Dickey Betts, the co-founder and renowned guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band, passes away at 80.
At the age of 80, Dickey Betts, a co-founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, passed away. The band, known for their "southern rock" style, had a significant impact in the 1970s. Originating from Jacksonville, Florida in 1969, they combined elements of rock, blues, country, and jazz to create a distinct sound that became synonymous with the genre. This influence extended to other musicians such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, the Black Crowes, and Kid Rock. The band achieved great success with multiple platinum and gold albums and were eventually honored with induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
While the Allman brothers, Duane and Gregg, were the apparent leaders of the six-man band, guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter, Betts played a significant part. With his iconic cowboy hats, lengthy mustache, and rugged appearance, Betts contributed greatly to the band's success with his compositions such as Jessica, Blue Sky, and the 1973 hit Ramblin' Man, which reached No. 2 on the US charts and was influenced by his experiences on tour.
Born and raised in Florida, Betts was playing the ukulele by five years old, and by the time he was a teen was already a major talent on multiple stringed instruments. He grew up with bluegrass and country, but by high school decided to try his hand at the then still-new genre of rock and roll. He had an act of his own, Second Coming, when, in 1969, he met someone who would truly change his life: Duane Allman (1946–1971).
“I think it's fair to say that Duane made more unusual and surprising choices in terms of note selection and rhythmic motifs whereas Dickey took a more linear approach. But Dickey was every bit Duane’s equal in terms of technical ability. And if you don’t believe that, listen to Dickey’s solo breakdown on “You Don’t Love Me” from 6/27/71 at the Fillmore East.
The Allman Brothers Band - Seven Turns
In the original Allman Brothers Band, Betts and Duane Allman collaborated on lead guitar to give the group its distinctive sound and establish a fresh genre known as Southern rock. By combining elements of blues, country, R&B, and jazz with the rock of the 1960s, the band created a unique style that served as a major influence for renowned artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and Chris Stapleton, among numerous others. Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash the following year.
Betts was ranked No. 58 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003'
“I was married to a Native American woman at the time, and her name was Blue Sky. I wrote it with that in mind. Then I decided to take the personal thing out of it and give it more of a spiritual, thank you for the day, kind of song, and I think I made it a much better song.” — interview with Goldmine magazine, 2019