i've read chuck's atuobio "between rock and a hard place" three times. it's always fresh. it might be the best autobio from the group. he has had an amazing career and life. his playing in the brothers was flawless. it's between him and jack (Oand maybe oteil) for the title of best musician ever in the ABB.

I've been meaning to buy this book, probably will order it soon.

The ABB were always meant to be a 2 guitar band, and after they lost Duane the addition of Chuck to the group was a perfect fit. His work on Brothers & Sisters helped make it the great album it turned out to be, and one that I never tire of hearing

Brothers and Sisters has always been my favorite ABB album because of Chuck. He's the only guy who can make me play air piano.

Everyone always talks about the "Betts bounce." Well I've had heard many people comment about ABB as relates to the bounce. What was great about the original lineup and subsequently the Chuck lineup, and even to a certain extent, the Toler lieup, was that those lead players matched off the upbeat Betts bounce.

I loved the Warren/Dickey lineup and I think Dickey might have had the effect of brightening up Warren's gritty blues style or Trucks wailing blues style. But when Dickey left the ABB that kind of distinctive energy was gone for better or worse. Warren and Derek were magnificent and complimented each other so well, but that bounce is simply not there with those two...again for better or worse, it's simply a matter of taste. The best ABB lineups each had a guy who had bounce to bounce off Betts bounce. Chuck had bounce.

Allman/Betts > bounce, Betts/Leavell > bounce, Betts/Toler > bounce, Betts/Haynes > bounce, exit Betts > no bounce....

It's just a theory.

[Edited on 3/28/2015 by wearly89]

[Edited on 3/28/2015 by wearly89]

i've read chuck's atuobio "between rock and a hard place" three times. it's always fresh. it might be the best autobio from the group. he has had an amazing career and life. his playing in the brothers was flawless. it's between him and jack (Oand maybe oteil) for the title of best musician ever in the ABB.

I must assume you did not include Duane and Berry in your consideration for best ABB musician ever.

I read Chuck's biography; by the way, the title is "Between A Rock and A Home Place."

Good book. Interesting fact from it: Everyone in ABB was warned about playing a gig with The Dead: Watch all your drinks, do not drink anything offered to you, you'll get dosed. So Chuck was completely flabbergasted when he was tripping at a show because he had been very careful about this. It was an outdoor gig and Chuck found out later that someone in the Dead camp had dosed the water that was being sprayed on him and so he absorbed LSD through his pores.

A despicable reminder of Grateful Dead history, indeed.

By the way..........Chuck referred to some of Dickey's rage occurring when Chuck was in the band...........Dickey tearing apart a hotel room because he believed his wife was having an affair.

He's the only guy who can make me play air piano.

I've played Chuck's solo on Jessica on many a dashboard.
Goin' down the road feelin' good...

I must assume you did not include Duane and Berry in your consideration for best ABB musician ever.

i did. i know that might be sacrilegious to some. not taking anything away from duane and berry, two monsters, originals and heavy weight champions. just mho that they are top notch musicians.

He's the only guy who can make me play air piano.

I've played Chuck's solo on Jessica on many a dashboard.
Goin' down the road feelin' good...

And Come and Go Blues, and Southbound and Pony Boy and Jelly Jelly..... I've worn holes in my dashboard!

Sully no doubt all are excellent. I am sure there can be a persuasive argument made for all. But IMHO there was nobody better than Duane. NOBODY !

He may be. I find great solos are the ones I can hum to note for note. Chuck's solos are like that. He is special. One of the great musical leaders of that genre.

[Edited on 4/1/2015 by masbama]

Chuck does not appear to have lost a step. Anyone interested in seeing him work his magic I would recommend getting the blue ray for All My Friends - Gregg's tribute concert in Atlanta. Chuck was part of the house band. He played all night except for the last two ABB songs. He was incredible that night (as was Jack Pearson). The DVD to me is worth it just to watch Chuck and Jack.