Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts dies aged 80
The writer of 'Jessica' and 'Ramblin' Man'
Last updated 19th Apr 2024
Dickey Betts, co-founder, guitarist and eventual leader of The Allman Brothers Band has died at the age of 80.
In a statement on social media, his family said the "larger than life" guitarist who they described as a “legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch” had passed away “surrounded by his family.” According to his long-time manager, Betts had been diagnosed with cancer and obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Allman Brothers Band praised his "extraordinary guitar playing" saying he created the "unique dual guitar signature sound that became the signature sound of the genre known as Southern Rock."
Betts was part of the original line-up of the band featuring Duane and Gregg Allman, who coalesced around jam sessions in 1968. He went on to write their biggest hits including 'Jessica', 'Ramblin' Man', 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed' and many more besides. His distinctive dual guitar soloing with Duane Allman helped define the Southern Rock genre, although Betts himself disliked the term, saying “I think it’s limiting. I’d rather just be known as a progressive rock band from the South.”
After the untimely death of Duane Allman in a motorbike accident shortly after the release of the band’s landmark breakthrough live album ‘At Fillmore East’ in 1971, Betts became the band’s sole guitarist, learning all of Allman’s slide guitar parts during one night’s travel.
They reached the peak of their powers with subsequent albums ‘Eat a Peach’ (1972) and ‘Brothers and Sisters’ (1973), the latter containing their two biggest songs ‘Ramblin’ Man’ and ‘Jessica’, both written by Betts. During this time Betts became the band’s de facto leader, with road manager Willie Perkins explaining “"It's not like Dickey came in and said, 'I'm taking over. I'm the boss. Do this and that.' It wasn't overt; it was still supposedly a democracy, but Dickey started doing more and more of the songwriting."
‘Brothers and Sisters’ went to number 1 in the US charts, with ‘Ramblin Man’ taking over the airwaves and making them the most popular band in the country. They embarked on stadium tours in the infamous Starship jet, followed by their first European tour in 1974.
Later the same year, Betts released his first solo album ‘Highway Call’, which went to 19 on the Billboard chart and continued the country sound he had brought to ‘Brothers and Sisters’.
Sadly, the traumatic death of Duane, followed just a year later by bassist Berry Oakley in a tragically similar motorbike accident, alongside escalating ego battles and spiralling drug and alcohol addictions led to the implosion of the band amidst punch-ups and a cocaine trafficking court case in 1976.
Betts formed Dickey Betts & Great Southern in 1977, releasing an eponymous album the same year, and a follow-up the next year, still exploring his country influences. His band combined with Gregg Allman’s for a performance in New York City, and sure enough later in 1978 The Allman Brothers Band reunited.
Barring a hiatus from 1982-89, the band continued to tour and release albums, however Betts was replaced on numerous occasions during the mid-to-late 90s, with media reports speculating “personal reasons”. Things reached a head in 2000, when he was reportedly fired by the other members via fax because of his drug and alcohol abuse.
He never rejoined the band, but despite years of legal wrangling, he reconciled with Gregg Allman before the latter’s death in 2017. In 2018 Betts suffered a mild stroke, returning to live performances afterwards, but retiring due to a series of health issues.
Rest in peace Dickey Betts.
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