Very sorry to hear this. I've been wondering how he was doing over the past few years. Great guitarist and songwriter- wrote some of the best tunes in the history of rock.
Cumberland Rambin' Man Blue Sky Franklin's Interview GDTRFB Betts is way up in the mix, playing great
The Band:
Phil Lesh - bass & vocals
Joan Osborne - vocals
Dickey Betts - guitar
John Scofield - guitar
Larry Campbell - guitar, etc.
Rob Barraco - keys
John Molo - drums
I was too young to really be aware of the Duane Allman era of the Allman Brothers, I became a fan from Brothers & Sisters and Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas, two of my favorite albums of all time, so for me the greatness of that band was always focused on Dickie. The second rock concert I ever saw was Dickie Betts & Great Southern at Winterland; I have been a life-long fan ever since.
I've always thought it was a damn shame that his volatility/alcoholism kept him being part of the final era of the Allman Brothers. I think Derek Trucks is a brilliant player, but to my ear the band never truly sounded like the Allman Brothers without Dickie Betts.
I met him briefly once, behind Terrapin Crossroads the night he sat in with Furthur after he had played at the Marin County Fair.
I won't go into what I was doing in the deserted area behind the Grate Room that night, that's a different story for another time, but after Dickie was finished and Furthur was still playing I was standing all alone by the door to the little backstage area when Dickie walked out.
He immediately walked over to me, shook my hand and asked how I was doing. He had arrived with a big entourage and was surrounded by handlers going in, so I was surprised to see him come out all alone and I was more than a little star-struck, but I was able to mumble that I was fine and asked how he was doing. With a smile he said, "Well, I'm a little drunk, but I'm doing just fine."
I was able to tell him what a fan I was and thanked him for his music and for stopping by and playing that night. He said he always enjoyed playing some Grateful Dead music with Bob and Phil, and he chatted with me for a couple of minutes before collecting a little poodle type dog from his bus and began walking the dog along the dark berm next to the canal.
While watching this little man in a big cowboy hat and boots walking a little unsteady, all alone with his dog in a dark, deserted area where homeless and heroin addicts were more often found, I clearly remember thinking, "Damn, that wobbly old dude over there with the poof dog is one of the greatest rock stars of all time."
I'll never forget that incongruous image, or how kind he was with me, but mostly I'll remember how brilliant he was on songs like Southbound, Jessica, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Ramblin' Man and all the others.
I put Ramblin Man in the top 10 rock songs ever. His influence on guitarists was huge and it cut through many different genres besides southern rock. He's a legend. RIP Dickey Betts.
I'm with Lance on this one. Just a shame he wasn't in the ABB for their final long act. It was fantastic with Warren and Derek, but Dickeys absence was very present at every show imo.
There's good guitarists and great guitarists, Dickie was a great guitarist. I always loved Pony Boy off of Brothers And Sisters, just basic raw blues. He had a very distinct sound that always put a smile on your face.
Lance - thanks for that story. Great stuff. That was a fun show also, if my memory serves me well. I wouldn't have predicted the Viola/Caution/Viola/Blue Sky/Viola setlist and I was quite happy with it.
Chuck Leavell on death of Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts: 'He left an enduring legacy'
By Orlando Montoya
April 18. 2024
Dickey Betts, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, was known as one of the world's great guitarists and a progenitor of Southern rock. He wrote the band's 1970s FM radio staple, "Ramblin' Man" as well as the instrumental "Jessica."
Chuck Leavell played keyboards for the Macon, Ga.-based band and collaborated with Betts on songs and performances over the years.
Currently in rehearsals for this year's outing with the Rolling Stones (for whom he has served as principle keyboardist and music director since 1982), Leavell took the time Thursday afternoon to reflect on Dickey Betts' life and music as well as their friendship.
TRANSCRIPT:
Chuck Leavell: Well, I'm feeling very, very sad. The world has lost a great guitarist, a great songwriter, and certainly I and many others that were close to Dickey have lost a very good friend. But the good news is that he has left us an amazing, enduring, and awesome legacy of music. And that's something we'll be celebrating for a long, long time.
Orlando Montoya: Talk a little bit about, about his legacy. What do you think—we will talk about his musical legacy, first of all, and his personal legacy. But musically, what do you think his legacy is?
