Thanks porkchopbob. Enjoyed it. I caught it in Forsyth, Georgia I think it was. 1974. I forgot Dickey took the first solo on Blue Sky on this tour and Vassar took the second on fiddle. Actually I don't recall that now. I do remember Dickey saying the Rouge resanator guitar he is holding on the front of Highway Call was given to him by Gregg Allman when Duane died. I've seen a picture of Duane playing it and supposedly Duane uses it on Little Martha.

I'm eager to investigate. I do not know a lot of the solo Dickey.

I will say that his soloing in the very first song touches on "Rambling Man" and "Blue Sky" licks.

This was the one show from this tour I can remember quite well and have posted the two photos of Dickey & Vassar I shot from up front a couple of times. This show was far from sold out because I was feet from the stage for most of the show and can recall turning around to gauge the crowd a number of times. I had just stated to play the guitar at this time and had a Levi's jean jacket I was quite proud of and had worn it to the show, The jacket had a Confederate patch sewn on the front just above one the chest pockets. Dickey would glance right at me from time to time and I would immediately go into my best air guitar pose to show him I was in the club...I also remember taking note of the other musicians on stage and thinking how out of place it all seemed to me, I mean here is one of your guitar heroes doing this country "thing" and at the time I probably didn't appreciate what I was witness to. I have the two shots I took and at one time there were probably more....

So the concert rolls on and as the music continued to play, I became more focused on Vassar who seemed to smile only at the conclusion of each song. Because I had purchased "Richard's" album, I was familiar with all of the cuts but really wanted to hear "Hand picked" and when the opening notes hit me I can vividly recall reaching into one of my chest pockets and extracting my last nicely rolled joint, firing it up, taking a big hit, elbowing the guy next to me, passing it and never seeing it again....When the show neared the end and the band exited before returning for the encore I turned around and noticed the crowd had dwindled down to a few hundred or so all of whom had made their way down to the floor near the stage.....

I saw this tour at The Santa Monica Civic in L.A. To be honest I really can't remember much..........., as BIGV said, I was 19 and I don't think I really appreciated what I was hearing. Even then I loved the Highway Call record though and always will.

A couple of observations about the show: Honestly, I don't remember seeing one single female in the audience. There may have been one or two. But remember this was 1974. The other thing is that JJ Cale opened for Dickey and it was a solo set. The critic in the LA Times was positive about Dickey but regarding Cale said only, "Opening the show was the insomniac's dream, JJ Cale." Pretty funny. I had to agree that Cale's set was very subdued and monotonous.

Yes that tour didn't do as well as Gregg's two solo tours in 1974 and Handpicked sold about 300,000 copies and Laidback over 700,000 and earned a gold record.

A lot of people didn't know who Dickey was even though he wrote 4 songs and sang on Ramblin' Man and Pony Boy on an album that sold over 4 million copies and was number 1 on the Billboard top 200 best selling albums for 5 weeks.

The new fans of the ABB and knew Dickey from that likely were expecting something that was more like Brothers and Sisters.

I remember reading Phil Walden was concerned about the tour and mused he should have arranged for Gregg and Dickey not to out at the same time so Chuck Leavell could have been in Dickey's band. Maybe Chuck did make some dates, I can't remember. And Phil wanted Dickey to change bass players and add Butch Trucks on drums but I don't think that happened either.

The Allman Brothers only played about 15 shows in 1974 during the summer. They had just become the number one band with the number one album in America but they were backing off and focused on solo shows and Dickey's country and western swing roots tour seemed out of context for the fans. Me being a fan from before they became huge, I was hoping they would go back to how they played during all those shows they played in 1973. In 1974 the shows were uneven and the three I saw were jaded. They just seemed to be dialing it in. Chuck, Lanar and Jaimoe were the only ones trying to get a fire started on stage. And the Atlanta show was not a good show at all in 1974. Lamar Williams was too sick to play so another bass player filled in (Grinderswitch?), Gregg was drunk or high and made several glaring miscues, Dickey stayed back if the drums a lot didn't really play on some of his solos and Lynyrd Skynyrd played just before the Allmans and I hate to admit it, but kicked their butt and blew them off the stage. After 10 minutes of a explosive Free Bird and the shape the ABB was in, the show was basically over when Skynyrd quit.

