RIP Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band)

[keithrichard]

 

[badbull]

RIP

 

[djefferis]

RIP to one of the greatest guitar players ever.

Honestly - amazing the man made it to 80 to be honest - bad sad news nonetheless.

I remember meeting him years ago - actually semi gambling related to.

Had been out and Thistledown and friend asked me if I liked the ABB - I knew a few of their songs, but honestly wasn’t that big of a fan - anyway I said “kinda - why”. Because Dickey Betts is coming here for July 4th and thought you might like to come hangout backstage. Thought sure - what the hell.

Anyway - it was exactly as bad as you would think a concert put on by an aging washed up rock star being held at a low end horse track in the ghetto would be when I arrived. Just absolutely felt like no one wanted to be there - most of all Dickey and his band. There were a few die hards who came to see him - a few hundred people who questioned his f this show was going to be worth the $20 they paid and a few dozen horse players who found it annoying their typically dead track had strangers at it.

Got a chance to chat a bit with his band and their crew - walked over and said Hello to Dickey and told him what a fan of his I was (wasn’t that big of a fan - but you gotta tell the “talent” what they expect to hear) and quickly could tell he was not in the mood to chat up fans so kept moving.

Again - I didn’t have high expectations- everyone knew at this point in his career Dickey was “washed up” - he was just there for a a few thousand bucks or whatever they paid. But the moment the show started - he changed - gone was that old man who didn’t want to interact with anyone and looked like he was hung over for the 10,000th time - Dickey the guitar player took over and had command of the stage. It was freaking awesome to witness - the prowess he still held with an instrument and how he could sound with a tight band.

Walked out of there and immediately found a copy of Idlewild South and Eat a Peach - began to realize what an amazing band they were. Then came the ultimate live album - The Filmore East. Jesus - there was a tone I realized I’d never heard in my life and would never be able to reach with my own pathetic playing.

After that day I was a fan - and strangely a dozen years later I found myself stuck at work down in Macon. Decided to walk the riverside and go down to see the grave of Elizabeth Reed. Was an interesting experience - drove by the Big House but it wasn’t open at the time - did go down to White House Cafe though and pictures were still there on the wall.

Funniest part I think was the morning a bunch of my coworkers came into work and said “you’ll never guess who we met last night - Duane Allman”. Now my coworkers were all younger than me (a bunch of 20 year old kids) and I was talking with my friend from down there who was probably mid 50s at the time - I just looked at them and said “no you didn’t” - but they insisted they did. My friend looked at them and repeated “no you didn’t” and again they insisted they did - right up until we explained the man had been dead several decades.

They actually met Gregg - who had just opened a burger joint in town where they ate at that night. But the memory of them swearing they met Duane and trying to argue without any idea who it was they actually met was hilarious. Almost as funny as the reaction I got when I told one of them that the old hippie with long hair had been married to Cher in the 70s and their telling me I didn’t know shit - that never happened.

 

[djefferis]

Just saw this thread after I posted - mods - please move mine in reply.

Great song - and not many know the lyrics are actually based on Duane and Gregg’s father - who was himself a ramblin sort of man and killed when they were kids. Poor guy murdered for picking up a hitchhiker when he and a friend were out drinking.

They all were drinking after they picked the guy up and playing shuffleboard - evidently the hitchhiker noticed a wallet full of cash after a successful few games and as they left - he pulled a gun on them and had them drive out to the boonies to rob them.

Legend goes he took wallets/watches and car keys and pointed the gun at them when their dad said “please buddy - don’t kill us” - they didn’t know the hitchhiker was nicknamed “Buddy” - so when he said that - the hitchhiker allegedly said - I wasn’t gonna - but now you know my name I gotta kill ya” - Allman was shot first and the other guy took off running and escaped.

 

[charliebrown]

The rambling man I love that on road trips

 

[fiftycint]

Your my Blue Sky your my sunny day.....RIP to a true great

 

[BobbyFK]

Must be an old time guy. I never heard of him

 

[fiftycint]

Must be an old time guy. I never heard of him

Jesus Christ.thats it good nite

 

[keithrichard]

Just saw this thread after I posted - mods - please move mine in reply.

Great song - and not many know the lyrics are actually based on Duane and Gregg’s father - who was himself a ramblin sort of man and killed when they were kids. Poor guy murdered for picking up a hitchhiker when he and a friend were out drinking.

They all were drinking after they picked the guy up and playing shuffleboard - evidently the hitchhiker noticed a wallet full of cash after a successful few games and as they left - he pulled a gun on them and had them drive out to the boonies to rob them.

Legend goes he took wallets/watches and car keys and pointed the gun at them when their dad said “please buddy - don’t kill us” - they didn’t know the hitchhiker was nicknamed “Buddy” - so when he said that - the hitchhiker allegedly said - I wasn’t gonna - but now you know my name I gotta kill ya” - Allman was shot first and the other guy took off running and escaped.

I heard Greg tell this story in an interview years ago. Amazing and sad if true.

 

[harpo]

R.I.P.

 

[BobbyFK]

Jesus Christ.thats it good nite

 

[keithrichard]