto Rican American percussionist, a longtime player in salsa music, and a member of the Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band....
: Congas & Percussion - Oteil BurbridgeOteil BurbridgeOteil Burbridge, in Washington, D.C.), is a Grammy Award-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the current resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band...
: Bass - Derek TrucksDerek TrucksDerek Trucks is a Grammy Award-winning, American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He founded The Derek Trucks Band and worked as a session musician when he was still in his early teens. Throughout those teenage years, he toured with The Allman Brothers Band primarily as a slide...
: Lead, Slide, & Acoustic Slide Guitars (Right Side) - Produced By Michael Barbiero & Warren Haynes
- Mixed & Engineered By Michael Barbiero & Mike Scielzi