The Allman Brothers Band co-founder Dicky Betts dead at 80
Dickey Betts, who co-founded the iconic southern American group The Allman Brothers Band, has passed away aged 80.
Betts’ death has been confirmed by his manager, David Spero, who revealed the musician died on April 18th following a battle with cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The guitarist was a mainstay of the band’s line-up since they formed in 1969, and later played in various reunions before departing the group in 2000.
His family said of his passing in a statement shared with Rolling Stone: “The legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch was at his home in Osprey, Florida, surrounded by his family.”
The Betts family continued: “Dickey was larger than life, and his loss will be felt worldwide. At this difficult time, the family asks for prayers and respect for their privacy in the coming days. More information will be forthcoming at the appropriate time.”
While Betts went somewhat under the radar in The Allman Brothers Band, with sibling duo Gregg and Duane receiving most of the attention during their early years, he played a pivotal role in shaping their sound, helping them become staples of the American rock scene.
Notably, Betts was responsible for writing their most commercially successful song, ‘Ramblin’ Man’, and also provided vocals for the track. The single, released in 1973, is the only release by The Allman Brothers Band to chart in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking in second position.
Following the death of Duane in 1971, Betts was forced to step up to become their singer in order to keep the future of the group alive. While the devastating loss of his bandmate could have derailed their career, Betts rose to the challenge and ushered The Allman Brothers Band into a new era.
Betts was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1995, but his role in the band began to diminish around this time. He regularly didn’t play live with the group due to personal reasons, and in 2000, Betts was kicked out due to substance abuse issues, according to The Allman Brothers Band. However, the musician denied this was the real reason.
Following his departure, Betts told EW: “I did have a problem [with substances]. I did bow out for a while and I fully admit that I needed help. I was out of line. But not this time. That’s why this [fax] is so confusing. I really don’t understand what’s gone wrong.”
Although The Allman Brothers Band remained active until 2014, Betts never played with the band again or reunited with any former bandmates on new projects.
Betts continued to release albums with the Dickey Betts Band following his exit from The Allman Brothers Band, with his last record, Official Bootleg Vol.1, arriving in 2021. He also toured regularly with the outfit, playing his final show in 2018. In the same year, Betts also cancelled a series of shows after suffering a stroke and never returned to the stage.
This is a developing story.
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