DICKEY BETTS??? Who's into it???

[Marky]

Guys another group think session here. Dickey Betts and Great Southern. Who's interested, please let me knwo your thoughts Thanks, Marky..

[Jay Funk Dawg]

i'd go in a flash!

[elemeno]

dickey betts and great southern, bring it on. while your at it why not just bring dickey betts and the rest of the allman bros back together!!!

[Jaimoe]

I like Dickey Betts & Great Southern. Their two offical albums are very good. Dickey Betts's first solo album, " Highway Call ", is better however. DB&GS are a hybrid of blues, bluegrass, rock and country, more so than most of his contributions with the Allmans.

Country and bluegrass fans should really seek out " Highway Call ". Even his last studio release, " Let's Get Together " is worthy of a listen. Some of his best songs in years are on that album. The only flaw is that he is too liberal in letting his bandmates get their tunes on the album. " Let's Get Together " also suffers from over-production. Still, the instrumental One Stop Be-bop is a minor masterpiece and many of the other cuts are very good.

Bring back Dickey, Allmans!!! Of course, he has to clean-up his act first.

[TheGoodRev]

I know nothing of his solo work but I would go to the show purely because of his Allmans association. Better than nothing, right?

[Jaimoe]

Hey Rev, if you need a place to start regarding Betts' solo work, check out " Highway Call ". It's really good and worth the purchase, plus it's been recently remastered.

[Palms]

Aren't the rumour mills saying he's shortly to rejoin the Allmans and that Warren Haynes is stepping out again? I've heard that a few places now.

[Jaimoe]

I hope the rumors are true, not that I'm not a huge fan of Warren. The 2nd best line-up the Allmans have ever had is with Woody and Haynes.

Still, Derek Trucks and Dickey make a sensational guitar duo, with Trucks having a real link to ABB lineage.

I doubt that the rumors are true, unless and this is a big unless, Dickey is off the " juice ".

[secondtube]

i'm not sure if i'd hit this event up.

the price would be high (no doubt) .... i guess it depends on when ....

But i'm sure you'd get the older crowd turnout, solely for the allmans archival purpose.

[bONES]

But i'm sure you'd get the older crowd turnout,

in other words...i'd be there ::

[Jaimoe]

I'll be there too. Secondtube doesn't like Betts in the first place.

I'd see the Dickey Betts Band over The Greg Allman Band any day.

[doug]

I'd be there. My personal opinion is that Dickey getting kicked out/leaving (whichever side you believe)ABB was the best thing that could have happened for both sides. Dickeys playing in ABB had definitely slipped and the band had become a bit stale (again that is just my opinion) but I have heard a number of shows hes done with the new band and they are definitely smokin! Same with ABB they seem to have gotten a new energy and focus since Warren rejoined. As for the price, Im sure it would cost a bit more to bring him to Canada, however the prices for his shows in the USA dont seem to out of line.

[TimmyB]

I'm into it. I would love to see Dickey Betts again, specifically in the Allman Brothers Band, but if that can't happen I'd go to see Betts solo as well.

[Jaimoe]

The Allmans still ain't the real Allmans without Betts. He's as important as Duane and Greg. He had to go when he did, but I still hope he'll clean up his act and be invited back to his only real band.

[MuleMomma]

Make it happen Marky!!

This past summer was the first since Dickey's departure from the Allman Brothers that I haven't seen him at least once stateside...not that I didn't try, but that Buffalo waterfront show was over by 10pm and not 11 as I thought. Two years in a row, I saw Dickey Betts Band at The Sideshow in Lackawanna, once with Mark May on second guitar and the next time as Dickey Betts and Great Southern with "Dangerous" Dan Toler on second guitar. The next two years, I saw DB&GS at The Tralf also with "Dangerous" Dan. Somehow, though he's a stellar player, Mark May didn't fit the mix in my opinion, whereas Dangerous Dan and Dickey have so much chemistry, it's poetic to say the least.

Last time I saw DB&GS, UF Productions came with me, and we both agreed that we'd got more out of that show than an ABB show, not to mention the extra treat of seeing them in an intimate setting. Dickey usually does two good sets, with the second opening with a sweet acoustic set (though the 3rd time I saw them, Dickey seemed a wee bit tipsy and got impatient with the sound problems during the acoustic set and gave up after a song). He is always genuinely appreciative of his fans, and hangs out on the steps of his bus after the show signing autographs and talking to folks until the last one has shaken his hand. He seems a bit hard of hearing, which adds a lot of credence to one of the rumours that he was ousted from the ABB because of his tendency to go off on solos and not pay attention to what anyone else was playing.

I would definitely highly recommend taking in a DB&GS show, and the only reason it didn't happen a couple years ago was that Dickey tried to cancel out of all his Canadian dates due to SARS, and outright refused to come to Toronto.

As for his last album, he released an all acoustic independent effort after "Let's Get Together" with Dangerous Dan on guitar rather than Mark May called "The Collector's #1" that was only available at his shows. It's a compilation of many old standard tunes, ABB/Dickey tunes, select covers, and possibly a couple originals, and is a real treat to listen to. The setlist is -

Beyond the Pale

Georgia on a Fast Train

One Stop Bebop #2

Tangled Up in Blue

Steady Rollin' Man

Change My Way of Livin' #2

The Preacher

Seven Turns #3

Willy and Po' Bob

[backbacon]

I would go for sure!! I saw Dickie and Great Southern the summer before last at the Windsor Int'l Bluesfest! What a superb set of music! That guitar tone just melts my brain. I enjoyed it more than any post-Dickie ABB show I've seen. Definitely into seeing a full Dickie show and hear those jams taken even further!

I bought that Highway Call record a couple weeks back... good stuff. I guess someone had just brought it into the store adn sold it 5 minutes earlier!

Here's a little bit about the Bluesfest Show 07/18/03.

© StuDog 2003 ----- Dickie Betts - Windsor International Bluesfest 07/18/03

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"When Dickies solo began I started movin and he sent me to that place. The place only a true professional jamband guitarist could send me. That crack of light made the whole show worth it. Brought back alot of memories of the mid nineties at a ABB show. ABB just aint the same without my boy Dickie."

-- phishin4groove