Chuck Leavell: Well, he had such a very unique style, a style of his own. You know, Dickey Betts, when you heard him play, it was very recognizable, very powerful. But also as a songwriter, you know, you take a song like “Ramblin’ Man,” which was, you know, a big hit for the Allman Brothers Band when I was in the band. It's a song that everyone can relate to. You know, it’s just a straight-ahead little story that is so fun. And it's a joyful song. You know, his guitar work, especially at the end of that song where there's multiple guitars playing, is something that's very special and unique. But … some of his instrumentals, especially the song “Jessica,” that was a great vehicle for a 20-year-old piano player at the time that we recorded that song. And, you know, I still hear that song on the radio, along with “Ramblin’ Man” and some of the other songs that Dickey wrote. So, his legacy is here to stay.
Orlando Montoya: And personally, you knew him as a friend. Tell me a little bit about him as a person and what you'll remember him personally.
Chuck Leavell: Well, I can tell you that, when I first joined the band—and this would have been, when we were touring in 1973—we played Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Dickey had been married to a Native American woman named Sandy Blue Sky, who he wrote the song “Blue Sky “for. And Dickey called me up and he said, “Chuck, we got a couple of days off. Would you and Rose Lane (my wife Rose Lane), like to go to a reservation and meet some of these Native Americans, meet some of the chiefs, and attend some ceremonies? And that was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. It was so sweet of him to reach out to myself and to Rose Lane and to include us in that little trip that we made. And it's something that I will never, ever forget and be grateful for.
Orlando Montoya: Well, you and the band will be known as the creators of Southern rock. And I think that’s another [piece of Betts’] legacy.
Chuck Leavell: Well, absolutely. Dickey Betts helped invent the term Southern rock. It's not a term that we all fell in love with, but, you know, looking back today, I think it is an appropriate term. We were from the South. Very proud to be from the South. We were influenced by Southern culture. We were influenced by Southern music, whether it's country, whether it's rhythm and blues and soul or blues. And so all of those blends worked together to form the style that the Allman Brothers Band had. And something I think we're all very happy about and very proud of.
Orlando Montoya: Well, again, my thoughts are with you and the family as well, and I appreciate you talking with me in helping to remember his legacy.
Chuck Leavell: Thank you so much, and rest in peace, my brother Dickey.
RIP Dickey Betts – not sure what to say. Such a huge loss. Not only for our musical family, but for the world of music in general. Aside from being a huge, major influence on my music from before I picked up a guitar, Dickey was the one person I credit for everything amazing that happened in my career. As I have stated many times, I was a huge Allman Brothers fan from the very beginning. My oldest brother had the first album in 1969 and it got a ton of play around our house. By the time the Live at Fillmore East record came out in 1971, I was just starting to play guitar and that was with without question the album that influenced me and all my young guitar playing friends the most. We would all listen to it for hours on end, day in and day out. It was a moment and time. What a beautiful gift to up and coming guitar players who might want to travel down that road of improvisation and melding influences. The way he and Duane Allman played together was a thing of beauty and glory. Dickey’s style was a combination of all his diverse influences filtered through his personality and what came out was a joyous sound that would directly or indirectly influence all related music to come. Listening as a kid I had no idea that one day our paths would cross and that he would become a mentor to me. In addition to being the huge influence and inspiration that he had been for years, he was also a presence that loomed larger than life. I started playing with the Dickey Betts Band around 1986 and when he recruited me to be the other guitar player and the slide guitar player in his band, it was the ultimate compliment. I’ll never forget speaking to him on the phone when he called to offer me the job. It was one of those “pinch me” moments in my life, but I had no way of knowing what a heavy moment it would prove to be. After playing in Dickey’s band for 2 1/2 years, I got the call to join my favorite band of all time, The Allman Brothers Band. No one knew at that time that they were considering reforming, so it came as a shock to me. We all signed on to do what we thought was only gonna be a reunion tour for the band’s 20th anniversary to support the Dreams box set. Not myself or anyone else ever imagined that it would turn into what it did and I wound up spending 25 years of my life life as a member of my favorite band. As I’ve also said many times, when I think of the Allman Brothers Band, I automatically think of the original band with Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, who unfortunately passed way too soon, and although I’m extremely proud of my work with the band, that will always be the case. Dickey Betts and I created a lot of great music together and what I took from him was a major contribution in my life. It did not take long once I joined his band to realize, standing next to him with that beautiful tone, that I had a lot to work to do on both with my tone and with my style. It was amazingly intimidating to stand there night after night realizing how far I had to go. He threw me in the lake and I had to learn to swim. I am forever grateful for that “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Thanks Dickey.-WH
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Ouch
Ouch
Dude hung in there quite a while
R.I.P. Dickey
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Gave us some great music that
Gave us some great music that will live on a long time. Glad I got to see him.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Sorry to hear this. A big
Sorry to hear this. A big part of the soundtrack of our lives. Jaimoe is now the last standing of the original ABB.
