Saw several shows in 98 and 99 leading up to spring 2000. Dickey's playing could be erratic and there were a few shows where he seemed disinterested. The 2000 beacon run was weak by the band's lofty standards and the sit in with Steven Seagal earlier in the spring 2000 tour was a lowlight. Being fair, there were several good shows late in 98 and after he gelled with Derek in 99.

I was there, thx for reminding me! Where did 20 years go? It was a big set in front of a big crowd but I remember thinking at the time something was off, it just wasn't real clear what it was. I was surprised later on when the news came out, for sure.

I have mixed emotions about what happened. I wasn't happy and didn't really enjoy the band when I saw them in 1981 after Jaimoe was booted and they added David Toler and Mike Lawler. It had a way different vide and chemistry. Sounded more like the Gregg Allman Band jamming with the Dickey Betts and Great Southern than the ABB.

Jimmy Herring came to play and the summer 2000 tour was saved without returning thousands of pre sold tickets. But the two shows I had tickets for, Gregg never said anything about that not was Dickey, so I can understand why Dickey sued the band suggesting he was being impersonated. And he was being impersonated I suppose except Jimmy didn't sing. And I can understand why Jimmy rejected the gig and bailed out after the tour. Jimmy Herring didn't want to get involved in that mess.

Probably they should have broken up. Gregg would have been happier with his solo band and just as most of the buzz from fans in the original band was for Duane Allman and a little for Dickey and Berry Oakley, the last lineup was the same. Most of the buzz and the reason new fans came was Derek Trucks and a little bit for Warren Haynes, not Gregg or Butch. But every band has one or two key players that are the real draw but it really should be viewed as an entire unit. With the original band, I was awed by all of them and wanted to see the Allman Brothers as a band of equals. Remove Jaimoe or Gregg and the vibe and chemistry is different. It wasn't just Duane Allman and Dickey and Berry on the front line to me though it was clear the big piece of that sound was coming from Duane and Dickey.

I know Gregg couldn't take Dickey anymore. Mean bullying drunks are difficult but Gregg said when it began messing up Dickey's playing something had to be done. Initially Gregg was just going to quit after the Atlanta show. Butch was angry about all that too but was more angry that Dickey blocked every plan he had to involve the band with business ideas Butch had. Butch was determined to remove Dickey from the band's history. He had Dickey cropped from a band photo on his web page and was adamant NO Dickey songs would be played by the band moving forward after new instrumentals were written.

Butch was one of my favorite drummers and I have great respect for him and to what he contributed to the band's legacy and sound from the beginning. But if it hadn't been for Dickey, not only would the original band been as good, Dickey's guitar and song writing was HUGE to the band and more so after Duane died. If it were not for Dickey Betts there wouldn't have been a successful band in 2000AD to vote Dickey out of!!!

Dickey got his revenge by winning a lawsuit settlement that stuffed over a million dollars into his bank for being impersonated and booted from a band he was as key as Keith is to the Stones and especially after they gave in, went against Butch and put more and more of Dickey's songs back in the set lists, I know it probably got to Butch when after Blue Sky, Jessica, Revival, Liz Reed, Southbound etc, the last lineup got their most thunderous applause!!

Do you think the last lineup would have been as good to the audience without playing those Dickey songs?

Don't let anyone kid you. Dickey Betts is HUGE to the success and legacy to the Allman Brothers.

Dickey got his revenge by winning a lawsuit settlement that stuffed over a million dollars into his bank for being impersonated and booted from a band he was as key as Keith is to the Stones and especially after they gave in, went against Butch and put more and more of Dickey's songs back in the set lists, I know it probably got to Butch when after Blue Sky, Jessica, Revival, Liz Reed, Southbound etc, the last lineup got their most thunderous applause!!

Do you think the last lineup would have been as good to the audience without playing those Dickey songs?

Don't let anyone kid you. Dickey Betts is HUGE to the success and legacy to the Allman Brothers.