The Atlanta newspaper and Rolling Stone publicised it through with bad reviews. I think that is when Lynyrd Skynyrd replaced the Allman Brothers as the number one Southern band.

A Capricorn record promoter admitted to me the band was not good at that show and Lynyrd Skynyrd blew them away and he said, and it also came out in the press, someone dosed some of the band with a bad drug and it caused Gregg and Dickey to barely play and made Lamar Williams too sick to play. I use to wonder if the Skynyrd camp was behind that. It is known a Grateful Dead roadie using a water gun dosed the ABB by squirting acid in their drinks when no one was looking. Butch said his drum set floated out into the audience while trying to play. Or so it seemed.

The ABB got to 1975 with the disappointing Win, Loose or Draw ( I like some of it) and toured behind it fall of 1975 through spring of 76 and broke up summer of 1976. They became the biggest band in America and let it slip through their fingers. Apparently Gregg wasn't that interested in the band after he did his spring solo tour and Laid Back went gold.

In 1973 the Chuck/Lamar lineup played Nashville and really smoked it. Left a trail of smoke all across the stage. If that show was in Atlanta a year later, NO WAY Lynyrd Skynyrd would have blown them off the stage. The ABB was on fire in Nashville in 1973.

Dose anyone remember the Atlanta 1974 summer show? I've often wanted to hear a tape to see if they were as off and lifeless as I remember.

Yes that tour didn't do as well as Gregg's two solo tours in 1974 and Handpicked sold about 300,000 copies and Laidback over 700,000 and earned a gold record.

A lot of people didn't know who Dickey was even though he wrote 4 songs and sang on Ramblin' Man and Pony Boy on an album that sold over 4 million copies and was number 1 on the Billboard top 200 best selling albums for 5 weeks.

The new fans of the ABB and knew Dickey from that likely were expecting something that was more like Brothers and Sisters.

I remember reading Phil Walden was concerned about the tour and mused he should have arranged for Gregg and Dickey not to out at the same time so Chuck Leavell could have been in Dickey's band. Maybe Chuck did make some dates, I can't remember. And Phil wanted Dickey to change bass players and add Butch Trucks on drums but I don't think that happened either.

The Allman Brothers only played about 15 shows in 1974 during the summer. They had just become the number one band with the number one album in America but they were backing off and focused on solo shows and Dickey's country and western swing roots tour seemed out of context for the fans. Me being a fan from before they became huge, I was hoping they would go back to how they played during all those shows they played in 1973. In 1974 the shows were uneven and the three I saw were jaded. They just seemed to be dialing it in. Chuck, Lamar and Jaimoe were the only ones trying to get a fire started on stage. And the Atlanta show was not a good show at all in 1974. Lamar Williams was too sick to play so another bass player filled in (Grinderswitch?), Gregg was drunk or high and made several glaring miscues and was difficult to understand, Dickey stayed back of the drums a lot...didn't really play on some of his solos and Lynyrd Skynyrd played just before the Allmans and I hate to admit it, but kicked their butt and blew them off the stage. After 10 minutes of a explosive Free Bird and the shape the ABB was in, the show was basically over when Skynyrd quit.

The Atlanta newspaper and Rolling Stone publicised it through with bad reviews. I think that is when Lynyrd Skynyrd replaced the Allman Brothers as the number one Southern band.

A Capricorn record promoter admitted to me the band was not good at that show and Lynyrd Skynyrd blew them away and he said, and it also came out in the press, someone dosed some of the band with a bad drug and it caused Gregg and Dickey to barely play and made Lamar Williams too sick to play. I use to wonder if the Skynyrd camp was behind that. It is known a Grateful Dead roadie using a water gun dosed the ABB by squirting acid in their drinks when no one was looking. Butch said his drum set floated out into the audience while trying to play. Or so it seemed.

