Today we lost an true icon of southern rock. One of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band and a staple in the southern rock and blues scene for over 60 years, Dickey Betts passed away today. He was 80 years old. He wrote several of The Allman Brothers best known tunes, including this one:
He is considered by many the top guitarist of his age, not by me, but by others I know.
My brothers BIL idolized him.
Definitely the passing of a great one. Then again, at my age, every month seems to bring the passing of one of the icons of my youth.
True, that. RIP. One of the greats.
Ouch. Just told this to my father in law who was, among many other crazy 70s music scene things, the Allman Bros road manager for a while. He was pretty bummed to hear it and said that Betts was wild but one of the better guys in that band.
The Allman Brothers experienced a lot of substance abuse issues. The brothers got most the publicity for it but you have to assume it permeated the entire band.
As crazy as you assume it was back then, from what my fil has said it was crazier. Not sure how anyone involved with that industry back in the 70s made it out.
Truth. Then again, even those of us not in that industry sometimes look back at the '70s and wonder, holy shit, how am I still alive?
Much less still touring. I’m thinking of the Rolling Stones right now and holy hell how are they still alive?
I grew up in those days. Just going to a concert involved self medicating.
But I have also been watching some YouTube videos on the classical rock era and the number of musicians who had drug problems is huge, though not surprising.
I had several friends who did some rehab time because of cocaine use.
This makes me feel like I’m tied to the whipping post
Good lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.
fuckin raw white-boy blues
RIP Dickey, Duane, et. al.