They tried that post-2000, replacing Dickey’s music w/classic rock covers - something I personally didn’t dig too much, thought they shoulda gone deeper into their own stuff instead

In retrospect 3 was a crowd I guess - Dickey seemed to get along fine working w/Warren, same Gregg w/Warren post 2000, as far as the writing, set lists etc - concerts were well received in both eras -

In his book, Gregg said “in the end, we were happy with the ruling” when Dickey sued them, so who knows - but I was glad to see his stuff.return to the stage, esp when they did Blue Sky as they did it originally - & as you pointed out, the crowds seemed more than OK w/it too! 😉 -

they knew what you mentioned, that there or not, Dickey was & is a cornerstone of the ABB

they knew what you mentioned, that there or not, Dickey was & is a cornerstone of the ABB

For sure, fans don't care who wrote what, they just want to hear their favorite songs. Had the set lists continued as they did in 2002/2003 (more Warren, no Dickey material) I wouldn't have gone to as many shows as I did during the Warren/Derek period. I know some people griped about "Blue Sky" returning to the rotation without Dickey, but just listen to the crowd lose it on the Fox Box during those opening notes.

I remember seeing the Steven Seagal sit-in pics here and wondering WTF?

I was a this show. They had a huge crowd of at least 30,000 at Music Midtown in front of the stage. Wonderful weather. It was a very enjoyable show. They played some of the newer stuff that became Dickey Betts Band material for his first album. I remember Please Call Home being heavenly across the big crowd. The late set long drums/bass at 9:45pm on the final day of a 3 day festival didn't help hold the crowd.

I've never sought out the tapes as I wanted my memory to the be in tact from experiencing it from the crowd (some of the shows I really enjoyed 1997-2000 weren't as crisp on tape and lacked in backgroud/harmony vocals). I remember how shocked I was just a couple weeks later when we got the news that Dickey was out for the summer tour. At the time I was glad they had already played ATL. Now, I wish I had seen the Jimmy/Derek lineup (I did see the rare Jimmy/Warren lineup that December at the epic 2000 Christmas Jam in Asheville).

I know some people griped about "Blue Sky" returning to the rotation without Dickey, but just listen to the crowd lose it on the Fox Box during those opening notes.

I was at the Fox in the front row of the balcony and the crowd didn't just roar, it was a giddy reaction. I was another absolute die-hard fan and our wives (who were real fans) who all appreciated the moment. Loads of friends were scattered across the Fox as well. It was an unexpected magic moment and they played a respectful, beautiful, elegant version of Blue Sky. Gregg nailed the vocals (he also nailed the vocals on Dixie Down that night which didn't always happen....my fav version of that cover).

I'll always regret not seeing Dickey one last time before he retired. I had a couple opportunities, but didn't pull the trigger. He was a monster in the early nineties.

i was there with my crew to see the brothers at music midtown.kenny wayne shepherd was on tour with the allmans and played before they did.the brothers came on and played a good show but there just wasnt any life to it and dickey and derek didnt seem to have any chemistry between them.i thought that kws played such a good show he had somehow out did the brothers. a few days later the news about dickey came out and was very shocking.the band was still great but was never the same without dickey.

I was at the Nashville gig that preceded this show. it was not enjoyable.

the music was fine, but you could sense the tension on the stage. Oteil wore a huge frown and you could tell that he was going through the motions. dickey left the stage abruptly after the show. it was just the opposite of the normally joyous feeling I got all abb shows up to that point.

I was at that show, had a great time...19 years old and ripping the ATL a new one, lol. I’m with Tim...Although I have the recording I don’t revisit it bc it was the end of a major chapter in ABB. Man we loved Dickey...that really sucked. Was at the Columbia, SC show a few nights earlier...township auditorium. Had a blast n brought a lot of ppl to the show...the tape of that definitely revealed some tension. Dickey hit some clams fosho but hearing him sing Nobody Knows was cool. Dickey was basically a mess in 2000... between Dickeys Native American friend AND Joe Dan dying...recipe for disaster. Pair these losses with already being a nasty drunk...well, you know. Dickeys playing started a decline in ‘97 id say. Not that at any given moment he couldn’t crush it; but as far as consistency is concerned. But hey...he’d gotten older n the grind wears everyone out. Almost 30 yrs at the top of your game qualifies Betts as the legendary airman that he is.