The ABB got to 1975 with the disappointing Win, Loose or Draw ( I like some of it) and toured behind it fall of 1975 through spring of 76 and broke up summer of 1976. They became the biggest band in America and let it slip through their fingers. Apparently Gregg wasn't that interested in the band after he did his spring solo tour and Laid Back went gold.

In 1973 the Chuck/Lamar lineup played Nashville and really smoked it. Left a trail of smoke all across the stage. If that show was in Atlanta a year later, NO WAY Lynyrd Skynyrd would have blown them off the stage. The ABB was on fire in Nashville in 1973.

Dose anyone remember the Atlanta 1974 summer show? I've often wanted to hear a tape to see if they were as off and lifeless as I remember.

Caught Richard's Tour in October or maybe November 1974 at the Capital Theater in Passaic, NJ. Aztec Two Step opened. Was a lot of fun. Highway Call is still one of my favorite albums.

In December of that year the Gregg Allman Tour rolled thru. Not sure if Cowboy opened or not. Don't remember.

Saw the Brothers at this Theater as well.

Happy days they were for sure.

[Edited on 4/30/2020 by steved]

[Edited on 4/30/2020 by steved]

Highway Call is still one of my favorite albums.

I liked it too for a myriad of reasons. The musicianship was sublime and the song selection allowed this group really stretch it out; Chuck was missed on this tour. I have always thought that Dickey was way more at home in this genre and should have followed up with another...

Blackey, are there any interviews of Dickey speaking directly to this period, the recording and tour behind this record?

Honestly, I'm amazed that this show hasn't been issued on one of those
European `grey area' CDs yet. Way overdue.

BIGV yeah there is some. I have several ABB related magazine stories etc saved from back in the early days and this period. It's in my storage room I rent. I'll dig around soon. Nothing else to do.

I remember Dickey did say Gregg doing a solo album showing how he would sound if he were not in the Allman Brothers is what inspired him to do the same showcasing his early country and western swing influences. I'm not sure at the time Dickey was aware Gregg did the solo album because he was very angry his song Queen of Hearts was not allowed on Brothers and Sisters. Laid Back was recorded when Brothers and Sisters was being recorded and Gregg later said he wasn't expecting it to sell well so when it became number one and the band became the biggest draw in America, he wasn't expecting or ready for that and the rest of the band probably wasn't either.

Dickey said Gregg's tour in spring of 1974 was successful so he got busy with his album and Phil Walden wasn't happy but the ABB was put on the back burner but they were not breaking up and would tour during the summer. Dickey's album came out and Gregg was putting out a live album recorded during his spring tour. They promised Phil Walden they would finally get started on a follow up to Brothers and Sisters after they toured in the fall. Dickey's said his tour was a concept tour that would show the roots of American music from the 1920s and artists like Jimmy Rogers up through modern western swing and Dickey's songs.

Dickey did mention mid tour it was much harder to get a band to sound good live than he thought. He bragged about Vassar and John Hughey the steel player who was the best in Nashville. And that he hoped to have Chuck with him but Gregg went back out. I did remember wondering where Jaimoe was when I saw Gregg's fall tour at a college in December. Found out Gregg decided to strip it down so he didn't take Jaimoe or the strings and some other players. In the spring he had Bill Stewart on drums then too but Jaimoe was also on drums. Gregg was asked in the spring about Jaimoe being on his show and he said " Man I can't play without looking to my left and seeing Jaimoe".

A lot of people in the record industry including at Capricorn, thought it was crazy Gregg and Dickey stepped away from the ABB except for 16 summer shows in 1974 ( all huge arena sellouts though) just when they really hit the big time. Gregg said all that sudden fame and fortune ruined everything. Drugs and riding in separate limousines, roadies for the roadies and no longer seeing each other except on stage and he just wanted to get away from it. I think in Gregg's book he said it was a mistake to have refused to get around the band especially when they were working on Win, Loose or Draw but it was such a miserable experience. Johnny Sandlin also said that album was a sad and the most difficult period.

