23 Facts About Dickey Betts

Forrest Richard Betts was born on December 12,1943 and is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band.

Dickey Betts was the writer and singer on the Allmans' hit single "Ramblin' Man".

Dickey Betts gained renown for composing instrumentals, with one appearing on most of the group's albums, including "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Jessica".

In 1982, they broke up a second time, during which time Dickey Betts formed the group Dickey Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, which lasted until 1984.

Dickey Betts would be ousted from the band in 2000 over a conflict regarding Dickey Betts's continued drug and alcohol use; he would never play with them again and has not since appeared with any former band members for reunions or side projects.

Dickey Betts remains one of only two living founders of the Allman Brothers Band.

Dickey Betts was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and won a best rock performance Grammy Award with the band for "Jessica" in 1996.

Dickey Betts was ranked No 58 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003, and No 61 on the list published in 2011.

Dickey Betts started playing ukulele at five and, as his hands got bigger, moved on to mandolin, banjo, and guitar.

Dickey Betts went on to write "Jessica" and the Allmans' biggest commercial hit, "Ramblin' Man".

Dickey Betts then formed Dickey Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks, where he was co-frontman along with former Wet Willie singer, saxophone, and harmonica player Jimmy Hall.

Dickey Betts then returned to his solo career, performing live at smaller venues and releasing the album Pattern Disruptive in 1989.

Dickey Betts was replaced on numerous Allman Brothers tour dates throughout the mid-to-late 1990s, for what were reported in the media as "personal reasons".

Dickey Betts' last show with the Allman Brothers was at the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Georgia on May 7,2000.

Dickey Betts was ordered out of the band after the dispute went to arbitration.

Dickey Betts was temporarily replaced for the 2000 tour by Jimmy Herring, formerly of the Aquarium Rescue Unit.

When Dickey Betts filed suit against the other three original Allmans, the separation turned into a permanent divorce.

In 2005, Dickey Betts released the DVD Live from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dickey Betts has four children: Kimberly, Christy, Jessica and Duane.

Duane, named for Dickey Betts' former bandmate Duane Allman, is a musician and has performed and recorded with his father.

Dickey Betts was in critical yet stable condition at a Florida hospital following an accident at his home in Osprey, Florida.

Dickey Betts successfully underwent surgery to relieve swelling on his brain.

Dickey Betts's name has been styled in several different ways on recordings throughout his career:.