"Jimmy Herring came to play and the summer 2000 tour was saved without returning thousands of pre sold tickets. But the two shows I had tickets for, Gregg never said anything about that not was Dickey, so I can understand why Dickey sued the band suggesting he was being impersonated. And he was being impersonated I suppose except Jimmy didn't sing. And I can understand why Jimmy rejected the gig and bailed out after the tour. Jimmy Herring didn't want to get involved in that mess."[

I never heard this one--Impersonating Dickey Betts was a part of the lawsuit?

The Atlanta Music Midtown show was the end of an 8-date spring mini-tour. My recollection is Dickey wasn't "laid off" because of the Atlanta performance, but rather the Other 3 waited until after the mini-tour to make the decision or craft a fax message. By all accounts the Atlanta show was pretty decent, as more or less confirmed in this thread, but it was the earlier shows in the mini-tour that were train-wrecks and filled with tension that led to The Decision.

I remember being stunned by the announcement, which was also bitter-sweet because Jimmy has long been among my very favorite guitar players and I was also excited at the prospect of Derek, Jimmy & Oteil being in a band together (again).

I never heard this one--Impersonating Dickey Betts was a part of the lawsuit?

No, of course not. That is creative memories and absurd. Dickey sued for actual civil causes of action under U.S. jurisprudence. Like breach of contract, "ultra vires" acts of violating company bylaws, with probably some intentional infliction of emotional distress thrown in for good measure.

[Edited on 5/7/2020 by Zambi]

The 2000 beacon run was weak by the band's lofty standards

I saw three of those shows and the energy wasn't there. There was almost zero variety in the setlist. At the time I'd only been seeing them for a couple of years and I didn't mind it that much, but in hindsight those were the weakest ABB shows I ever saw.

I've never sought out any of these late spring 2000 shows. Some of them were supposedly pretty bad and I never wanted to put on a tape just to hear how bad it was. It's not a great use of a couple of hours or a very good reason to listen to music. It's kind of incredible that this is all 20 years in the past now. I remember word that Dickey wouldn't be on this tour started leaking out about a week after this show and then it was officially announced on my 18th birthday. If my math is correct, that makes me 481 years old now.

In the end everybody has the right to make music with whoever they want and live their lives how they like. With everything far in the past by now I think it's fair to say they all did a very bad job communicating and maintaining their relationships for a very long time, and this was the result. It was probably inevitable that something was going to blow it up considering their history even before that. For me, I'm very glad the band continued. My life would've been much poorer if they hadn't.

But the two shows I had tickets for, Gregg never said anything about that not was Dickey, so I can understand why Dickey sued the band suggesting he was being impersonated.

At every show of that tour, Gregg introduced all of the band members by name and wrapped it up by saying "We ARE the Allman Brothers Band."

I never heard this one--Impersonating Dickey Betts was a part of the lawsuit?

No, of course not. That is creative memories and absurd. Dickey sued for actual civil causes of action under U.S. jurisprudence. Like breach of contract, "ultra vires" acts of violating company bylaws, with probably some intentional infliction of emotional distress thrown in for good measure.

Dickey used the word "impersonating" in an interview shortly after his ouster and blackey is taking it extremely literally even though that's not what was intended.

[Edited on 5/7/2020 by Marley]

No Zambi Dickey mentioned twice that among his grievances was he was being impersonated. Dickey was told by fax his three partners had voted to suspend him for the summer and they were playing shows with another guitar player playing his parts and even in songs he wrote and no announcement from the stage that wasn't him. At my two shows that summer I never heard mention from the stage that is not Dickey but Jimmy Herring. But it was on this website and was in the press. I assume Dickey was guessing many people would go to the show unawares that he was voted out and that wasn't him playing Jessica.

Yes Gregg said they were satisfied with the settlement. I assume at the time Gregg and Butch were happy for the band to shell out over 7 figures and be able to move on. But when Gregg and Dickey began talking and getting along again shortly before Gregg passed, Gregg revealed he had been worried for years that Dickey was going to come after him personally in a lawsuit. Who knows what the grounds of that would have been.

