[tinnitus]

"...There was a group called 'The Jokers' they were layin' it down. Don't you know I'm never gonna lose that funky sound."
- Ricky Derringer's reported reference to Dickie Betts' band in Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo

Sad news, though not a huge surprise. Many of my guitar heroes don't/didn't treat themselves very nicely. So 80 is actually an accomplishment in certain circles. Seriously, what does one have to do to get thrown out of the Allman Brothers???

I think it was AGF that prompted me recently to reshuffle my short list of favorite players. I'd have to say that Dickie has hovered in my Top-5 for half a century now. Have there always been faster, more agile players? Absolutely. But very few as clever, soulful or downright musical.

Going back over some old YouTube footage recorded in Les Paul's club, it's interesting to see all the big players LP jammed with. Even more interesting, to me though, is to see him step aside and simply observe when Dickie Betts launched into his ethereal/jazzy version of Elizabeth Reed.

RIP