Today, world-renowned rock band The Black Crowes dropped a new mix of an unreleased recording of the Memphis soul classic song “99 Pounds,” originally recorded by Ann Peebles and written by Don Bryant. The track is just one of the 14 never-before-released recordings off the forthcoming box set of their chart-topping sophomore album, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, set for release on December 15 via American Recordings/UMe.
Originally from the catalogue of Memphis soul singer-songwriter Ann Peebles “99 Pounds” was originally released on Peebles’ 1972 album Straight From the Heart. The Black Crowes’ cover of the admired track is a classic Rock & Roll take on a Southern Soul ballad.
The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion entered the US Billboard album chart at No. 1 upon release in 1992, was named after a post-Civil War southern hymnal, and is home to some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Remedy,” “Sting Me,” and “Thorn in My Pride” which were #1 on the Billboard Main Stream Rock Airplay chart for a combined total of 21 weeks. Rich and Chris Robinson, alongside producer George Drakoulias, revisited the archives for the instant classic album and created a special super deluxe edition featuring unreleased studio recordings, rare B-sides, a live performance from Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, TX, on February 6, 1993, and a newly remastered album from the original 1/4″ production master. Highlights for the forthcoming boxset include 14 unreleased recordings, including “99 Pounds” and a previously unreleased studio recording of “Miserable.”
At the end of the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion recording sessions in early 1992, the band performed live on the famed Southern Tracks Studio floor in Atlanta, GA, on January 4, 1992. The session was captured by a film crew and, true to The Black Crowes form, turned into a party. These never-before-released until now, live studio recordings feature five songs, including their cover of Ry Cooder’s “Boomer’s Story.” Also included in the super deluxe edition, Southern Harmony Live, featuring all the tracks off the album, performed live in Houston, TX, on February 6, 1993. This legendary and much-bootlegged show has now been mixed from the 24-track tapes and is available alongside the original album, which has been remastered from the 1/4″ production master.
The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is available on 4LP, 3CD, 2CD and 1LP formats, and will be released on December 15, 2023. A super deluxe digital audio is also available to preorder. Fans who preorder the digital super deluxe will immediately receive a new mix of the Memphis soul classic song “99 Pounds.”
