For me, bottom line is me saying that I thought this 3/21/05 Blue Sky was fantastic does in no way say anything about the original version or live versions by the original band. That someone automatically reads it to mean some comparison to the original band (when original versions were never even mentioned) is their mistake.

My rub is my loyalty to the original lineup and the incredible joy, bliss, inspiration and thrills The Allman Brothers Band had then.

Oh I think you've made your point. Several times. Everyone loves the original lineup, obviously, but the world keeps turning and great songs get played again.

I don't want to revisit all that drama.

Then STOP rehashing all of the drama in every single post. EVERYONE here knows the history.

Appreciate your passionate thoughts and opinions, but just enjoy the music for what it is and not what it isn't.

Yup! To the nth degree. If someone likes a lineup that isn't the original then that person is apparently wrong. Yawn...

Here is another lousy version of Blue Sky recorded just a few days ago; 2/19/20

My problem with the last lineup is NOT with the playing except it was aggravating to hear Gregg singing it when using the name Allman Brothers.

My problem is how it was handled and handled in a way I am almost certain Duane and Berry would not approve.

Even though Dickey appears to have deserved it and brought it on himself, you kick a man out of his band that he contributed so much from the very first show, ANNOUNCE HIS VOCAL COMPOSITIONS ARE OUT, instrumentals are on their way out of the sets, then when that has almost taken place....bring back so many of Dickey's classic ABB songs including Blue Sky with another member singing Dickey's vocals. It struck me as rubbing it in Dickey's face.

I skipped 4 shows I could have attended in late 1980 and early 1981 because I was pissed at the ABB for voting out Jaimoe!! Duane and Berry would have never voted out a brother. The problem would have been handled differently.

I'm almost sure if Duane and Berry had lived, the original lineup would have been the ONLY lineup!! Not sure it would have lasted until 2014 though.

I love the way the Allman Betts Band plays Blue Sky! They take a great song by The ABB and make it sound great with a nod to the original version. I don't see how in the world you have a problem with Dickey, Gregg and Berry's sons playing Blue Sky. You really do have blinders on, your eyes, mind and ears. I used to like your passion for promoting the original lineup but now you are just sounding like a broken record. Really just going to ignore you from now on, you have nothing new to say. How in the world can you say this is a lousy version, wow.

[Edited on 3/3/2020 by Wayne]

I love the way the Allman Betts Band plays Blue Sky!

Thanks for sharing the video blackey.

Nice version. Man oh man!!!!! Is Johnny Stachela a player or what!? That guy has got that whole ABB vibe down on that song and adding his own stuff too.
What tone!!!! As a guitarist a really appreciate great tone and he has it. I hope they hang on to him.I

Glad to see them and the family bands carry on the music and spirit!!!

Good stuff!

[Edited on 3/3/2020 by jszfunk]

[Edited on 3/3/2020 by jszfunk]

Here is another lousy version of Blue Sky recorded just a few days ago; 2/19/20

My problem with the last lineup is NOT with the playing except it was aggravating to hear Gregg singing it when using the name Allman Brothers.

My problem is how it was handled and handled in a way I am almost certain Duane and Berry would not approve.

Even though Dickey appears to have deserved it and brought it on himself, you kick a man out of his band that he contributed so much from the very first show, ANNOUNCE HIS VOCAL COMPOSITIONS ARE OUT, instrumentals are on their way out of the sets, then when that has almost taken place....bring back so many of Dickey's classic ABB songs including Blue Sky with another member singing Dickey's vocals. It struck me as rubbing it in Dickey's face.

I skipped 4 shows I could have attended in late 1980 and early 1981 because I was pissed at the ABB for voting out Jaimoe!! Duane and Berry would have never voted out a brother. The problem would have been handled differently.

I'm almost sure if Duane and Berry had lived, the original lineup would have been the ONLY lineup!! Not sure it would have lasted until 2014 though.

Here is a challenge Blackey.

10 posts in a row about the ABB that do not mention either Duane or Dickey.

Even though Dickey appears to have deserved it and brought it on himself, you kick a man out of his band that he contributed so much from the very first show, ANNOUNCE HIS VOCAL COMPOSITIONS ARE OUT, instrumentals are on their way out of the sets, then when that has almost taken place....bring back so many of Dickey's classic ABB songs including Blue Sky with another member singing Dickey's vocals.

Come ON already. He was kicked out of the band 20 years ago. Most of the song decisions you're talking about happened 10-15 years ago, and the band ended five years ago. Gregg and Butch are gone. The band did what it did, it's all there to listen to or not. There's not much sense in being more hurt on someone else's behalf than he is, or taking sides in a fight where most of the people involved are dead.