I remember too Gregg and Cher's picture on the cover of every magazine in America. Butch was irritated and mad. Butch was quoted in the press " You can't depend on Gregg Allman for anything."

In 1973 I was sad Duane and Berry were not there to see the band become so big. But just a couple of years later I figured Duane and Berry would be embarrassed.

BIGV yeah there is some. I have several ABB related magazine stories etc saved from back in the early days and this period. It's in my storage room I rent. I'll dig around soon. Nothing else to do.

That would be greatly appreciated if you find the time!

I remember Dickey did say Gregg doing a solo album showing how he would sound if he were not in the Allman Brothers is what inspired him to do the same showcasing his early country and western swing influences.

Dickey's said his tour was a concept tour that would show the roots of American music from the 1920s and artists like Jimmy Rogers up through modern western swing and Dickey's songs.

I can't help but wonder if these two main players would have been happier in the long run had they just followed their musical inspirations.... I would have loved to have heard Gregg in a setting that focused more on his B3, with horns and....And more from Richard in this genre so that he so clearly loved and was influenced by...

Nice bootleg of the show out there, info from it below. Also, Capt Skipper did a great remaster on the Winterland show too. I need to dig that one out.

Dickey Betts 1974- Great American Music Show

Dickey Betts - guitar, dobro, vocals
Jeff Hanna - guitar
Spooner Oldham - organ
Vassar Clements - violin
John Hughey - pedal steel guitar
Oscar Underwood Adams - mandolin
Stray Straton - bass, vocals
Bonnie Bramlett - vocals, percussion
Jerry Jumonville - alto sax
David Walshaw - drums, percussion
Jerry Thompson - drums
Leon Poindexter - acoustic guitar
Walter Poindexter - banjo
Frank Poindexter - dobro

By 1974, in large part due to Dickey Betts, Capricorn Records and The Allman Brothers Band were experiencing a success more lucrative than anyone could have dreamed. Betts, as a result, found himself free to pursue almost anything he desired musically, without having to worry about finances in the least. The situation allowed him to record his first solo album, Highway Call, and to perform with countless great musicians for the pure joy of playing, without any expectations of making money in the process. Over the course of the previous year, Betts had found a true, authentic voice, and had begun to distinguish himself within the ABB as a unique stylist, blending his love for country, bluegrass, western swing, jazz and rock into a style utterly his own - and one that would soon prove highly influential on all the Southern Rock bands that followed in the Allman Brothers' wake.

Betts' Great American Music Show featured many of the players from his solo album, including the greatest fiddle player of his generation, Vassar Clements. Both the Poindexters and the legendary Spooner Oldham were also on board, and all these musicians combined to create a show that authentically traced the history of American music.

Betts begins this Winterland show by showcasing his more acoustic side, with plenty of tight harmonies, sweet picking and relaxed communication between the musicians. Several of the best new songs from Betts' solo effort are included, including "Rain," "Long Time Gone" and the superb "Hand Picked." The classic instrumental "Hideaway," as well as Allman Brothers' favorites "Blue Sky" and "Southbound," are given this new treatment with great success.

Betts, Clements and the Poindexters then venture into historic American music and straight bluegrass for half a dozen songs, beginning with vintage material like "Old Joe Clark" and "Salty Dog," and closing with Vassar Clements raising the roof on "Orange Blossom Special."

The set's closer, for which the ensemble goes electric, is perhaps its most interesting and exciting moment. This 40 minute version of "Elizabeth Reed" has to be one of the most expansive versions ever played, and is almost beyond description. Everyone in the ensemble gets several chances to shine on this unbelievable jam. All the elements that influence Betts' music are represented, from jazz to rock to bluegrass and back. This version literally has it all, and stays amazingly cohesive and inspired throughout. The audience demands more, and the band returns for an encore consisting of the obligatory "Ramblin Man" followed by another of Betts' most requested numbers, "Jessica." This lovely instrumental showcases the inventive playing of this large ensemble, and ventures into new areas only hinted at in versions with the Allman Brothers.

