"We have learned that Dickey passed away peacefully at 3:45 AM this morning. He was surrounded by his loved ones. Dickey lived a fascinating life and created incredible music that was the soundtrack for so many lives. His legacy will live on forever but the world has lost another genius. Please keep his family in your prayers. "
Is this true???
I've only seen this on the Outlaws Facebook page.
Where is that statement from?
Sad, sad news. He will certainly go down as one of the greatest to ever walk onto a stage.
I saw it a few other places on fb to make sure it was true. His former drummer Mark Greenberg posted it as well. He looked very frail in recent photos.
Sad day.
So sad.
Jut horrible.
Not necessarily a surprise but still a massive shock.
Ug.
Deepest condolences to Dickey's family and friends.
GOAT of the pentatonic scales, master song writer and composer and master of sweet, sweet melodies.
RIP Dickey Betts.
Thank you for providing my life with joy and inspiration and countless happy memories.
This day is officially ruined. Sad and shocked. Heartbroken. At the same time, so glad to have had the opportunity to have grown up in the magical era of music that included the Allman Brother's Band and Dickey Betts. I have witnessed greatness on so many occasions at his hands and fingertips. Thank you for this (towards Dickey, Duane and even God).
While Duane was given so much credit for the Allman Brother's success, the emotions directed towards Dickey by the band, the fans and the press were often uneven. Did Dickey nearly wreck the band in the late 90's and early 2000's? Well, yeah. Almost. Probably. At the same time, Dickey seemed good to drive when every other band member was too ... effed up to even find the bus. Say all ya want about the departure in style between Brothers and Sisters and Live at Filmore East - but Dickey not only righted the boat, he made every sailor as rich as they wanted to be. Not his fault that some spent at a level that comparing them to drunken sailors in port was a smear against drunken sailors in port!
I'll always remember that Duane once said of Dickey, "He's the good one - I'm the famous one" (or similar words).
Gonna put Liz Reed on rotation ... as many versions as I can find in my vault. 4:20 services in honor of the Man in the Hat ... likely to begin punctually today.
Peace to all of Dickey's family and friends - none more so that those who still gather at these pages.
No surprise but still a hit.
RIP, Mr. Betts.
Thank you for everything.
Rolling Stone Interview from just a few years ago. Not really a homage to Dickey, but a good read:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dickey-betts-the-lost-allman-brother-121021/
Still can't believe the news this morning.
EDIT: I was able to read earlier without subscribing. Sorry!
RIP Dickey. Thank you...you created beautiful music.
R.I.P. Dickey. Thanks for being super cool to me when I met you on your bus in Chicago in 2001. I'll never forget you or your music.
Great guitar player, great songwriter.
will be missed
His work on the Fillmore Album is just as impressive as Duane's.
RIP
Truly heartbreaking news. RIP, Dickey.
Wow, shocked and sad. So glad I got to see him live solo a few times. RIP
A day we knew would eventually come. Sad news. So much to say yet hard to say it all. Rock In Peace Dickey. Thank you.
Wonderful guitar player and songwriter. Played and wrote in a style of his own. Major influence on many of us. I'm just glad I got to see him many many times in concert going back to I think 1970.
Oh man, not today! Dickey was my first love. I was a teen in the early 90s when the ABB reformed and I completely fell in LOVE with them! I was one of the few who actually liked the 90s version better. My youth's soundtrack had Dickey playing all through it.
His style became my style. I remember when the poop hit the fan in 2000. I was an obnoxious 20 something who was on Team Dickey.
I saw the ABB 1-2 more times... Saw Dickey a handful until a really bad show in 06. And by then, my music tastes moved on to the Dead and JGB.
I knew this day was coming. Just saw a pic of him and was wondering when it was going to come.
RIP Dickey. Hugs to his fam.
Partially because Duane died at age 24, Dickey Betts was the life and soul of the Allman Brothers Band to me.
