By STEVEN WINE and RUSS BYNUM (Associated Press)
Dickey Betts, the famous guitarist who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and penned their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died at the age of 80.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer passed away at his residence in Osprey, Florida, as confirmed by David Spero, Betts’ manager of 20 years. Betts had been fighting cancer for over a year and also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to Spero.
Spero stated over the phone, “He was surrounded by his whole family and he passed away peacefully. They didn’t think he was in any pain.”
Betts, along with Duane Allman, played lead guitar in the original Allman Brothers Band, contributing to the band’s unique sound and playing a role in the creation of a new genre: Southern rock. Acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, Phish, and Jason Isbell, among others, were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined blues, country, R&B, and jazz with ‘60s rock.
Blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa shared in an Instagram post Thursday, “My first concert was Dickey Betts at Coleman’s in Rome, New York in 1983,” crediting Betts with inspiring his favorite electric guitar model. “Blew my mind and made me want a Les Paul.”
Established in 1969, the Allmans were a pioneering jam band, deviating from the traditional idea of three-minute pop songs by performing lengthy compositions in concert and on record. The band was also notable as a biracial group from the Deep South.
Duane Allman passed away in a motorcycle accident in 1971, and founding member Berry Oakley died in