Current:Home > FinanceDickey Betts, Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist, dies at 80-LoTradeCoin
Dickey Betts, Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist, dies at 80
View Date:2024-12-23 23:11:31
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man," has died. He was 80.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts' manager of 20 years, confirmed. Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said.
"He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed peacefully. They didn't think he was in any pain," Spero said by phone.
Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre — Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans' music, which combined the blues, country, R&B and jazz with '60s rock.
Founded in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, trampling the traditional notion of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.
Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash a year later. That left Betts and Allman's younger brother Gregg as the band's leaders, but they frequently clashed, and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band broke up at least twice before reforming, and has had more than a dozen lineups.
The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts left the group for good in 2000, and also played solo and with his own band Great Southern, which included his son, guitarist Duane Betts.
Forrest Richard Betts was born Dec. 12, 1943, and was raised in the Bradenton, Florida, area, near the highway 41 he sang about in "Ramblin' Man." His family had lived in area since the mid-19th century.
Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass and Western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo before focusing on the electric guitar because it impressed girls. At 16 he left home for his first road trip, joining the circus to play in a band.
He returned home, and with bassist Oakley joined a group that became the Jacksonville, Florida-based band Second Coming. One night in 1969 Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, already a successful session musician, and his younger brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.
The group moved to Macon, Georgia, and released a self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later came the album "Idlewild South," highlighted by Betts' instrumental composition "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," which soon became a concert staple.
The 1971 double album "At Fillmore East," now considered among the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans' commercial breakthrough and cemented their performing reputation by showcasing the unique guitar interplay between Allman and Betts. Their styles contrasted, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar, while Betts' solos and singing tugged the band toward country. When layered in harmony, their playing was especially distinctive.
The group also had two drummers — "Jaimoe" Johanson, who is Black, and Butch Trucks.
Duane Allman died four days after "Fillmore" was certified as a gold record, but the band carried on and crowds continued to grow. The 1973 album "Brothers and Sisters" rose to No. 1 on the charts and featured "Ramblin' Man," with Betts singing the lead and bringing twang to the Top 40. The song reached No. 2 on the singles charts and was kept out of the No. 1 spot by "Half Breed" by Cher, who later married Gregg Allman.
The soaring sound of Betts' guitar on "Ramblin' Man" reverberated in neighborhood bars around the country for decades, and the song underscored his knack for melodic hooks. "Ramblin' Man" was the Allmans' only Top Ten hit, but Betts' catchy 7½-minute instrumental composition "Jessica," recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.
Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band's other best-loved songs, including "Blue Sky" and "Southbound." In later years the group remained a successful touring act with Betts and Warren Haynes on guitar. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks died in 2017.
After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.
- In:
- Music
- Florida
- Obituary
- Entertainment
veryGood! (39)
Related
- 2 dead in explosion at Kentucky factory that also damaged surrounding neighborhood
- No. 8 Alabama knocks off No. 1 Georgia 27-24 for SEC title. Both teams await postseason fate
- The 10 best quarterbacks in college football's transfer portal
- Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers apologizes for hot-mic diss of his own team
- Sister Wives’ Kody Brown Explains His Stance on His Daughter Gwendlyn Brown’s Sexuality
- Joe Flacco will start for Browns vs. Rams. Here's why Cleveland is turning to veteran QB
- Glenys Kinnock, former UK minister, European Parliament member and wife of ex-Labour leader, dies
- Walmart says it has stopped advertising on Elon Musk's X platform
- Brian Austin Green Shares Message to Sharna Burgess Amid Ex Megan Fox's Baby News
- Olivia Rodrigo performs new 'Hunger Games' song at Jingle Ball 2023, more highlights
Ranking
- Oil Industry Asks Trump to Repeal Major Climate Policies
- Why Kirby Smart thinks Georgia should still be selected for College Football Playoff
- West Virginia prison inmate indicted on murder charge in missing daughter’s death
- AP Top 25: Michigan is No. 1 for first time in 26 seasons, Georgia’s streak on top ends at 24 weeks
- Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
- Walmart says it has stopped advertising on Elon Musk's X platform
- 32 female athletes file lawsuit against Oregon citing Title IX violations
- Widow of French serial killer who preyed on virgins admits to all the facts at trial
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul press conference highlights: 'Problem Child' goads 'Iron Mike'
-
Third-party candidate leaves Mexico’s 2024 presidential race. Next leader now likely to be a woman
-
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 first look: new cast members, photos and teaser trailer
-
The international court prosecutor says he will intensify investigations in Palestinian territories
-
Tropical Storm Sara threatens to bring flash floods and mudslides to Central America
-
Iran-linked cyberattacks threaten equipment used in U.S. water systems and factories
-
Man kills 4 relatives in Queens knife rampage, injures 2 officers before he’s fatally shot by police
-
Pottery Barn's Holiday Sale Is Up To 50% Off, With Finds Starting At Just $8