His guitar playing style was so unique and melodic and his singing and song writing was exceptional!
Other than Duane, Dickey was the most important and best guitar player ever in the ABB!
The years 2000 to 2014 provided some good shows but the creativity wasn't close to the original band or the Chuck/Lamar lineup. The reason was no Dickey. Perhaps it was Dickey's fault he was put out of the band. But the band was never as interesting to me. By 2010 to be honest, I didn't really care if I ever saw the Allman Brothers again. Warren and Derek Trucks could not replace Dickey and they both revealed they knew it. They would step aside if it was keeping Dickey from returning.
Many times the Man brought tears of joy to my eyes. Today, tears in remembrance of those times. Rest In Peace Dickey.
I’m cranking up my amp and playing Liz Reed with tears in my eyes. RIP Dickey.
This is one of my favorite Dickey moments from the 90's.
I feel like Dickey was such a perfectionist he preferred not to improve too much, even though he was always excellent when he did.
Well, this was a beautiful day outdoors in the heart of Denver headlining a bill that I'm sure included many friends and Dickey came to play this day (He takes an extra solo and extends out the outro jam in The Same Thing from this show as well. Don't miss it.)
His solo on this Jessica is free, easy, effortless inspiration and pure happiness. He does his dual harmony lead, a Casey Jones and then Mountain Jam tease. An he takes his time and enjoys it. So good.
RIP to the one of the absolute greats.
"Dickey Betts, a guitarist and the co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, has died, according to a family statement shared with CNN on Thursday by his longtime manager.
Betts was 80.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Betts family announce the peaceful passing of Forrest Richard ‘Dickey’ Betts,” the statement reads. “The legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch passed away earlier today at his home in Osprey, FL., surrounded by his family. Dickey was larger than life, and his loss will be felt world-wide. At this difficult time, the family asks for prayers and respect for their privacy in the coming days. More information will be forthcoming at the appropriate time.”
Betts’ manager David Spero told Rolling Stone the guitarist had cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Betts’ early musical influences included bluegrass, country music and later rock and roll. Credited with helping define the sound and of Southern rock genre of the ’60s and ‘70s, Betts, bass guitarist Berry Oakley, drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe joined brothers Gregg and Duane Allman to form the Allman Brothers Band in 1969. He wrote the group’s biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.”
Tragedy struck the group when Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971 and Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year after. Betts and Gregg Allman became the band’s leaders, but creative differences and substance abuse in the group caused them to break up and reform multiple times""
I told this story a long time ago but I think it bears repeating.
Trying to boost my GPA I took some sort of basic music appreciation type course. Listen to some music, discuss, write a paper - easy A.
Course was taught by a bona fide Doctrate of Music/Julliard type who rarely looked over the newspaper he was reading. Free-range, easy A.
Said music Prof' would occasionally sit at the piano and play brief snippets of standards. Occasionally offered opinions on which forms of music were tripe and which had their merits. One of those, "they don't write em like they use to" types.
After one of his dismissals of anything 20th Century I produced a recording of "Jessica" ("Brothers and Sisters" CD). He put the disc in the player and sat still for a minute. His hand went up to his chin all pensive-like. Then he stood up.
He remained standing until the song was finished. Without saying anything he walked over to the player and re-cued the song.
After it played through its entirety for a second time he just said, "well, I'll be darned".
He spent the rest of the session saying words and phrases like "point-counterpoint", "Cuban rhythms" and "marijuana".
FYI - the Professor guy was pretty interesting. His first job in the music industry involved visiting bars where he compiled lists of songs being played by the house band and occasionally getting roughed up by "the Good Ol' Boys" types.
Dickie I hope you can rest in peace with the brothers. Loved your music, Ramblin Man, Blue Sky and Jessica... is the music that drew me to the ABB and for that I profoundly Thank you. I was so fortunate to have seen you play live with ABB going back to mid/late 70's and then Great Southern. Thank you for a lifetime of incredible music.