I admit that the details of a lot of this stuff seemed very import and worth arguing about at the time... I'm not sure they were, but either way they're pretty irrelevant now. None of this is worth being mad over at this point.

I'm almost sure if Duane and Berry had lived, the original lineup would have been the ONLY lineup!! Not sure it would have lasted until 2014 though.

You have no idea what would've happened. None of us do because it's unknowable. Almost nobody here ever met them in person, so we don't know how they would have handled any situation or what they would've done. What did happen is they all screwed up a lot on every personal level and made a lot of great music along the way, so we may as well focus on that.

I WAS JOKING!!!!! That is NOT a lousy version of Blue Sky! Allman Betts Band is great. I saw them live just a couple months ago and was very pleased. Devon looks like his uncle Duane in the eyes and nose but is a bigger man and doesnt seem to need a dentist. Betts looks like Dickey and Berry favors Berry a little in the eyes.

I don't think any of the last lineup songs are lousy. How could musicians such as Derek, Warren and the original 3 and Otiel do a lousy version?

I love the last lineup playing everything they played except Blue Sky. To me it is rubbing it in Dickey's face even if he deserved to be voted out. Nobody would enjoying working with a bully, especially with a drinking problem.

Butch and Gregg at the time refused to respect the incredible contribution Dickey made.

But finally, and I'm going to drop it, it was the BAND through Butch Trucks that said they had dropped ALL songs Dickey sang on and as soon as they wrote some new instrumentals, Dickey's instrumentals would be gone too.

THE BAND SAID IT THROUGH BUTCH.

Yes Allman Betts Blue Sky is real nice an yes jszfunk, Johnny is a very good guitar player. I noticed his slide work the night I saw the band is real good too.

Okay enough about the band bringing back Blue Sky without Dickey singing after at least Butch Trucks said they wouldn't.

[Edited on 3/3/2020 by blackey]

I'm almost sure if Duane and Berry had lived, the original lineup would have been the ONLY lineup!! Not sure it would have lasted until 2014 though.

You have no idea what would've happened. None of us do because it's unknowable. Almost nobody here ever met them in person, so we don't know how they would have handled any situation or what they would've done. What did happen is they all screwed up a lot on every personal level and made a lot of great music along the way, so we may as well focus on that.

I'll say this-- the original ABB had significant drug problems before and after the deaths of Duane and Berry. We saw the chaos once they hit it big, hard to say how the success would have affected the band in the event they lived. Duane would have become one of the best known guitar players in the land far more than the acclaim he achieved; who knows what else he may have done?

BTW-- that Allman Betts Band Blue Sky is quite good...very tight, melodic and nice pacing. I really like their work

But finally, and I'm going to drop it, it was the BAND through Butch Trucks that said they had dropped ALL songs Dickey sang on and as soon as they wrote some new instrumentals, Dickey's instrumentals would be gone too.

THE BAND SAID IT THROUGH BUTCH.

Three things:

One, WHO CARES at this point?

Second, Butch was not a spokesman. It's not like he was reading a prepared statement. He was a guy with an opinion who liked to say what he thought, and from what I remember you're making way too much out of one interview or a couple of interviews. Whatever he may have felt or said, this was never going to happen and very few people would have been happy if it had happened because ABB fans love those songs. And in the end it didn't, so why is it worth arguing about? What happened is this: in the summer 2000 tour, they played plenty of songs Dickey wrote or co-wrote. In 2001, in their first show with Warren back in the band, they didn't play any songs Dickey *exclusively wrote* (they did play Hot'Lanta), and then in the nights after that they played Elizabeth Reed, Southbound, Jessica, High Falls, and on and on. A few songs came and went but that general pattern never really changed.

Three, I don't believe you're going to drop it because you seem to think this is important for some reason. It isn't.

Blacky you have opinions that are valued greatly around here indeed. But this is not accurate...

pops42. I heard Gregg on the radio in the late 2000's and was asked why he didnt sing Blue Sky when the play it now. He said Butch was opposed to doing it at all but we get so many requests. Gregg said he didnt want to sing it and no wonder the writer changed the key. It was too hard to sing. Gregg gave no hint as to who overruled Butch and who changed the key back to when the writer could sing it that way

Gregg said on the Eat A Peach Live radio special that he was supposed to sing the song originally for the album but he thought DB could sing it very well and so it went. He said that later when DB changed the key from E to G that it became VERY HARD to sing because G is "Way up there". My opinion is that you could tell how hard it was to sing EVERY TIME you heard Dicky trying to sing it in the key of G. The song was recorded in E and that is where it always belonged. Gregg quit singing it presumably because he kept flubbing the vocals.

