Brothers and Sisters

"Brothers and Sisters" is the fourth studio album by the American rock band the Allman Brothers Band, released in August 1973 by Capricorn Records. The album was co-produced by Johnny Sandlin and the band.

Following the death of Duane Allman in 1971, the Allman Brothers Band had released Eat a Peach (1972), a hybrid studio/live album that became their biggest-selling album to date. The band subsequently purchased a farm in Juliette, Georgia, intended as a retreat and communal space. However, bassist Berry Oakley, deeply affected by Duane's death, struggled with depression and substance abuse. Tragically, Oakley was killed in a motorcycle accident in November 1972, mirroring the circumstances of Duane's death. Brothers and Sisters became the last album to feature Oakley.

After Oakley's death, the band recruited new members: Chuck Leavell on piano and Lamar Williams on bass. Brothers and Sisters was recorded over three months at Capricorn Sound Studios in Macon, Georgia. Lead guitarist Dickey Betts, now the band's leader, infused the album with a more country-inspired sound. Session guitarists Les Dudek and Tommy Talton contributed to several tracks. The album was produced concurrently with Gregg Allman's solo debut, Laid Back, featuring many of the same musicians and engineers. The album's cover features photographs of Vaylor Trucks, son of drummer Butch Trucks, and Brittany Oakley, daughter of Berry Oakley.

The album marked the Allman Brothers Band's commercial peak, selling over seven million copies worldwide and topping the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart for five weeks. The single "Ramblin' Man" became the band's first and only Top-10 hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973. The subsequent tour, however, was plagued by drug problems, strained relationships, and miscommunications among band members.