Yes even after Dickey's playing began to decline and you would hear some clear clams, he could also roll out a fantastic solo on the same show.

And I saw two Jack Dickey shows in 1997 and two Derek Dickey shows in 1999 and Dickey was fantastic all the way through the show. The 1997 Jack Dickey show in Raleigh is on YouTube and I've listened and sure enough it is real solid. Great Blue Sky from Jack and Dickey...Great Dimples from Jack and Dickey with Jack singing and What's Done Is Done follows Dimples and Jack and Dickey are sensational.

Derek and Dickey were fantastic in 1999 in Las Vegas. Butch Trucks even commented on this site that because of Derek reminding Dickey and Gregg so much of Duane, Dickey was playing the best right now than he has in several years and Gregg is inspired too. But the next year Butch was totally different about Dickey and to be fair, Dickey's playing had become shakier than ever. But as Peakin' At The Beacon shows on Standback, Seven Turns and a couple of others, Dickey would nail it sometimes too.

I was at the Nashville gig that preceded this show. it was not enjoyable.

the music was fine, but you could sense the tension on the stage. Oteil wore a huge frown and you could tell that he was going through the motions. dickey left the stage abruptly after the show. it was just the opposite of the normally joyous feeling I got all abb shows up to that point.

Oteil always seems so happy onstage. His presence always comes with a ton of good vibes. I suppose if he’s looking miserable onstage something REALLY has to be wrong

At my two shows that summer I never heard mention from the stage that is not Dickey but Jimmy Herring.

Gregg introduced all of the band members routinely during that tour. It's on every recording I've heard and happened at the show I attended, too.

Don't believe everything you read in interviews, blackey. Those guys routinely hyperbolized in interviews. I don't think Dickey thought that they were dressing Jimmy up with a mustache and cowboy hat with native American vest and $hitkickers. And Dickey sure as heck didn't sue the band for that.

The band took new promo photos for that tour with Jimmy, and it ran on the homepage and banner of this website and was in every newspaper article covering the summer 2000 tour. And as Marley said, Gregg introduced all band members routinely, if not at every show, and usually doubling down that they were the Allman Brothers Band. Gregg even introduce him as Jimmy the Red Herring on at least one occasion. Nobody was hiding anything or impersonating anybody.

In fact, even mentioned Jimmy first in the promo photo:

I caught the Mobile, AL show during that spring run, and it was pretty bad. I've seen some shows where Dickey was not 100% into it, but this one was really sloppy. I'll have to listen to it again, but I think he started "Black Hearted Woman" when the rest of the band started "Every Hungry Woman"...

Not at the level of 1991-1996, for sure, but I have missed his playing w the ABB since that run.

Yes Wynnc I missed Dickey being in the band after the 2000AD faxing. Warren Haynes said about 2003 that Dickey's sound and songs are huge for the ABB and he wouldn't stay in the band if he were standing in the way of Dickey coming back but when he talks to Dickey he is told he doesn't want to come back. And Gregg and Butch told Warren they would quit before they would go back. So Warren, being the nice man he is, said unfortunately it isn't possible for Dickey to come back right now.

As the years went by Dickey said he would play with the band again if Gregg called him personally. But I think he was talking about appearing at the Beacon in 2009. The idea was to invite everyone who played with Duane. But Butch told the press that Dickey would not be invited. Butch said he would never play with Dickey again no matter the occasion. But just as Gregg didn't back Butch on never playing a Dickey song again, supposedly at Warren, Derek and Otiel's urging, Gregg gave Bert permission to contact Dickey with an invitation. Dickey would only speak to Gregg so it didn't happen. That repeated for the lifetime Grammy and the 2014 closing shows. Dickey wouldn't touch it unless Gregg called him personally. Gregg and Dickey didnt speak to each other for over 15 years.

