Many years ago I sent Lyle a letter asking about the ABB tattoos. He wrote back with a little drawing of the mushroom saying he tattooed the band after a Fillmore show before Duane passed.

I gave the letter to Brent at the Big House Museum. Not sure if it ever was displayed or not.

That was a nice gesture by you, offering it to the Big House.
Thanks

Jaimoe only has the outline on his calf. It hurt so badly he didn't go back to have it finished. By the 1996 the original four was so pleased with Warren and Allen, they voted to make them partners in the band and that is when they found out Warren and Allen had enough of the drama and were moving on. Earlier they wanted Warren and Allen to get those tattoos too. Warren refused. I cant remember what Allen said.

On the 1976 live album Wipe The Windows, there is a picture on the inside gate fold of Lyle putting a big tat on Dickey's right arm.

And it was cool Derek got one before it was all over. Not done by Lyle of course.

[Edited on 4/11/2019 by steved]

Yes it's cool Derek got one. Probably the closest to Duane's style and tone on slide and was in the band for 15 years. He was a brother. Gregg use to think Derek was Duane reincarnated but he also said Jack Pearson came the closest at sounding like Duane.

First time I saw Derek as a member of the ABB was in 1999 and Dickey was really playing good that night. Sometimes when Derek was soloing Dickey would look at Butch and smile at each other. And the rumor mill was Butch was really feed up with Dickey so anlit of long time fans I was hearing were expecting the band to break up. But Dickey and all of them really sounded good that night apparently because of Derek. And the play between Derek and Dickey was really good. It did feel as if Duane was back and everybody was happy.

But by the end of the spring tour in 2000, one year later, Butch was going to quit until he found out Gregg was too.