Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90307 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 11:03 am Post subject: RIP Dickie Betts
He was 80 years old. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 52657 Location: Making a safety stop at 15 feet.
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:39 pm Post subject:
ribeye wrote:
Quite possibly one half of the best guitar tandem in rock.
We've missed the other half for some time now and now we'll will miss you.
Sums it up well in just a couple of sentences. In the world of rock music of where there are prominent icons and legends that are household names, he was a true one who kicked ass without the widespread name recognition even though he outshined so many of the others the masses talk about.
Warren Haynes on Dickey:
RIP Dickey Betts – not sure what to say. Such a huge loss. Not only for our musical family, but for the world of music in general. Aside from being a huge, major influence on my music from before I picked up a guitar, Dickey was the one person I credit for everything amazing that happened in my career. As I have stated many times, I was a huge Allman Brothers fan from the very beginning. My oldest brother had the first album in 1969 and it got a ton of play around our house. By the time the Live at Fillmore East record came out in 1971, I was just starting to play guitar and that was with without question the album that influenced me and all my young guitar playing friends the most. We would all listen to it for hours on end, day in and day out. It was a moment and time. What a beautiful gift to up and coming guitar players who might want to travel down that road of improvisation and melding influences. The way he and Duane Allman played together was a thing of beauty and glory. Dickey’s style was a combination of all his diverse influences filtered through his personality and what came out was a joyous sound that would directly or indirectly influence all related music to come. Listening as a kid I had no idea that one day our paths would cross and that he would become a mentor to me. In addition to being the huge influence and inspiration that he had been for years, he was also a presence that loomed larger than life. I started playing with the Dickey Betts Band around 1986 and when he recruited me to be the other guitar player and the slide guitar player in his band, it was the ultimate compliment. I’ll never forget speaking to him on the phone when he called to offer me the job. It was one of those “pinch me” moments in my life, but I had no way of knowing what a heavy moment it would prove to be. After playing in Dickey’s band for 2 1/2 years, I got the call to join my favorite band of all time, The Allman Brothers Band. No one knew at that time that they were considering reforming, so it came as a shock to me. We all signed on to do what we thought was only gonna be a reunion tour for the band’s 20th anniversary to support the Dreams box set. Not myself or anyone else ever imagined that it would turn into what it did and I wound up spending 25 years of my life life as a member of my favorite band. As I’ve also said many times, when I think of the Allman Brothers Band, I automatically think of the original band with Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, who unfortunately passed way too soon, and although I’m extremely proud of my work with the band, that will always be the case. Dickey Betts and I created a lot of great music together and what I took from him was a major contribution in my life. It did not take long once I joined his band to realize, standing next to him with that beautiful tone, that I had a lot to work to do on both with my tone and with my style. It was amazingly intimidating to stand there night after night realizing how far I had to go. He threw me in the lake and I had to learn to swim. I am forever grateful for that “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Thanks Dickey.-WH _________________ You thought God was an architect, now you know
He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow
And everything you built that’s all for show
goes up in flames
In 24 frames
Jason Isbell
Man, do those lyrics resonate right now
Last edited by DaMuleRules on Fri Apr 19, 2024 5:13 am; edited 1 time in total
I listened to Live at the Fillmore East today. Man what a great live album, and recorded in 1970 when live music didn't sound like it does today. With this still fresh and bouncing around in my head, I will say that Dickey and Duane were the best rock tandem ever.
There were other great ones that I can think of off the top of my head:
Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page: Theoretically could have been the best, but only were together as guitarists a couple or few months, and I've never heard anything outstanding from this period.
John Cippolina and Gary Duncan: They had two outstanding albums together, and though one was sorta live, they were just not that great live.
Peter Green and Danny Kirwan: Peter could play the slow blues with as much feel as anyone and Danny could be quite tasty as well. They were just getting going when Peter had his thing, which similarly Danny had as well a bit later.
Neil Young and Steve Stills: Neil could rock and jam like few others and Steven was quite technically sound.
Neil Young and either Nils Lofgren or Danny Whitten: Almost always great live and on record.
Speaking of Nils, since I believe he played with Tom Morello, with Bruce, should have been a great tandem.
Hetfield and the other guy from Metallica are darn good as well. _________________ "A metronome keeps time by using a Ringo"
I listened to Live at the Fillmore East today. Man what a great live album, and recorded in 1970 when live music didn't sound like it does today. With this still fresh and bouncing around in my head, I will say that Dickey and Duane were the best rock tandem ever.
There were other great ones that I can think of off the top of my head:
Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page: Theoretically could have been the best, but only were together as guitarists a couple or few months, and I've never heard anything outstanding from this period.
John Cippolina and Gary Duncan: They had two outstanding albums together, and though one was sorta live, they were just not that great live.
Peter Green and Danny Kirwan: Peter could play the slow blues with as much feel as anyone and Danny could be quite tasty as well. They were just getting going when Peter had his thing, which similarly Danny had as well a bit later.
Neil Young and Steve Stills: Neil could rock and jam like few others and Steven was quite technically sound.
Neil Young and either Nils Lofgren or Danny Whitten: Almost always great live and on record.
Speaking of Nils, since I believe he played with Tom Morello, with Bruce, should have been a great tandem.
Hetfield and the other guy from Metallica are darn good as well.
Agree that Skydog and Dickey were arguably the best guitar tandem ever.
Maybe add Keef+Mick Taylor and Haynes+Trucks to your list.
And like Warren Danny Kirwan was also someone who got to join the band he idolized. _________________ “Properly read, the bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived.”
― Isaac Asimov
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