Dickey told the press in 2000AD that he waited a few days then called Gregg to talk about the fax but Gregg kept hanging up on him. So Dickey said to the reporter he couldn't get an answer as to why this happened but he had hired a law firm and by taking legal action he is expecting to get some answers. Dickey also said he thought Gregg let Butch talk him into something and Dickey didn't know there was so much pent up resentment and anger for him from Butch that goes back to the original band.

Zambi I get your point. I remember Gregg saying several times another ABB album would be recorded. Once he even said they would do it without Butch Trucks when the reporter said Butch informed him the ABB would not do anymore albums. Only live shows. As to Dickey, Gregg told the press Dickey was fired then in a later interview he could claim Dickey quit. That they were pleased with the results of Dickey's lawsuit to Dickey is trying to turn this into a divorce case like an X wife by suing us. And Dickey burned his bridge with us when he sued the band. That was some years after he said they were pleased with the settlement. So yes these guys are all over the map.

[Edited on 5/7/2020 by blackey]

[Edited on 5/7/2020 by blackey]

September 1998 at about 3 in the afternoon I tried for online tickets and scored 3rd row center at Moran Theatre in JVille.
I love when that happens. Only time it happened for me.
Jack was great. Dickey was on fire.
One of the best shows I've ever seen.
They even did that acoustic segment in the middle.
Just Gregg and Dickey.
Both literally sitting a few feet from us.
Amazing.

I caught Dickey a couple times post ABB in early 2000's. One Way Out and Blue Sky were excellent.
The last Beacon run and 3/10 Brothers Show just hoping he would appear.

Blackey your thoughts on Dickey's contribution to the ABB spot on. I hope he is doing well.

I don't have enough good things to say about Dickey's guitar playing and contribution to the ABB. He, Barry & Duane were the best, period.

But I bounced in bars for 3 years of undergrad and 2 of graduate school and have had enough of mean drunks to last a 100 lifetimes. Life is too short to live with constant tension, stress & anxiety.

They made the best decision for everyone involved.

I wish Dickey nothing but the best.

Well said, DeadMallard.

I don't have enough good things to say about Dickey's guitar playing and contribution to the ABB. He, Barry & Duane were the best, period.

But I bounced in bars for 3 years of undergrad and 2 of graduate school and have had enough of mean drunks to last a 100 lifetimes. Life is too short to live with constant tension, stress & anxiety.

They made the best decision for everyone involved.

I wish Dickey nothing but the best.

Sucks that I never got to see Dickey with the ABB as my first concert was in 2002 @ Spac. I can only imagine how awesome he was.

I loved all the versions and sit ins after Dickey left but it was never really the same for me. Amazing band and I would pay to see them under any name. But for me - the vibe was never the same.

When I would see Dickey solo after that, I was lucky and always caught great shows. The trick was to not see shows where he was going on real late. Too much down time to have a few beers and a few beers often leads to more beers.

But I have always stood by that fact that my encounters with Dickey have always been Top Notch. In fact, he has always been more than friendly and easy going. I tend to bring out the best in people. LOL

I stole at least half of what I know on guitar from Dickey Betts - I will always owe him.

I agree Canadian Mule. Just as it was never the same after Duane, it was never the same after Dickey. And it would have been ever worse if Butch had gotten his way and Dickey's songs would have been purged. That is why I rarely play the band's last official new release, One Way Out. No Dickey and no Dickey songs. A live set with no Dickey songs? Not the complete ABB experience I say.

Hearing the Allman Brothers Band with Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes or Jimmy Herring or whoever covering the Duane Allman AND Dickey Betts' chairs on the old stuff just doesn't excite me that much. It sounds like a cover band no matter how good the solos are. Almost like hearing Lynyrd Skynyrd with another singing for Ronnie.

I like Derek and Warren best in their own bands or when they were with Dickey in the ABB.

If they had done what Butch Trucks wanted and eliminate all Dickey songs, I'm not sure I would have gone to any more shows.

. That is why I rarely play the band's last official new release, One Way Out. No Dickey and no Dickey songs.

Why bother putting them on? Already plenty of versions of them. I would have preferred the album with no old songs.

Aside from all the various releases, I must have 300 - 400 shows so I am pretty good with what they put on any release.