Dickey Betts & Great Southern - Southern Jam: New York 1978

Track List:

DISC ONE

1. Run Gypsy Run
2. You Can Have Her (I Don’t Want Her)
3. Goodtime Feeling
4. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
5. Bougainvillea
6. California Blues
7. Jessica - Southbound - Jessica

DISC TWO

1. Crazy Love
2. Long Time Gone
3. High Falls Part 1
4. High Falls Part 2
5. Blue Sky
6. Ramblin’ Man

In the fall of 1972, The Allman Brothers Band was still grieving over the October, 1971 motorcycle death of band founder and co-lead guitarist Duane Allman. Their future wasn’t clear as a lot of their success was based on the interplay between Duane and Dickie Betts who “rewrote the rules for how two rock guitarists can work together, completely scrapping the traditional rhythm/lead roles” (Guitar World, 2009). That unique dynamic resulted in the release of Eat A Peach and The Allman Brothers Band At the Fillmore East to critical acclaim.

The band turned to co-founder Dickie Betts who offered up “Ramblin’ Man” and it provided the momentum needed. An upbeat country song inspired by a 1951 song by Hank Williams, which resulted in the Allman’s sole Top 10 song. “Ramblin’ Man” which peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Dickie Betts was ranked #58 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003, and #61 on the 2011 list. He also wrote Allman Brother Band classics such as “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Blue Sky” that became radio and concert staples. They were pioneers of the emerging jam band scene with their mix of roadhouse blues /free form rock guitar solos, which again brought them enormous critical acclaim.

As a member of the Allman Brothers Band, Dickie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and in 1996, won a Best Rock performance Grammy Award for his instrumental, “Jessica.”

After the Allman Brothers fell apart in 1976, Betts released more solo albums, with Dickie Betts & Great Southern being released in 1977, which included the song “Bougainvillea,” (co-written with future Hollywood star Don Johnson).

This live performance was recorded at The Calderone Concert Hall on August 11, 1978 and simulcast on WLIR. The band Great Southern consisted of Betts, “Dangerous” Dan Toler on guitar (toured with the Gregg Allman Band in the ’80s), David “Rook” Goldflies playing bass (Allman Brothers Band and Ram Jam), Michael Workman on keyboards (Berklee College of Music and Great Southern), David “Frankie” Toler playing drums (toured with the Gregg Allman Band in the ’80s), Doni Sharbono also on drums (Great Southern), and Mimi Hart singing background vocals (Allman Brother Band, Great Southern).