Gonna go put on In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, then Revival.
Thanks for the jams Mr. Richard Betts. R.I.P.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Well, he had a good long run,
Well, he had a good long run, especially considering the dude's lifestyle. RIP. This leaves Jaimoe as the last original Brother still standing.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Vann Kliburn
Very sorry to hear this. I've
Very sorry to hear this. I've been wondering how he was doing over the past few years. Great guitarist and songwriter- wrote some of the best tunes in the history of rock.
RIP Dickey.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
Your My BLUE SKY Your My
Your My BLUE SKY Your My Sunny Day ............... RIP DB.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: joy
Godspeed Ramblin' Man
Godspeed Ramblin' Man
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Klondike, were you at that
Klondike, were you at that Betts show at Suede in Park City years ago? The place by I-80. Great night.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dickey-betts-allman-brothers-band-dead-di...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Vann Kliburn
Didn't make that one Slick -
Didn't make that one Slick - don't know why. Caught the Mule there in 2005 - place was PACKED.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
This one really hurt.
This one really hurt.
Rest in Peace, Dickie.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay Sunshine
Sucks big time.
Sucks big time.
RIP Dickey Betts, one of a kind guitar shredder from the south.
He got the boot from the band 24 years ago right? Who did he murder again for this to happen???
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Fired by fax or so they say.
Fired by fax or so they say. Lot's of different stories.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Highnote
Fucking Legend. RIP.
Fucking Legend. RIP.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
Pre show set before Hifi Buys
Pre show set before Hifi Buys Amp 6/25/06 @ Vinyl:
SBD https://archive.org/details/PAF2006-06-25.sbd.flac16/paf2006-06-25ad1t04...
Cumberland Rambin' Man Blue Sky Franklin's Interview GDTRFB Betts is way up in the mix, playing great
The Band:
Phil Lesh - bass & vocals
Joan Osborne - vocals
Dickey Betts - guitar
John Scofield - guitar
Larry Campbell - guitar, etc.
Rob Barraco - keys
John Molo - drums
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
One the greatest of all time.
One the greatest of all time.
I was too young to really be aware of the Duane Allman era of the Allman Brothers, I became a fan from Brothers & Sisters and Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas, two of my favorite albums of all time, so for me the greatness of that band was always focused on Dickie. The second rock concert I ever saw was Dickie Betts & Great Southern at Winterland; I have been a life-long fan ever since.
I've always thought it was a damn shame that his volatility/alcoholism kept him being part of the final era of the Allman Brothers. I think Derek Trucks is a brilliant player, but to my ear the band never truly sounded like the Allman Brothers without Dickie Betts.
I met him briefly once, behind Terrapin Crossroads the night he sat in with Furthur after he had played at the Marin County Fair.
I won't go into what I was doing in the deserted area behind the Grate Room that night, that's a different story for another time, but after Dickie was finished and Furthur was still playing I was standing all alone by the door to the little backstage area when Dickie walked out.
He immediately walked over to me, shook my hand and asked how I was doing. He had arrived with a big entourage and was surrounded by handlers going in, so I was surprised to see him come out all alone and I was more than a little star-struck, but I was able to mumble that I was fine and asked how he was doing. With a smile he said, "Well, I'm a little drunk, but I'm doing just fine."
I was able to tell him what a fan I was and thanked him for his music and for stopping by and playing that night. He said he always enjoyed playing some Grateful Dead music with Bob and Phil, and he chatted with me for a couple of minutes before collecting a little poodle type dog from his bus and began walking the dog along the dark berm next to the canal.
