Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1523410
T he legendary Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts sang his last sweet lullaby in April 2024 at age 80. Born Forrest Richard Betts in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 1943, the devoted husband and father of four upended the long-held rock- and-roll belief that a band should have one lead guitarist, wrote author Alan Paul. When Betts and Duane Allman shared lead on tracks like "Whipping Post," Betts' jazz-inspired, artfully articulated solos sparked while Allman's aggressive, roaming lines smoldered. Together, they exploded into counterpoint twin-guitar harmony that blew the roof of Southern Rock and launched the Allman Brothers toward world fame. Following Duane Allman's death in 1971, Betts stepped up as sole lead guitarist, composing and singing their biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man," in 1973 and the perfect slice of Southern contentment known as "Blue Sky" in 1972. Alongside his Allman brothers, Betts was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and won a best rock performance Grammy Award for "Jessica" in 1996. Rolling Stone named Betts as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He also gained recognition for his instrumental compositions, the most notable of these being "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Jessica." The band went through a hiatus in the late-1970's, when Betts and other band members broke off to pursue other careers and side projects. He also released material as Richard Betts, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, and The Dickey Betts Band, and a pre-Allman group with bassist Berry Oakley called Second Coming. With the death of Betts in April 2024, drummer Jaimoe is the last living founder of The Allman Brothers Band. Betts le his mark on Macon, and we join with countless other music fans in celebrating his legacy. We understand it was time for leaving. Thank you for the music, ramblin' man. Dickey Betts 30 maconmagazine.com | June/July 2024 Alan Paul. When Betts and Duane Allman shared lead on tracks like "Whipping Post," Betts' jazz-inspired, artfully articulated solos sparked while Allman's aggressive, roaming lines smoldered. Together, they exploded into counterpoint twin-guitar harmony that blew the roof of Southern Rock and launched the Allman Brothers toward world fame. Following Duane Allman's death in 1971, Betts stepped up as sole lead guitarist, composing and singing their biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man," in 1973 and the perfect slice of Southern contentment known as "Blue Sky" in 1972. Alongside his Allman brothers, Betts was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and won a best rock performance Grammy Award for "Jessica" in 1996. Rolling Stone named Betts as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He also gained recognition for his instrumental compositions, the most notable of these being "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Jessica." The band went through a hiatus in the late-1970's, when Betts and other band members broke off to pursue other careers and side projects. He also released material as Richard Betts, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, and The Dickey Betts Band, and a pre-Allman group with bassist Berry Oakley called Second Coming. With the death of Betts in April 2024, drummer Jaimoe is the last living founder of The Allman Brothers Band. Betts le his mark on Macon, and we join with countless other music fans in celebrating his legacy. We understand it was time for leaving. Thank you for the music, ramblin' man. 30 maconmagazine.com | June/July 2024 Dickey Betts, photographed in 1990 in Miami, Florida.