Hittin' the Note is the twelfth and final studio album by the American Southern rock group the Allman Brothers Band. Released through Sanctuary Records, it is their only studio album to include both slide guitar player Derek Trucks and bass player Oteil Burbridge and marks the full-time return of guitar player Warren Haynes to the band. It was also their only studio album not to include original guitarist Dickey Betts. The track "Instrumental Illness" was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, losing to "Plan B" from Jeff by Jeff Beck. Background The album 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 each gave 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; including only Haynes and Derek Trucks, it is the only Allman Brothers Band track ever not to include an original member. Critical reception On AllMusic Thom Jurek wrote, "Hittin' the Note is the band's finest studio outing since Brothers and Sisters over 20 years before.... In sum, Hittin' the Note does exactly what its title claims – 11 tracks' worth and it burns on every one. This album is in-the-pocket, deep-grooving Allman Brothers Band blues-rock at its best." In The Music Box John Metzger said, "... the Allman Brothers Band has persevered and with the release of its new album Hittin' the Note, the group has found a way to return to greatness. True, the departure of [Dickey] Betts is still felt throughout the album. More