Dickie Betts, the guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died. He was 80 years old.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, confirmed David Spero, Betts’ manager for 20 years. Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Spero said.
“He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his entire family. They didn’t think he was in pain,” Spero said by phone.
Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band, giving the group a distinctive sound and helping create a new genre, Southern rock. Artists ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by Allmans’ music, which combined blues, country, R&B, and jazz with his ’60s rock.
Formed in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band that defied the traditional concept of three-minute pop songs by playing longer songs in concerts and on records. The band was also known as an interracial group from the Deep South.
Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley also died a year later in a motorcycle accident. This left Betts and Allman’s younger brother Greg as the band’s leaders, but they frequently clashed and substance abuse caused further dysfunction. The band disbanded at least twice before reuniting, and has had more than a dozen line-ups.
The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2012. Betts permanently left the group in 2000 and also performed solo and with his own band, Great His Southern. His son is guitarist Duane Betts.
Forrest Richard Betts was born on December 12, 1943, and grew up in the Bradenton, Florida area, near Highway 41, where he sang in “Ramblin’ Man.” His family had lived in this area since his mid-19th century.
Betts grew up listening to country, bluegrass, and western swing, and played the ukulele and banjo, but later focused on electric guitar because it impressed girls. At the age of 16, he left home for his first outing and joined the circus to perform with his band.
He returned home and joined what would become Second Coming, a Jacksonville, Florida-based band with bassist Oakley. One night in 1969, Betts and Oakley jammed with Duane Allman, who was already a successful session musician, and his brother, and together they formed the Allman Brothers Band.
The group relocated to Macon, Georgia, and released their self-titled debut album in 1969. A year later, the album “Idlewild South” was released, with the highlight being Betts’ instrumental work “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” which quickly became a concert staple. .
The 1971 double album At Fillmore East, now considered one of the greatest live albums of the classic rock era, was the Allmans’ commercial breakthrough and featured Allman and Betts’ unique guitar interplay. This performance solidified the reputation of their performance. Their styles were contrasting, with Allman playing bluesy slide guitar while Betts’ soloing and singing led the band into country. Their playing was especially unique when it came to harmonizing.
The group also had two drummers, “Jamo” Johansson and Butch Trucks, who were black.
Duane Allman died four days after “The Fillmore” went gold, but the band continued to perform and audiences continued to grow. Their 1973 album “Brothers and Sisters” topped the charts and featured “Ramblin’ Man,” with Betts singing lead, bringing the twang to the top 40. The song reached number two on the singles chart and remained there ever since. Cher’s “Half Breed,” who later married Gregg Allman, took the number one spot.
The soaring sound of Betts’ guitar on “Ramblin’ Man” echoed in neighborhood bars across America for decades, and the song highlighted his talent for melodic hooks. “Ramblin’ Man” was the Allmans’ only Top 10 hit, but Betts’ catchy seven-and-a-half minute instrumental “Jessica,” recorded in 1972, became an FM radio staple.
Betts also wrote or co-wrote some of the band’s other popular songs, including “Blue Sky” and “Southbound.” In later years, the group continued to tour successfully with Betts and guitarist Warren Haynes. Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks passed away in 2017.
After leaving the Allmans for good, Betts continued to play with his own group and lived in the Bradenton area with his wife, Donna.
