Dickey Betts

Dickey Betts was a true American musical icon. An incredibly gifted guitarist, songwriter and poetic storyteller, Dickey’s music is transcendent, touching the heart, soul and mind. He has left behind a musical legacy that few can match.

A founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, The Dickey Betts Band and Great Southern, Dickey inspired millions to pick up a Les Paul. The power of his music helped to soothe the souls of people during our nation’s most turbulent times, giving us all hope and joy to live on.

For musicians such as myself that had the privilege to work with him, we were given a rare chance to experience the mind of a true genius. His compositions are epic, and every single note mattered.

It was not surprising to see him labor for hours to find the right note, sometimes ending a recording session early just to return the next day with that note. While he didn’t have a formal music education, his musical genius challenged and confounded the most scholarly of musicians.

He was the same way with the musicians he picked for his bands. He had an uncanny ability to reach inside your heart, size you up and inspire you with his vision which invariably made you to play on a level that you thought was not possible. His band was a boot camp for many careers.

To say he was a rockstar would trivialize who he really was. His true gift which was his spirituality. That spirituality permeated the music, the lyrics, the live show, and even his golf game.

To spend time with him was profound. He had a way of telling a story, just as an Indian shaman might tell story of our musical ancestors that reached deep into your soul, and when you walked away, even if the interaction was just for a brief moment, you had a Dickey Betts story for the rest of your life.

While we all mourn his passing, his work, his legacy and spirituality will live on through his music, his influence on generations of guitarists and the countless stories that musicians, fans and the like will carry in their hearts for the rest of our lives. On behalf of Great Southern, we miss you Dickey.