Is dead Dickey Bettssinger, guitarist and author of Allman Brothers Band, one of the most famous rock and blues bands of the seventies. He was 80 years old. The cause of death, confirmed by his manager David Speroit was a tumor and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
His family broke the news to Rolling Stone USfollowed by a statement: “It is with deep sadness and heaviness in our hearts that the Betts family announces that Forrest Richard ‘Dickey’ Betts he passed away.” “The legendary performer, songwriter, band leader, and breadwinner died at his home in Osprey, Florida, surrounded by his family. His loss will be felt around the world.”
The birth of the myth
Betts, in 1969 he was together with Duane Allman in the group of founding musicians of Allman Brothers Band. Soon after the three-hour jam session that gave birth to the band he also joined Gregg Allman on vocals and keyboards.
Southern rock
Author of two of the band’s biggest hits, Ramblin’ Man And Jessica dedicated to their daughter, the band helped define the sound of Southern rocka genre that also took cues from country and is still very popular in the Southern United States.
Career without the band
In addition to the records recorded with the band – from which he separated in 2000 due to major disagreements with Gregg Allman (who later passed away in 2017) – in his 60-plus year career Betts released music under the names Richard Betts, Dickey Betts & Great Southern , Dickey Betts Band, Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks. In 2014 he definitively abandoned the music scene. In 2018, a domestic accident forced him to undergo delicate brain surgery.
