Iconic Grammy-winning and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame rockers, The Allman Brothers Band are excited to announce a new distribution deal with RED Distribution for upcoming archival releases as well as the handling of their diverse releases through the band's Allman Brothers Band Recording Company label.

Yesterday, RollingStone.com debuted the lengthy "You Don't Love Me"/"Soul Serenade" jam from the upcoming Live From A&R Studios: New York, August 26, 1971 CD, set for release April 1st. You can hear it here. In the Rolling Stone piece, ABB co-founder Butch Trucks talks extensively with David Fricke about this recording, the band's legendary live shows and his relationship with the late Duane Allman. "Oh, man, I'll never forget that one," he says of the A&R Studios recording. "We were set up in that studio just like we did on stage. But it was better. Rather than having their backs to me, the front line - Duane, Dickey and Berry - was facing us in kind of a semi-circle, which made it even easier to communicate. When I play, I stare at the left hand of whoever is playing lead. And I get to know what people are playing well enough that when they start going somewhere, once they arrive, I'm already there."

ABB co-founder Jaimoe says the band's happy to be at Red Distribution and back with a Sony family label they've had much success with. "We're a good team. We had a long run with them, and the band is excited to dig into the archives with record people who understand the special time these live recordings were captured - it was magical."

"Working with these legendary recordings are a personal and professional treat for me and the RED team," says Bob Morelli, President of RED Distribution. "Our first new release together, the legendary Live at A&R Studios felt like uncovering a buried treasure. Adding The ABB archives continues our mission to expand our catalog and creative work with our retail partners."

The first release in this new relationship is the widely-bootlegged Live From A&R Studios: New York, August 26, 1971, due out April 1st. This is the only band-authorized version of this album, remixed from the original multi-tracks; all others versions have been radio air check bootlegs. It features the original line-up of the Allman Brothers Band (Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Jaimoe, Berry Oakley and Butch Trucks), recorded and broadcast live on WPLJ radio in NYC on August 26th, 1971. Founding guitarist Duane Allman died eight weeks later on October 2nd, 1971 in a motorcycle accident; this album marks his last NYC performance. The band was at one of their highest peaks, having just released their breakthrough At Fillmore East album only a month before. The liner notes contain the last public interview done with show air host DJ Dave Herman shortly before his death in 2014.

"You see, the Allman Brothers Band had built a special rapport with New York City through radio play, and then backing it up with live performances," Herman said. "New York had two major, big-time album-rock radio stations: WPLJ and WNEW, both of which played the shit out of the Allman Brothers. The Brothers got major play on both stations and sold a ton of records in New York, and with Bill Graham being the master promoter that he was, he saw how much radio play the band was getting, so he booked them for the Fillmore as much as he could. They became a hot ticket, and that is how the Allman Brothers became so big in New York."

RED will also take over the distribution of several other live shows the band has released over the last few years, including American University (12/12/1970), Stony Brook, NY (9/19/1971), Macon City Auditorium (2/11/1972), Nassau Coliseum 5/1/1973) and Boston Common (8/17/1971).

Since giving their final live performance in 2014, the ABB have remained very active, including various band members taking part in the band's two signature festivals. They host the Wanee Music Festival in April in Live Oak, FL (now in its 12th year) and the Peach Music Festival, held in August in Scranton, PA.

Live From A&R Studios: New York, August 26, 1971 tracklisting:

“Statesboro Blues”
“Trouble No More”
“Don't Keep Me Wonderin'”
“Done Somebody Wrong”
“One Way Out”
“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”
“Stormy Monday”
“You Don't Love Me/Soul Serenade”
“Hot 'lanta”

(Photo - allmanbrothersband.com)