Ah the insanity. Why did gregg snitch on scooter. Certainly not something a Kennedy center nominee would do.The abb became a cover band the minute Dickey was gone. Even warren and derek see through the butch gregg bullshit.Long live Dickey Betts.

Domestic violence...come on...last I heard he is still with his wife...if we start listing all the sins of the past with the ABB we would be here all year. It was a pretty awful time in DB's life (no excuse), when you are dismissed from a brotherhood that you spent your whole career helping to keep alive. All now seems to be well with the aftermath.

Anyway, with Dickey and the ABB it was always about the music...

I 'm not here to defend Dickey's behavior or any one of the band members...and will not defend his cancellations...all I know is he is one of a handful of artists, that blows you away with the spirit of his compositions and the tone of his guitar. He was a great contrast to the gritty amazing blues of Gregg's songs, with his blue sky melodies. He can make you feel like you are on a stroll through the park on a sunshiney day, while sitting in a smokefilled arena with your eyes closed. It was always about the ying and yang of those two songwriters.

I'm just thankful that we still have these two around to enjoy.

I usually try not to miss either DB&GS or GAF...and hope they show up and take me to a place back where it all began.

EAPFP

Wow,quite some responses to me simply mentioning disappointment of Mr Betts no show.Good thing I didn't actually see him & comment I didn't like the show or his playing. And No I'm not in the habit of continuously checking websites after I buy tickets to see if a bands going to show,I do have other things to do.The last cancellation I experienced was Sly Stone out of many,probably 600 major shows!! And no,I was not aware a family member had died,I'm sorry to hear that.And before knowing that,I was considering Ozzy never having to cancel even with all his insanities or Tony Iommi with his Cancer. And I did not make up that arrest on his earlier cancellation,it was major news in all the papers at the time.I just thought it was co-incidental that the 'one'time I eventually decide to see a Dickey show again-that happened.Thats all,sorry if some got offended by that.
BTW Robbie Krieger & band were excellent on the smallstage as a late replacement for Dickey as was Chris Robinson on the Main, but I really was anticipating Mr Betts & hoping to see some magic between he & Derek who was scheduled too.

[Edited on 2/6/2015 by bettyhynes]

I've stated my case about the ABB's Line-ups. I've seen all since 1981 and most solo tours. I've amassed DVD's of whatever has been made available by all sources.

The facts remain that the 4 most distintive sounds from the Allman Brother's Band is as follows...

1.) Duane's Guitar Work
2.) Gregg's Soulful Vocals
3.) Dickey's Guitar Work
4.) Dickey's Vocals

Dickey is unquestionably responsible for 2 of the Top 4 ABB quintessential sounds.

To go further would be...
5.) Berry's Thunderous Bass Riffs
6.) Gregg's Keys

The Fact IS the Best Line-ups were with Dickey Betts in the line-up.

1.) Gregg, Dickey, Duane, Oakley
2.) Gregg, Dickey, Warren, Allen
3.) Gregg, Warren, Derek, Oteil
3.) Gregg, Dickey, Dan, David
3.) Gregg, Dickey, Jack, Oteil

I give a lofty tied 3rd best ranking to the final (?) ABB line-up which I feel reflects my appreciation for Derek. These 3rd place ties are (in my mind) very debatable. To be missing Dickey is a major major loss. One could agrue for the Lamar and Chuck era, but the lone guitar attack left it something missing live. The two Guitar line-up best reflects that inital 3 year window of greatness. The single guitar line-up with keytar didn't cut it for me. Just as Dan canceled out some of the Dickey sweetness and forced him to play most Duane parts, Warren was canceled out by Derek on slide and while they did both play some Duane and Dickey parts, I felt the sound was slightly lacking. The Warren attack lacked Dickeys tone and I really feel that Warren was a great addition that set things back to that initial ABB configuration and Seven Turns can speak to that. Derek did add a flair with his wizardry. A true pity no studio work from this line-up.