This is one of the finest examples recorded of musicians playing for the sheer joy of music, with no egos or financial concerns getting in the way. Touring this type of show was destined to be a monstrous undertaking - and ultimately a financial disaster - but thankfully, for a brief time in 1974, none of that seemed to matter.

Richard Betts American Music Show
Ultrasonic Studios, Hempstead NY
11-03-74

1. Intro
2. Interview
3. Instrumental
4. Interview
5. Hard Time Blues
6. Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
7. I Ain't A Stranger Now
8. Foggy Mountain Breakdown
9. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
10. Interview
11. Pony Boy
12. Salty Dog
13. Blue Sky
14. Jambalaya
15. I Saw The Light
16. Carolina
17. Come On In My Kitchen
18. Long Time Gone

Richard Betts American Music Show
Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco CA
12-14-74

disc one
1. Rain
2. Blue Sky
3. Hideaway
4. Hand Picked
5. Long Time Gone
6. Southbound
7. Instrumental
8. Salty Dog
9. Carolina
10. Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
11. No Hard Time Blues
12. Orange Blossom Special

disc two
1. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
2. Ramblin' Man
3. Jessica

above bootleg cd courtesy of C.S.

It always makes me scratch my head when I hear stories about Dickey being one mean SOB. He sure made some joyous, happy music didn't he?

Of course I realize what demons can do to a person. Just saying, not judging.

Blue Sky, Revival, Ramblin Man, Jessica, all of his Highway Call compositions come to mind.

What a talented band the ABB were.

No wonder we love them so...

I was lucky enough to chat with Dickey a few times and he was always friendly and willing to answer questions. But he always had a beer except once in 1986 he peeled and ate an orange. That is when he answered a question always wondered about and that is which band members or who is singing "People can you feel it love is everywhere" on Revival. The album fails to credit that. I always thought I could spot Berry Oakley's voice but others are singing too. I was surprised when Dickey said "I know it doesn't sound like it but that is everybody in the band". And I said you mean Butch and Jaimoe too? And he said "Yeah man all of us. I remember when we added that. We were all laughing and clapping our hands." But Dickey apparently could be a bully and mean when he was drinking. When he returned to the band in 1994 after being arrested in 1993, Dickey admitted to the press " I went on about a two year drunk there and it wasn't fun for a lot of people".

Gregg made it clear several times he liked his way of doing the songs the best and often said he enjoyed his solo band most because he is the only chef in the kitchen. With the Allman Brothers you have other people putting in their 2 cents worth. I have to share the kitchen with other chefs. But conversely Gregg would say when the Allman Brothers are inactive or on break he always looks forward to getting back with the band when they have a tour or want to get back together because it's his brother's band and it's like going back to one of your favorite fishing holes. And all of them have always made more money from the Allman Brothers. Gregg filed bankruptcy in the early 80's and Jaimoe had decended into poverty then. Jaimoe was doing farm work to eat. When I heard about that back then it was unbelievable!! How in hades could the drummer in a band with 3 albums that sold over a million copies and sold out all those coliseums in 1973 and 74 and several in 1975, be living in poverty? But when they reinvented themselves in 1989 and eventhough they never again sold out coliseums and sold new albums like the 1970's, they did develop a big fan base and made a lot of money. Jaimoe left in 2014 a multimillionaire and Gregg rebounded to a net worth of 18 million. The Allman Brothers has been how they became wealthy and that probably is why Gregg and Dickey never quit and went their own way permanently. When Dickey was voted out in 2000, Dickey was a multimillionaire 40 times over though it apparently angered and hurt him, he was already set for life financially.

[Edited on 4/30/2020 by blackey]

 Winterland 1974 concert finally getting released, albeit in `grey-area' form this August.

Mine as well throw my 2 cents in. As Already mentioned these shows had a great line -up to them, but my favorite part is hearing Vassar play. There are many players , but IMO Vassar was really made that tour awesome. Wish we had another group doing the same thing these days, but the cost would be incredible. I know Sam Bush and Mark O'Connor  are great players and  put on a heck of a good show, but the combination of Dickey and Vassar can't be replicated.

