Another Dickey Betts Band alum has passed. Mark May played in Dickey's band on Let's Get Together and early tours around 2000-2001 before Dickey restaffed the band with local Floridians, including Dan Toler. He continued to play around Texas, from what I've read.
I don't listen to that album often, but the melody from this song pops in my head on occasion and it always takes me a couple thinks before I remember what it's from.
Thanks Porkchop. I saw the Dickey Betts Band in 2000 with Mark May and I'm.almost certain that is Mark singing on that track. He sang on a couple of songs at the show I saw. Plus Mark was probably the only guitar player I have seen playing a Peavy guitar. I knew they made an electric but I was only familiar with their sound equipment and electric pianos.
Dickey played well and I was happy to see him back on his 1957 Les Paul Gold Top ( Goldie) but it was painted red by Dickey himself after it sat for several years at the Hall of Fame in Cleveland and somehow turned an ugly shade of green.
But I remember on Blue Sky, Dickey broke a string and switched quickly to his 1956 Fender Stratocaster hardtail and finished the set with it. As we've discussed before, Dickey still sounded like Dickey with just the slightest change in his tone. Joe Bonamassa often sounds like Gary Moore when on a Les Paul and like Stevie Ray when playing a Strat. I've seen Joe. But he is a good technical guitarist and seems to give it a hundred percent. Ticket prices are too high though. Got to pay for the 500 guitars he has collected.
I found an item on Mark May. He was severely injured in an auto accident in Houston, Texas and the car caught fire and May was severely burned. He was rushed to the hospital but died due to the burns and injuries. He was 62.
May he RIP and God bless his family and girlfriend.
That's awful, I knew it was sudden since he still had concert dates on the calendar. Sounds like he was heading home from a gig. I hate cars.
I found this recent interview with Mark, plenty of Dickey & ABB talk.
@porkchopbob Very interesting. Mark sounds cool and knows his stuff. It's a real bummer he had such an awful accident and was burned badly and passed on.
The worst a musician's death affected me was Duane Allman. I just didn't see how the Allman Brothers Band could continue without Duane. And an accident claimed him and it was like flipping a switch. His light was cut off. As you may remember, Duane seemed to be 30 percent of the band and the other five divided the rest. Like how could the Doors continue without Jim Morrison. And they didn't!!!
I wasn't aware Mark and his bass player were considered for the Allman Brothers when Warren Haynes and Allen Woody quit. I knew Gregg pushed for Jack Pearson and got Dickey to agree to meet with Jack. Jack said he was at Dickey's House and after they played for awhile, Dickey got up and excused himself and disappeared into his big house down in Florida. Then returned with one of Duane's glass slides and gave it to Jack and said he would call Gregg and tell Gregg we either hire him or I'll hire him for lessons.
Apparently Dickey liked Mark a lot too. So that is how Mark May was quickly recruited for Dickey's band in 2000.
I feel so badly for Mark and those close to him.
Like how could the Doors continue without Jim Morrison. And they didn't!!!
Actually....they did! The Doors had already started the follow up to LA Woman when Morrison died. They finished Other Voices without him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Voices_(The_Doors_album)
After a tour they released another album, Full Circle the following year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Circle_(The_Doors_album)
After another tour and seeing far less success without Morrison, they broke up in 1973.
Just like the Allman Brothers, they didn't know what else to do except make more music together.
@porkchopbob That is interesting Porkchopbob. I bought two Doors albums in the late 1960's but somehow wasn't aware the band tried to keep going after Jim died. I remember buying my first Doors album and was surprised how long Light My Fire was originally. It's still a nice tasty long jam. But I had heard the single on the radio often as did everyone since it was a big hit and it had been heavily edited which I didn't know until I got the LP.
Jim Morrison was one of the gang of 27. Rock stars who were 27 when they died. I just recently found out Pigpen of the Grateful Dead was 27 when he died.
The big three of the 27 club of course were Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison. A member of Canned Heat also died at 27.
With the Allman Brothers Duane and Berry were 24, Gregg and Butch 69, Dickey was 80, Jaimoe also is 80 and thankfully still with us.
Later lineup members are gone too. Lamar Williams was 34. Dan Toler was 64. David Toler was 59 and Allen Woody was 44.