Enlightened Rogues speaks to that era's strengths. I'm hearing the unmistakable Dickey guitar and vocal beauty in my head right now of his tune off the ER album Sail Away..... "Let's do one for the Brother's". Who mutters that line pre-song? I have to go dig that out and try to put it with the voices in my head.

Eat A Peach was a lot of the 1st line-up. Brothers And Sisters had Les and Tommy contribute on guitar as studio musicians. I should read the books and divide some stories by 5. I would be more knowledgable, but more bitter. I have always kept it about the music. I don't ever watch docu-dramas. Too much fluff. Some books follow that format and people will be biased no matter how neutral they claim to be. Hear two sides then stand in the middle. Most writers weren't there and it's folklore and hazy recollections of flavored stories and interjected wit. I've still formed an opinion with what I know. It may not be yours and I'm good with that!

It's all what you hear from it and adore of it.

I love and support them all pretty much, but Dickey and Gregg are special. I will be sharing the room with the Gents as much as I possibly can while I possibly can.

While I agree with some of what you stated above, let's not confuse facts with personal opinions. Any ranking of best lineups and what makes the sound distinctive can't be fact.

I've stated my case about the ABB's Line-ups. I've seen all since 1981 and most solo tours. I've amassed DVD's of whatever has been made available by all sources.

The facts remain that the 4 most distintive sounds from the Allman Brother's Band is as follows...

1.) Duane's Guitar Work
2.) Gregg's Soulful Vocals
3.) Dickey's Guitar Work
4.) Dickey's Vocals

Dickey is unquestionably responsible for 2 of the Top 4 ABB quintessential sounds.

To go further would be...
5.) Berry's Thunderous Bass Riffs
6.) Gregg's Keys

The Fact IS the Best Line-ups were with Dickey Betts in the line-up.

1.) Gregg, Dickey, Duane, Oakley
2.) Gregg, Dickey, Warren, Allen
3.) Gregg, Warren, Derek, Oteil
3.) Gregg, Dickey, Dan, David
3.) Gregg, Dickey, Jack, Oteil

I give a lofty tied 3rd best ranking to the final (?) ABB line-up which I feel reflects my appreciation for Derek. These 3rd place ties are (in my mind) very debatable. To be missing Dickey is a major major loss. One could agrue for the Lamar and Chuck era, but the lone guitar attack left it something missing live. The two Guitar line-up best reflects that inital 3 year window of greatness. The single guitar line-up with keytar didn't cut it for me. Just as Dan canceled out some of the Dickey sweetness and forced him to play most Duane parts, Warren was canceled out by Derek on slide and while they did both play some Duane and Dickey parts, I felt the sound was slightly lacking. The Warren attack lacked Dickeys tone and I really feel that Warren was a great addition that set things back to that initial ABB configuration and Seven Turns can speak to that. Derek did add a flair with his wizardry. A true pity no studio work from this line-up.

Enlightened Rogues speaks to that era's strengths. I'm hearing the unmistakable Dickey guitar and vocal beauty in my head right now of his tune off the ER album Sail Away..... "Let's do one for the Brother's". Who mutters that line pre-song? I have to go dig that out and try to put it with the voices in my head.

Eat A Peach was a lot of the 1st line-up. Brothers And Sisters had Les and Tommy contribute on guitar as studio musicians. I should read the books and divide some stories by 5. I would be more knowledgable, but more bitter. I have always kept it about the music. I don't ever watch docu-dramas. Too much fluff. Some books follow that format and people will be biased no matter how neutral they claim to be. Hear two sides then stand in the middle. Most writers weren't there and it's folklore and hazy recollections of flavored stories and interjected wit. I've still formed an opinion with what I know. It may not be yours and I'm good with that!

It's all what you hear from it and adore of it.

I love and support them all pretty much, but Dickey and Gregg are special. I will be sharing the room with the Gents as much as I possibly can while I possibly can.