Gregg said on the Eat A Peach Live radio special that he was supposed to sing the song originally for the album but he thought DB could sing it very well and so it went. He said that later when DB changed the key from E to G that it became VERY HARD to sing because G is "Way up there". My opinion is that you could tell how hard it was to sing EVERY TIME you heard Dicky trying to sing it in the key of G. The song was recorded in E and that is where it always belonged. Gregg quit singing it presumably because he kept flubbing the vocals.

Yup, 1:02:40 Gregg talks "Blue Sky"

"Blue Sky" had been moved to G as early as 1973.

KCJimmy. They tell some of the stories a little different sometimes. I've heard Gregg say he flew from LA to Jacksonville when Duane called to ask him to join his new band. And that Duane sent him a plane ticket. But usually he said he was skeptical about two lead players and two drummers but accepted the gig complete with him having to play a Hammond B3. And he caught a ride with a bass player all the way across the country. Once he said he stuck out his thumb and a bass player picked him up. I think in his book he said it was a bass player he knew and Duane didn't like the guy. When they finally made it to Jacksonville and pulled up to the house, Duane recognized the guy and quickly thanked him for bringing is brother across the country and Duane escorted Gregg into the house and shut the door and that was that. A little cold and unfriendly but apparently Duane didn't like him.

As to Blue Sky, Gregg and Dickey both said Dickey planned for Gregg to sing it when Dickey showed it to the band but it was DUANE who said " Dickey this is your song and it fits you so you sing the lead".

The interview I caught early in mid 2000s or so Gregg avoided using Dickey's name. Dickey was "our old guitar player", "our old guitar player was bringing in songs that did nothing for me. I just couldn't hear anything with them but we had to play them because he acted like a damn dictator". " we got rid of him and those songs" " I use to sing it. Butch doesnt want to play it but we get so many requests. No wonder the writer changed the key, it's up there" etc etc. Those quotes are damn close to what he said.

Now that I think about it, Gregg must have overruled Butch and Blue Sky got into the sets again when they recreated Eat A Peach, every track in order. Yes there was some reason Gregg decided to let Warren start singing it. There isn't a chance Warren took it away from Gregg. They didnt tell Gregg what to do. No sure how it worked in the 2000's but in the 90's everyone but the original four were employees of the original four. When Gregg was contacted by Butch in 2000 about removing Dickey, Gregg asked if we can do that. Gregg said he was just going to quit the band and that Dickey's contract probably won't allow us to do it. Butch said the owners, the original four, didnt have a contract at all. There is NO contracts with us. It's our votes and if Jaimoe joins us we don't have to quit, we can get rid of Dickey who has been holding us hostage for years.

Butch also decided the band wouldn't do another studio album but later, Gregg said to the press that they WOULD do another studio album and without Butch Trucks if necessary. That is when I figured there was tension between Butch and Gregg again. But for whatever reason Butch was right. No new album.

Ah so thats what its called "Blue Sky". All this time I thought it was "Blues Guy" - sounded great, killer guitar solos whoever was fortunate enough to get to play the number. With my mistaken interpretation the lyrics always seemed kinda sappy, too "mansensitive". Makes more sense now, thanks all.

Your my blues guy
Your my sunny day
Dont you know it makes me high
When you turn your love my way

See, kinda awkward, akways rather would have Bonnie Raitt singing it would been better.

[Edited on 3/4/2020 by BrerRabbit]

Ah so thats what its called "Blue Sky". All this time I thought it was "Blues Guy" - sounded great, killer guitar solos whoever was fortunate enough to get to play the number. With my mistaken interpretation the lyrics always seemed kinda sappy, too "mansensitive". Makes more sense now, thanks all.

Your my blues guy
Your my sunny day
Dont you know it makes me high
When you turn your love my way

See, kinda awkward, akways rather would have Bonnie Raitt singing it would been better.

[Edited on 3/4/2020 by BrerRabbit]

You've been on a roll lately.

Again.

Always get a chuckle out of " you're " lyrics.

cabin fever , man, February is brutal around here

DOOM MUST RISE.

wow wow wow this Blue Sky with Chuck is incredible! Gets me even more excited for next week!

One of the best mountain jams I've ever heard had Chuck on it back in the day, but I don't know the show.

the 2005 version is neither the best or worse... just another take on a great song... I think Gregg & Company earned the right to do that song how they wanted long ago... Just as I think Dickey could have done some of Gregg's songs if he wanted to... lots of blood & sweat went into those tune by all involved.

I do like how the Allman Betts Band is doing it right now... Johnny & Duane are really nailing the sound & vibe.