A Decade of Hits 1969-1979-The Allman Brothers Band

I guess that southern rock 'n roll really began with The Allman Brothers Band--their brand of music represented an eclectic fusion of many different styles. Blues, country, jazz and rock all went into the equation, and the finished product, with just a few exceptions, was a melodic, intricate style that featured the guitar talents of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. Before the death of Duane Allman, the music of The Allman Brothers Band had distinct blues flavorings--when Dickey Betts took over lead guitar chores, his country licks began to influence the music of the band.

The Allman Brothers Band played southern rock as southern rock was meant to be played. What followed them was a bastardized version of the art form--bands like Lynryd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchett, and 38 Special really didn't improve on the premises set up by The Allman Brothers Band, they just went off on a tangent that was pretty aimless and not creative at all, in my book.

A Decade Of Hits 1969-1979--The Allman Brothers Band is a collection of songs from this band's catalogue that can best be defined as "prime". Each and every one of the sixteen tracks presents a piece of the puzzle that describes the musical style of The Allman Brothers Band. Nine of the tracks are taken from the music of the band before the death of Duane Allman, and his blues influences are easily recognizable. The remaining tracks feature Dickey Betts on lead guitar, and his more mellow, country style is apparent. That's not to say that Betts couldn't play the blues--he's also present on all of the Duane Allman tracks, playing harmony licks and slide guitar licks that gave The Allman Brothers Band that distinctive, melodic sound that I think is pure southern rock.

The live version of Statesboro Blues features the slide guitar talents of Duane Allman, while Whipping Post and Dreams are a couple of early songs by The Allman Brothers Band that clearly show their blues influences. Jessica, Blue Sky, and In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed are fine examples of the dual guitar work that Duane Allman and Dickey Betts did which gave this band a distinctive sound.

Ramblin' Man, Melissa and Crazy Love are all post-Duane Allman tracks that put the guitar licks of Dickey Betts up front. I guess it's a testament to the talent of these musicians that they could remain a solid cohesive unit even after surviving a change in the styles of their lead guitarists. Don't think that just because I've talked about Dickey Betts and Duane Allman that I've forgotten the talents of the other members of the band--Gregg Allman, Butch Trucks, Berry Oakley and Jaimoe were each just as important and integral to the music of this band as either of the great lead guitarists.

There's roughly eighty minutes of music on this album, and it's really a pretty engrossing listen. It's enjoyable to compare the interplay between Allman and Betts, and then to listen to the songs that are recorded post-Duane Allman. This is probably one of the ultimate "best of" collections, simply because it gives you the chance to actually listen to a band evolve because of a change in personnel.

I recommend this one highly for anyone who wants to see what southern rock 'n roll was REALLY all about.

Thanks for reading.