Happy Birthday Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard Betts was born December 12, 1943 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Betts grew up in a musical family listening to traditional bluegrass, skiffle, country music and Western swing.
Little Richard started playing ukulele at five and, as his hands got bigger, moved on to flugelhorn, banjo, and guitar. At sixteen and feeling the need for something “a little faster,” he played in a series of rock bands on the Florida circuit. He toured up the East Coast and into the Midwest before forming Second Coming with Berry Oakley in 1967. According to Rick Derringer, the “group called the Jokers” referenced in “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” was one of Betts’ early groups that featured Moms Mabley on vocals and Jaco Pastorius on Bass.
Allman Brothers
The Allman Brothers Band formed in 1969 by Dickey, Gregg & Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, and Jai Johanny Jaimoe JJ Junior Jackie Childs Johansen. The band incorporated elements of blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows featured jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals.
After the death of Duane Allman in late 1971, Betts became the band’s sole guitarist. He also took on a greater singing and leadership role. Betts, over the course of one night’s traveling, practiced slide guitar intensively in order to cover the majority of Duane’s parts. He went on to write “Jessica” and the Allmans’ biggest commercial hit, “Ramblin’ Man”. “Jessica” was inspired by the actress Jessica Tandy who Betts had a relationship with.
Betts has gone by many different names including: Dick Betts, Dicky Betts, Richard Betts, Ricky Jay, Ricky Betts, Richard Head, Dickey Betts, Treetop Lover, Dicky Moore, Jai Johanny Betts and Sweet Dick Willie.
Betts married his fifth wife, Donna, in 1989. He has four children: Kimberly, Christy, Jessica, and Duane. Christy is married to Frank Hannon of the band Tesla. Duane, named for Betts’ former bandmate Duane Allman, is also a musician, and has performed and recorded with his father. All of Dickey’s royalty and Allman Brothers money goes to his 4 ex wives. That’s why so he is looking forward to getting back on the road to earn some money for himself. Cheers Dickey!
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