While watching this little man in a big cowboy hat and boots walking a little unsteady, all alone with his dog in a dark, deserted area where homeless and heroin addicts were more often found, I clearly remember thinking, "Damn, that wobbly old dude over there with the poof dog is one of the greatest rock stars of all time."
I'll never forget that incongruous image, or how kind he was with me, but mostly I'll remember how brilliant he was on songs like Southbound, Jessica, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Ramblin' Man and all the others.
On it goes.
Play us out Dickie......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u881jMZVcu8
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: OO
Am I losing my mind? Didn't
Am I losing my mind? Didn't he die a couple of years ago?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
A photo from that night at
A photo from that night at TxR...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Vann Kliburn
great shot
great shot
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jack Fate
I put Ramblin Man in the top
I put Ramblin Man in the top 10 rock songs ever. His influence on guitarists was huge and it cut through many different genres besides southern rock. He's a legend. RIP Dickey Betts.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: billionyearoldcarbon
I'm with Lance on this one.
I'm with Lance on this one. Just a shame he wasn't in the ABB for their final long act. It was fantastic with Warren and Derek, but Dickeys absence was very present at every show imo.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind
RIP Dickey. Thanks for the
RIP Dickey. Thanks for the Blue Sky.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: uncmozo
There's good guitarists and
There's good guitarists and great guitarists, Dickie was a great guitarist. I always loved Pony Boy off of Brothers And Sisters, just basic raw blues. He had a very distinct sound that always put a smile on your face.
Rest in piece my friend.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mike Dalton
Lance - thanks for that story
Lance - thanks for that story. Great stuff. That was a fun show also, if my memory serves me well. I wouldn't have predicted the Viola/Caution/Viola/Blue Sky/Viola setlist and I was quite happy with it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Chuck Leavell on death of
Chuck Leavell on death of Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts: 'He left an enduring legacy'
By Orlando Montoya
April 18. 2024
Dickey Betts, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, was known as one of the world's great guitarists and a progenitor of Southern rock. He wrote the band's 1970s FM radio staple, "Ramblin' Man" as well as the instrumental "Jessica."
Chuck Leavell played keyboards for the Macon, Ga.-based band and collaborated with Betts on songs and performances over the years.
Currently in rehearsals for this year's outing with the Rolling Stones (for whom he has served as principle keyboardist and music director since 1982), Leavell took the time Thursday afternoon to reflect on Dickey Betts' life and music as well as their friendship.
TRANSCRIPT:
Chuck Leavell: Well, I'm feeling very, very sad. The world has lost a great guitarist, a great songwriter, and certainly I and many others that were close to Dickey have lost a very good friend. But the good news is that he has left us an amazing, enduring, and awesome legacy of music. And that's something we'll be celebrating for a long, long time.
Orlando Montoya: Talk a little bit about, about his legacy. What do you think—we will talk about his musical legacy, first of all, and his personal legacy. But musically, what do you think his legacy is?
Chuck Leavell: Well, he had such a very unique style, a style of his own. You know, Dickey Betts, when you heard him play, it was very recognizable, very powerful. But also as a songwriter, you know, you take a song like “Ramblin’ Man,” which was, you know, a big hit for the Allman Brothers Band when I was in the band. It's a song that everyone can relate to. You know, it’s just a straight-ahead little story that is so fun. And it's a joyful song. You know, his guitar work, especially at the end of that song where there's multiple guitars playing, is something that's very special and unique. But … some of his instrumentals, especially the song “Jessica,” that was a great vehicle for a 20-year-old piano player at the time that we recorded that song. And, you know, I still hear that song on the radio, along with “Ramblin’ Man” and some of the other songs that Dickey wrote. So, his legacy is here to stay.
Orlando Montoya: And personally, you knew him as a friend. Tell me a little bit about him as a person and what you'll remember him personally.
Chuck Leavell: Well, I can tell you that, when I first joined the band—and this would have been, when we were touring in 1973—we played Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Dickey had been married to a Native American woman named Sandy Blue Sky, who he wrote the song “Blue Sky “for. And Dickey called me up and he said, “Chuck, we got a couple of days off. Would you and Rose Lane (my wife Rose Lane), like to go to a reservation and meet some of these Native Americans, meet some of the chiefs, and attend some ceremonies? And that was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. It was so sweet of him to reach out to myself and to Rose Lane and to include us in that little trip that we made. And it's something that I will never, ever forget and be grateful for.