Regardless of whether I agree with you or not you clearly do not understand what a fact is and what the word unquestionably means.

I would reverse 2 & 3 as to best lineup & agree what a shame there was no cd made of the Derek/ Warren lineup. Not sure why that transpired. I'm also not sure what to make of the keyboard era of ABB. Nice music but not that much different than what was floating around.

Okay, I concede, My strong unchangable opinions are not "Facts". I misspoke..... Now that is a fact.

Can anyone give me a different Top 4?

And Where's the trivia answer for who mutters pre Sail Away?

[Edited on 2/8/2015 by chasenbluesman]

My mind's ear recalls "Lets do one for the 2 Bro's" and I always took that as for Berry & Duane?

(Sorry for the thread derail..I'm out.)

[Edited on 2/8/2015 by chasenbluesman]

Can anyone give me a different Top 4?

(2) Gregg, Dickey, Chuck and Lamar

That is Gregg Allman talking at the beginning of "Sail Away" and he is dedicating the song to Duane and Berry. He is saying 'the two brothers'. On "Black Hearted Woman" on the debut album, that is Berry Oakley laughing after the chant and the chant is the entire band. On "Revival" on Idlewild South the backing vocals (people can you feel it, love is everywhere) are: Duane, Gregg, Dickey, Berry, Butch & Jaimoe or in others words "everybody in the band" at the time. On Pony Boy on Brothers and Sisters just after the hambone at the fade which is just Dickey and Butch, that is Butch Trucks laughing. I had a wonderful occasion to sit on Dickey's bus for 30 minutes or so next to Dickey, who was looking at a movie on TV, but he agreed to answer several of my questions while he sipped a beer and I had always wondered about these voices I was hearing on these albums but there is no credit on the album. Dickey didn't know there is someone heard talking at the fade on Blue Sky (Eat A Peach) so he couldn't answer that one. He thought that was Berry Oakley talking at the end of Stormy Monday on The Filmore Album and at the end of Mountain Jam before Duane gets on a hot mic and names all the players but he mistakenly said Mountain Jam was also on Fillmore East and all the rest of the talking on Fillmore East stuff is Duane. Dickey said he didn't think he and Gregg did any banter between songs while they were recording live at the Fillmore. It was all Duane and some Berry. The opportunity to talk with Dickey was in 1986 at a small club in North Carolina. Dickey and his band had already played and Gregg and his band was on the stage. After Gregg played, the two bands merged and played about a 7 song ABB set.

I would say that Warren and Derek are fantastic players and the last ABB was tight and usually hot but as an old fan, the original lineup was tops followed by the Dickey, Warren & Woody lineup and especially in the early 90's, then the Jack, Dickey, Otiel lineup and 3rd, the Derek, Dickey, Otiel lineup except that spring of 2000 run was suppose to be shaky. I didn't make it to the Atlanta show so I don't know. In other words, the original is no. 1 with Dickey, Warren, Woody no. 2 and I guess a tie between Derek/Jack and Dickey and Otiel for being the closest to the original band. Also I'm not sure where to put the Dickey, Chuck & Larmar lineup. That band has a different vibe and feel. That line up was rather jaded and not hittin' the note in Atlanta in 1974 at the baseball stadium but in 1973 in Nashville and later in 1973 in San Francisco, the SMOKED!!! But with the one guitar and some of the Brothers and Sisters material such as Ramblin' Man and Southbound, they seemed to be plowing a bit different ground with their material. I saw some good shows with Toler, Dickey and Rook but that band seemed to be a merger of the Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts solo bands somehow and not really meshed into the Allman Brothers Band. And that feeling with me became more that way after they sacked Jaimoe apparently because Candy Oakley, Jaimoe's then wife, was getting too involved in the band's personal business.

That is Gregg Allman talking at the beginning of "Sail Away" and he is dedicating the song to Duane and Berry.

Thanx! Nice informative 1st post, I have to listen closer for the other tidbits you tossed in there
.