RIP Forrest Richard Betts

[Wade Hampton]

I’m a huge fan of Dickey Betts. In the 1970’s I listened intensely to his playing in the post-Duane Allman Brothers Band recordings. I had a copy of his “Highway Call” solo album, too.


Wade Hampton Miller

[airborne1]

Originally Posted by abn556

The early ABB Live at the Fillmore was a gigantic album for me. I couldn’t even imagine how many hours I spent listening to the early ABB albums. After Duane died many people wondered how they would make it and DB responded with songs like Ramblin’ Man and Blue Sky. Really great country rock style melodic playing.

I too really like “Blue Sky”!

I believe he wrote it for his Native American wife at the time.

I’m a big fan of the Allman Brothers!

[raysachs]

Very sorry to hear. He was a fantastic player. I guess all of the original Allmans are gone except for Jaimo. For those couple of transcendent years before Duane and Berry died, they were as good as anyone. And they were a serviceable live act for many years after, largely due to Dickie.

RIP

-Ray

[L50EF15]

I just saw this news. May he rest in peace. Like others, I wore out copies of Fillmore East, and learned how to play slide from listening repeatedly to that album.

Dickie once described the ABB as “a progressive rock band from the South.” I remember that quote from an interview he did around the time the Seven Turns album was released, and it strikes me still as the perfect description of that band. They took chances and had an eclecticism that others following in their wake lacked.

Fillmore East needs to be in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress if it isn’t already.

[L50EF15]

I had no idea this album existed, but I am not surprised; especially with this song. It always made me wonder what Miles Davis would have done with it:

https://youtu.be/AqU_fH-9Mwc?si=omGyiYWVQ8udnIVO

[815C]

Hate to hear this. He was a BIG influence on me. One of the first solos I transcribed note for note when I was a teenager was his solo on SOUTHBOUND. What a tasty player he was.

[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

[12barBill]

I think I would have to say Dickey Betts was my absolute favorite "electric" guitar player. There was just a melodic core to his playing and I loved the use of major pentatonic with the added "Betts" note I call it (the fourth of the major scale). To me, his style of play was happy, for lack of a better word.


If you have 8 minutes to spare this is quite a jam.

[815C]

Originally Posted by 12barBill

... There was just a melodic core to his playing and I loved the use of major pentatonic with the added "Betts" note I call it (the fourth of the major scale).

I always approached his sound as a major scale with the 7th omitted. Same thing as you described, but just a different way to look at it.

[12barBill]

Originally Posted by 815C

I always approached his sound as a major scale with the 7th omitted. Same thing as you described, but just a different way to look at it.

Yes, exactly. And I have heard that said before. To me, the playing just seems to be based around major pentatonic so I look at it that way (with an added 4th). But very good that you mentioned that. Just another way to get to the same place.

[srick]

I was a big fan of not only the Allman’s, but also fell in love with Dickey’s first solo album, “ Highway Call” (1974).

About twenty years later, I was at a concert in Wallingford, Ct. - Pam Tillis, with the opening act, Alabama. The Oakdale Theater was a theater in the round with a revolving stage. As Alabama started their set, they were facing away from us. And then, as the band gradually turned to face us, Mr. Betts broke into a solo riff from one of the cuts on that album. I must have had the biggest grin on my face (having recognized it) and he was grinning right back at me.*

I remember my jaw dropping and loudly excclaiming, “That’s Dickey Betts!”

What a wonderful player; what a melodic style!

* he was not a regular member of the band, but must have been filling in during the tour

[westview]

Back in the day, I saw the Allman Brothers Band at the Los Angeles Forum.
Former home of the Lakers. The first album I ever heard from them was Live at the Fillmore East.
Say no more.

[reeve21]

Very sad. Blue Sky is one of my favorite tunes. I like his solo on it very much. Fun to play (not at his tempo for me!).

[fumei]

Originally Posted by rmp

I just saw this too

I learned A LOT from listening to this guy.

One of my hereos along with his brutha Duanne.

rip Dickey

Duanne was not his brother, or brutha. Duanne was Greg's brother. Nevertheless, I hear ya. Duanne was my hero and my influence for electric slide, with Kottke handling the acoustic side. I ended up being not very good electric-wise as I realized I am an acoustic player. Besides, I am not a big guy and those darn Gibsons were/are SO bloody heavy...

As for Betts, well, Duanne's passing was a deep tragedy that fortunately for the band Betts handled that pressure with aplomb.

I do know how much more I can take all my hero and influences dropping off.

[Gunny]

I literally wore out the Fillmore cassette during my service years driving home on leave 18 hours each way. Perfect road trip music.