Orlando Montoya: Well, you and the band will be known as the creators of Southern rock. And I think that’s another [piece of Betts’] legacy.
Chuck Leavell: Well, absolutely. Dickey Betts helped invent the term Southern rock. It's not a term that we all fell in love with, but, you know, looking back today, I think it is an appropriate term. We were from the South. Very proud to be from the South. We were influenced by Southern culture. We were influenced by Southern music, whether it's country, whether it's rhythm and blues and soul or blues. And so all of those blends worked together to form the style that the Allman Brothers Band had. And something I think we're all very happy about and very proud of.
Orlando Montoya: Well, again, my thoughts are with you and the family as well, and I appreciate you talking with me in helping to remember his legacy.
Chuck Leavell: Thank you so much, and rest in peace, my brother Dickey.
[www.gpb.org]
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
cool story lance. what a trip
cool story lance. what a trip.
never forget my 1st ABB show at Bally's in Reno, either 90 or 91. Tore the fucking roof off. Lucky to have seen him a couple of times.
and as some here know or may not know, zoner frank sinatra does the dickey role in an ABB cover band Freestone Peaches. they are fantastic.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Does frank sinatra do it like
Does frank sinatra do it just like Dickey do?
or does he do it his way?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
i think a bit of both? i mean
i think a bit of both? i mean, whatever it is, its good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp5mToUHIiY
https://www.freestonepeaches.com/
seems to be playing a fest down here
https://www.visitvallejo.com/events/upcoming-events/the-mare-island-clas...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
oh that's up there, duh.
oh that's up there, duh.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: aiq
RIP, Brother Dickey.
RIP, Brother Dickey.
Posted by the family back in February, still playing.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
From Warren Haynes on Instagram:
RIP Dickey Betts – not sure what to say. Such a huge loss. Not only for our musical family, but for the world of music in general. Aside from being a huge, major influence on my music from before I picked up a guitar, Dickey was the one person I credit for everything amazing that happened in my career. As I have stated many times, I was a huge Allman Brothers fan from the very beginning. My oldest brother had the first album in 1969 and it got a ton of play around our house. By the time the Live at Fillmore East record came out in 1971, I was just starting to play guitar and that was with without question the album that influenced me and all my young guitar playing friends the most. We would all listen to it for hours on end, day in and day out. It was a moment and time. What a beautiful gift to up and coming guitar players who might want to travel down that road of improvisation and melding influences. The way he and Duane Allman played together was a thing of beauty and glory. Dickey’s style was a combination of all his diverse influences filtered through his personality and what came out was a joyous sound that would directly or indirectly influence all related music to come. Listening as a kid I had no idea that one day our paths would cross and that he would become a mentor to me. In addition to being the huge influence and inspiration that he had been for years, he was also a presence that loomed larger than life. I started playing with the Dickey Betts Band around 1986 and when he recruited me to be the other guitar player and the slide guitar player in his band, it was the ultimate compliment. I’ll never forget speaking to him on the phone when he called to offer me the job. It was one of those “pinch me” moments in my life, but I had no way of knowing what a heavy moment it would prove to be. After playing in Dickey’s band for 2 1/2 years, I got the call to join my favorite band of all time, The Allman Brothers Band. No one knew at that time that they were considering reforming, so it came as a shock to me. We all signed on to do what we thought was only gonna be a reunion tour for the band’s 20th anniversary to support the Dreams box set. Not myself or anyone else ever imagined that it would turn into what it did and I wound up spending 25 years of my life life as a member of my favorite band. As I’ve also said many times, when I think of the Allman Brothers Band, I automatically think of the original band with Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, who unfortunately passed way too soon, and although I’m extremely proud of my work with the band, that will always be the case. Dickey Betts and I created a lot of great music together and what I took from him was a major contribution in my life. It did not take long once I joined his band to realize, standing next to him with that beautiful tone, that I had a lot to work to do on both with my tone and with my style. It was amazingly intimidating to stand there night after night realizing how far I had to go. He threw me in the lake and I had to learn to swim. I am forever grateful for that “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Thanks Dickey.-WH