Dickey Betts

It was five years ago when I first saw Dickey Betts perform in Pittston, PA.I was in the town on business and Dickey Betts music rejuvenated my tired nerves for the weeks work ahead, away from home and family. Dickey and Don Toler did the great dual guitar work and energized all those present at spot. And that is where, for the first time, I heard Bougainvillea!

Dickey Betts Bougainvillea brought back the cherished memories of summers we use to spend with our grandparents on their farmhouse. You can always watch beautiful Bougainvillea flowers hanging loose down the porch. Smell of the old wood combined with jasmine and bougainvillea goes perfect with the image of my grandparents sitting smiling while seeing the days going pass them!

Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts is a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. Betts multi talented personality has taken him a long way with the band. He is a composer, song writer, guitarist and singer winning Grammy for his instrumental piece called “Jessica” in 1996. It is been over a decade now that Dickey Betts with his team mates continue to amuse the music lovers with his skills to institutionalizing the country rock! Dickey Betts is considered to be one of the most influential guitarists of all time who with Duan Allman introduced the twin guitar melody and showed how two rock guitarists could work together in harmony without stepping on each other toes.

This Floridian born artist brings the sunshine wherever he goes. Betts started as a second lead guitarist with the Allman Brothers following Duane Allman. But with the death of Duane in 1971 he took up the lead role coming up with the songs as classic as “Jessica” and “Ramblin’ Man.”

His years with the Allman’s were great. He won Grammy with the band and contributed significantly to the dual guitar sound technique. It was in 1974 that Betts released his first solo album called Highway Call which exclusively featured the legendary fiddle player Vassar Clements. Following the Highway Call was the album featuring Bougainvillea “Dickey Betts & Great Southern” followed by “Atlanta’s burning down” in 1978. He wrote the song Bougainvillea with Don Johnson from Brothers and Sisters album.

In 1979 The Allman Brothers band was reformed with the new guitarist “Dan Toler” on board joined by a bassist named David Goldflies. Betts joined the reformed Allman Brothers coming up with all the exciting albums their fans eagerly waited for.

The new group members also had Butch Trucks and Jai "Jaimoe" Johanny Johanson. Betts and Haynes were solely responsible for all song writing giving way to popular albums throughout 1990s. These were the years which did worry Betts fans a lot as he was going through troubled times at personal level.

He was often pulled off the tours and finally Betts left Allmans in 2000 forming his own Dickey Betts band. He is been touring since then with his son Duane Betts, who works as a lead guitarist in the band. Dickey Betts officially announced his retirement on December 17, 2009 on his sixty sixth birthday. But his fans will continue enjoying his live performances from time to time which he intends to put up till the end of his time on this earth.

Dickey Betts’s best song list is huge but out of that list few are the following; Waiting for a Train, Ramblin' Man, Highway Call, Jessica, Sweet Virginia, Long Time Gone, Nancy, Duane's Tune, Let Nature Sing and Rain.

Dickey Betts solo albums include; Let's Get Together, Night, Pattern Disruptive, The Official Bootleg, The Collectors, Atlanta’s burning down, Dickey Betts and Great Southern and Back Where It All Begins: Live at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame & Museum.