Allman Brothers Band Pay Tribute to Dickey Betts: ‘The Signature Sound of Southern Rock’

The surviving members of the Allman Brothers Band have paid tribute “with deep sadness” to guitarist Dickey Betts, a founding member of the group who died Thursday at age 80.

“His extraordinary guitar playing alongside guitarist Duane Allman created a unique dual guitar signature sound that became the signature sound of the genre known as Southern Rock,” the statement reads. “He was passionate in life, be it music, songwriting, fishing, hunting, boating, golf, karate, or boxing. Dickey was all in on and excelled at anything that caught his attention.”

The statement also listed a number of “quintessential” Allman Brothers Band songs that Betts wrote, including “Ramblin’ Man,” “Jessica,” “Blue Sky,” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”

In a separate statement, longtime Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes said, “Aside from being a huge influence and mentor, Dickey gave me the biggest break of my career, which changed my life in every way. Standing next to him on stage for 12 years was the greatest music lesson someone could ever receive. There are very few musicians on any instrument that have created a style so unique and recognizable. Dickey was one of the most melodic guitarists of all times and his music influenced, directly or indirectly, all music that followed.”

Duane Allman invited Betts and bassist Barry Oakley, who’d both been playing in another band called the Second Coming, to join the newly formed Allman Brothers Band in 1969. They recorded their self-titled debut that summer and released it in the fall. Betts remained a core member of the group in its many formations after Duane’s death in 1971. He played his last show with the band in 2000 after the band reportedly asked him to take care of his substance dependencies. A lawsuit solidified his split from the group, though he made amends with singer-organist Gregg Allman before Allman’s 2017 death.

“I’ve had a great life and I don’t have any complaints,” Betts told Rolling Stone in 2017. “If I could do it again, I don’t know what I could do to make it different. There are lawsuits I probably could have dealt with better. But so what? You have to get in there and fight and do the best with your amount of time.”

The statement listed the members of the Band and its crew members who have died, saying he’d joined them “in that old Winnebago in the sky.”

Read the Allman Brothers Band’s full statement:

With deep sadness the Allman Brothers Band learned today that founding member Dickey Betts has passed away peacefully in his home in Sarasota, Florida, following a period of declining health.

Dickey wrote quintessential Brothers songs including “Blue Sky,” “Rambling Man,” “Jessica,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and many others. His extraordinary guitar playing alongside guitarist Duane Allman created a unique dual guitar signature sound that became the signature sound of the genre known as Southern Rock.

He was passionate in life, be it music, songwriting, fishing, hunting, boating, golf, karate, or boxing. Dickey was all in on and excelled at anything that caught his attention.

Betts joins his brothers, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman, as well as ABB crew, members Twiggs Lyndon, Joe Dan Petty, Red Dog, Kim Payne and Mike Callahan in that old Winnebago in the sky touring the world taking their music to all who will listen.

Our condolences to his immediate family Donna, Duane & Lisa, Christy & Frank, Jessica, and Kim.

Play on Brother Dickey, you will be forever remembered and deeply missed.

Allman Brothers Band, Family, and Crew