I also have to plug Highway Call as well. I can listen to that Album all day long.

@rcgp2020

Is this a bootleg release? It's been on YouTube for a month but I just found it recently. 

Great Question. I kinda remember the original had really nice art work different than this. My answer would be yes, but it's sure looks and sounds real. Haven't seen it packed this way or heard of this company either. Thank you for sharing...

Posted by: @robertdee

@rcgp2020

 

Is this a bootleg release? It's been on YouTube for a month but I just found it recently. 

Nice! I would like to have this!!

@blackey I remember that show all too well. Such anticipation leading up to it. I had several homies from Knoxville come down for it. I lived on Myrtle Street just off of 10th, right down by Piedmont Park. Someone called the law on Friday night and four of us got busted. I was in the downtown jail and could hear some sounds coming from the stadium. You talk about sickening. My buddies who made it out to the show said the Brothers were terrible. Supposedly, at some point, Gregg said "Man, we been drinking poison." Said Skynyrd was wonderful and that Ronnie Van Zandt was drinking a bottle of Henry McKenna. Mother flew down to get me out of jail. Paid a lawyer $700. A lot of money in '74. A year later, the attorney said it's "taken care of." Years later, while applying for a job, I knew this might come back to haunt me. When a request was made for any info on my arrest, a letter came from the Fulton County Circuit Court that was stamped "No Record Found." That lawyer had as much turquoise on him as Gregg, who was very fond of turquoise jewelry back in the day. 

@wooddog  That is correct. It was at the stadium where the Braves played baseball. Lynyrd Skynyrd, just as they did Z. Z. Top in Charlotte also in 1974, blew the Allman Brothers Band completely out of town. Z. Z. Top just couldn't get an energy level going that came close to the scorching hot 20 minute Free Bird with 15 minutes of Allen, Gary and Ed King blazing away wide open, pedal to the metal guitars. The Allman Brothers not only could not rise to the energy level Skynyrd had smoked the stage with Free Bird just before the Brothers came on, they were in horrible shape. Lamar Williams wasn't on bass. Someone with Grinder Switch on bass was just passable. Gregg was blowing lyrics and making miscues and mumbling, Dickey finally stood behind the drummers with a wet towel on his head and there were just way too many blown songs and clams. Only Chuck was hot but it wasn't enough. It looked as if Jessica and Liz Reed might save it for the Brothers but Dickey cut his solos way short. 

Later Capricorn Records apologize for the poor performance of the Allman Brothers right in Atlanta Georgia of all places and said someone doused several members of the band apparently so they WOULD be to messed up to play. And revealed that Lamar Williams couldn't even stand up and had to get medical help. 

After that show in Atlanta in 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd became the number one so called southern band and kept the lofty title until the plane crash. 

There was someone with the Dead that would slip acid in other band's drinks apparently with a squirt gun. I've always wondered if Skynyrd sabotaged the Allman Brothers that night. They never played before another band again. They became the headliner. 

At the Z. Z. Top show in Charlotte, I think Ronnie pushed the guys to really smoke Free Bird and stretch it out so when Z. Z. Top took the stage, there would be no chance a three man band could equal THREE guitars wailing wide open for 15 minutes. It worked. And I also think Billy Gibbons realized what had just happened. 

That Free Bird in Charlotte and Atlanta lasted so long that 48 years later I can still remember the kind of electric guitars they used. Gary Rossington played a Les Paul, Allen Collins a Gibson Explorer and Ed King had a Fender Stratocaster. 

Posted by: @jszfunk

Posted by: @robertdee

@rcgp2020

 

Is this a bootleg release? It's been on YouTube for a month but I just found it recently. 

Nice! I would like to have this!!

If you use Firefox, get the add-on "YouTube Video and Audio Down loader".  Open the video on Youtube, it won't work on the posts in HTW.

Open it up when the video starts playing, go to page 2 (hit 2 at bottom of the screen), and select MP4 audio only.

In a couple of minutes you've got the whole 2 hour concert.