Thanks for posting this because I was at this show! Some buddies and I flew from the Bay area to Vegas and caught ABB at The Hard Rock that weekend as well as my brother at The House Of Blues a different night with his disco/funk band, Dr. Funkenstein. They came on around 1:00 AM and let me tell you, they blew the damn walls off of the place!! That band did not only disco but some of the more hard core funk stuff like Parliament Funkadelic and Rick James. They dressed up in 70's era wigs and clothes and put on a show. My friends were all coming up to me, going, "WOW! Your brother is REALLY good." Yup. As most here would know, he's been playing guitar with Alanis Morissette for 23 years now. GREAT weekend! I saw ABB 21 times and I couldn't exactly say that they were at the peak of their powers at this point. Certainly not a bad show (I never saw them deliver a BAD show), but they weren't knocking anyone's socks off at that point, either. More like going through the motions. If I'm not mistaken, this was the only tour ever featuring both Derek and Dickey. I will get to this entire video later for memories' sake. Thanks again!
I just watched Blue Sky and I have to say that I'll take back that earlier assessment (hey, it's been 25 years). VERY fiery and lengthy solos from both Derek and Dickey! I forgot that Dickey was still playing this well at this point in time.........maybe because it wasn't all that long before he got booted. I'm kind of surprised. Gregg's voice sounds real nice on Melissa. I believe this is right around the time he finally got sober for good.
I think Gregg had already been sober for a few years since the '95 RnR HOF event. Derek hopped on the tour in Summer '99 and then there was a Spring 2000 Beacon and mini-tour that was more messy that led to Dickey's departure before Jimmy got called up from the minors. Damn shame, because on paper Dickey & Derek is a monster combo. But, water under the bridge, thankful we got the music that we got. This is some great stuff, I had never seen/heard this clip before.
😎 Very cool thanks for posting! This is why I continue to lurk around here!
@porkchopbob: "I think Gregg had already been sober for a few years since the '95 RnR HOF event." I KNEW somebody here was going to say that because that's what most of the crowd here thinks. But it's just not true. Yeah, Gregg cleaned up after the '95 ROR HOF event........TEMPORARILY. How do I know this? Because I very briefly dated one of Gregg's ex-girlfriends who was with him in the mid-90's. I lived in the Bay area for 36 years and Gregg was living there in the 90's as well. I met her at a club, probably 2018 or '19, where one of Gregg's ex-guitar players was playing. She knew him from her time with Gregg. I asked her about Gregg cleaning up after the '95 HOF show. She said, "He stopped, but he didn't quit." Gregg's struggle towards sobriety was a lot more protracted and difficult than most imagined. She told me more details, but out of respect for Gregg, I will stop right now.
@porkchopbob I saw this show too.First time to see Susan's band. Dickey was delivering one hot solo after the other. Butch Trucks was quoted in a music magazine in 1999 " Dickey is playing the best right now since the early 90's. My nephew Derek reminds him and Gregg of Duane so Derek has both of them inspired again".
I saw one Beacon show in 2000 that was good too so it was surprising Dickey's playing and behaviour became so unhinged before the Beacon run was over.
Butch apparently had wanted Dickey out for several years so when he found out Gregg couldn't take Dickey's attitude anymore and was quiting before the summer 2000 tour, Butch moved quickly and called Gregg.
A good deal of Butch's anger about Dickey was business. Warren said it went back to Butch not getting a writing credit on a couple of songs but more recently it was Dickey blocking Butch's personal business ideas that involved the band.
Check out the Ramblin' Man on this show. I remember being especially surprised at how hot Dickey was on that. Like the early 90's indeed.
@porkchopbob Butch let it slip about 2015 that Gregg continued to have a drug problem which surprised the guy doing the interview and surprised me too. But I'm sure he must have kicked it for awhile.
Don't forget to check out Ramblin' Man on that 1999 Las Vegas show. Next to last song. See if you agree Dickey was in good form that night.
cool watch/listen
When Dickey was playing at this level ( watch Blue Sky and Ramblin' Man) I would rather listen to Dickey Betts play lead guitar than anyone. His unique melodic style always made me feel happy and moved.
I became a big fan in February 1970.... so I saw Dickey after he was booted from the ABB everytime Dickey was in my general area or playing where I was when out of town and I must admit I never saw Dickey play at this level ( he is a 10 here) ever again. I think 2012 was the last time. It must have been age plus the alcohol and drugs.
Dickey was astonishingly good during the Duane years and through the Chuck/Lamar band most of the time.
Dickey was hot with Warren Haynes in 1988 through about 1994 then slipped but got hot again when Jack joined then at the shows I saw with Derek Trucks, Dickey was as good as he was when Duane was alive. This little clip is what I saw in 1999 when he was playing with Derek Trucks at the 5 shows I saw.
As Porkchopbob said the Derek Trucks, Dickey Betts combo was simply stellar on paper and indeed it was in 1999 when I saw it. It was like he was back with Duane Allman!!!;
But in 2000 Dickey was hit and miss. Derek said some nights after 1999 Dickey had bad nights and was unhinged but other nights playing crazy good lead guitar.
Then the fax and the fax indicated it was drugs and alcohol and go get help and we will get together and talk this fall. Shame Dickey didn't do that and sued the band.
RIP Dickey. My favorite guitar player and song writer now for over 50 years.
