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): January 28, 2003
                                                         ----------------

                          COMMISSION FILE NO.: 0-26823

                        ALLIANCE RESOURCE PARTNERS, L.P.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


         DELAWARE                                       73-1564280
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF              (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
 INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)


           1717 SOUTH BOULDER AVENUE, SUITE 600, TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74119
              (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES AND ZIP CODE)

                                 (918) 295-7600
              (REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE)







ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS


     (c) EXHIBITS

          99.1 Press release dated as of January 28, 2003


ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLSOURE

         In accordance with General Instruction B.2. of Form 8-K, the following
information and the exhibits referenced therein shall not be deemed "filed" for
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor
shall it or they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         On January 28, 2003, Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (the
"Partnership"), announced via press release its earnings and operating results
for the fourth quarter of 2002. A copy of the Partnership's press release is
attached hereto.




                                       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: January 29, 2003




                                       3




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<Table>
<Caption>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER     DESCRIPTION
- -------    -----------
        
*99.1      Press release dated as of January 28, 2003
</Table>


- ----------
* Filed herewith.