8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO

SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): February 24, 2009 (February 20, 2009)

ALLIANCE RESOURCE PARTNERS, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	Commission File No.: 0-26823	73-1564280
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1717 South Boulder Avenue, Suite 400, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(918) 295-7600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

ITEM 5.02 DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS

(c) On February 24, 2009, we announced that the Board of Directors of our managing general partner has named Charles R. Wesley as Executive Vice President and Thomas M. Wynne as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of our managing general partner, effective March 1, 2009.

Mr. Wesley, who is 54 years old, became a Director of our managing general partner in January 2009 and has held various positions since joining the company in 1974, including most recently the position of Senior Vice President—Operations since August 1996. Mr. Wesley has served the industry as past President of the West Kentucky Mining Institute and National Mine Rescue Association Post 11, and he has served on the Board of the Kentucky Mining Institute. Mr. Wesley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Mr. Wynne, who is 52 years old, joined the company in 1981 as a mining engineer and has held a variety of positions with the company prior to his appointment in July 1998 as Vice President—Operations. Mr. Wynne has served the coal industry on the National Executive Committee for National Mine Rescue and is currently a member of the Coal Safety Committee for the National Mining Association Mr. Wynne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Business Administration degree from West Virginia University.

ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLSOURE

On February 24, 2009, we issued a press release announcing the promotion of certain officers of the managing general partner. A copy of the press release is furnished and attached as Exhibit 99.1

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the press release shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information and exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(d) Exhibits

99.1 Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. press release dated as February 24, 2009.

2

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
By:	Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC,
	its managing general partner
By:	/s/ Joseph W. Craft III
	Joseph W. Craft III
	President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: February 24, 2009

3

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

	CONTACT: Brian L. Cantrell Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. 1717 South Boulder Avenue, Suite 400 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119 (918) 295-7673
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALLIANCE RESOURCE PARTNERS, L.P.

Wesley Promoted to Executive Vice President; Wynne Promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

TULSA, Oklahoma, February 24, 2009 – Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) today announced the promotions of Charles R. Wesley to the position of Executive Vice President and Thomas M. Wynne to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

“Charlie Wesley and Tom Wynne have played key roles in ARLP’s success for many years,” said Mr. Joseph W. Craft III, Alliance’s President and CEO. “Charlie’s new position will serve to enhance his role as a director of the company by allowing him to concentrate on instilling the Alliance culture at our new operations, mentoring our developing leaders, succession planning, strategic marketing and strategic growth opportunities. In his new role, Tom’s strong leadership skills and vast experience will serve us well as he assumes the responsibilities of directing the day-to-day operations for all of Alliance’s coal mines. These promotions further strengthen the ability of ARLP’s management team to continue its focus on creating long-term value for our unitholders.”

Mr. Wesley, 54, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Alliance Resource Management GP, LLC, the managing general partner of ARLP. (See ARLP Press Release dated January 30, 2009.) He has served ARLP in a variety of capacities since joining the company in 1974, most recently as Senior Vice President – Operations. Mr. Wesley has served the coal industry as past president of the West Kentucky Mining Institute and National Mine Rescue Association Post 11, and he has served on the board of the Kentucky Mining Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Mr. Wynne, 52, joined Alliance in 1981 as a mining engineer. He then held a variety of positions within the ARLP organization prior to his appointment in 1998 as Vice President – Operations. Mr. Wynne has served the coal industry on the National Executive Committee for National Mine Rescue and is currently a member of the Coal Safety Committee for the National Mining Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Business Administration degree from West Virginia University.

-MORE-

******

ARLP is a diversified producer and marketer of coal to major United States utilities and industrial users. ARLP, the nation’s only publicly traded master limited partnership involved in the production and marketing of coal, is currently the fifth largest coal producer in the eastern United States with operations in all major eastern coalfields. ARLP currently operates eight underground mining complexes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. We are constructing two new mining complexes, one in Kentucky and one in West Virginia, and also operate a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

News, unit prices and additional information about ARLP, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available at http://www.arlp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of ARLP at (918) 295-7674 or via e-mail at investorrelations@arlp.com.

-END-