By Steve Newton
On April 2, 1989, southern-rock legend Dickey Betts brought his new band to Vancouver for a show at the 86 Street Music Hall. One of the coolest things about that gig was that it was the Vancouver debut of 28-year-old guitarist Warren Haynes, who would go on to huge acclaim as the driving force behind American blues-rock/jam band Gov’t Mule, as well as become an integral part of the reunited Allman Brothers Band.
Betts was touring behind his first Dickey Betts Band album, Pattern Disruptive, which included “Duane’s Tune”, an instrumental tribute to his former coguitarist in the Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman. When I interviewed Betts in advance of the show, I asked him what he thought Allman might be doing if he were still around today.
“He’d probably be pulling his hair out at some of the music that’s around,” replied Betts with a chuckle. “But most likely he’d be producing albums—he was always very strong in the studio. And hopefully he’d be playing with me once in a while.”
Needless to say, I journeyed out to the old Expo ’86 nightspot to see Betts in ’89, and judging by my review, was pretty impressed. The “wicked slide guitarist” I mentioned must have been Haynes.
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Charlie Daniels once recorded a song called “The South’s Gonna Do It Again”, and he could be right. Judging by the way things went last Sunday at 86 Street, the sound of the south is alive and well and living in people like guitarist Dickey Betts.
The former Allman Brother brought his own band to town for the first time, and dealt a rip-snortin’ set of new tunes and old Allman classics that had the crowd in hog-heaven for nearly 90 minutes. Betts started off with “Rock Bottom”, the ballsy opening track from his new LP Pattern Disruptive, then quickly went back to 1972 for “Blue Sky”, the feel-good tune he wrote and sang on the Allman’s Eat a Peach album.
Wearing the typical southern rock garb of cowboy hat, jeans, and snakeskin boots, Betts seemed frustrated at first trying to get his gold-top Les Paul in tune, but by the time the band got around to Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues” he was loosened up and ready to roll. His dead-on band featured a wicked slide guitarist and an exceptional keyboardist who’s been blind since birth.
After “Statesboro” the crowd was drawn toward the stage like filings to a magnet, and Betts rewarded them with another gem from Eat a Peach, Elmore James’s “One Way Out”. He played that one with real fury, enough to bust a string and keep his diligent guitar roadie on the go. But the finest moment of Betts’ show came during the three-song encore, when the band delivered his instrumental great, “Jessica”.
Betts didn’t play his best-known tune, “Ramblin’ Man”, which was rather surprising. But he’s probably sick of that one anyway. As if to make up for it, the 86 Street deejay flipped on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”.
Good choice, pal.
To hear the full audio of my interviews with Dickey Betts from 1991, ’92, and 2001–and my interviews with Warren Haynes from 1994 and 1998–subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can also eavesdrop on my one-on-one conversations with:
Dave Martone, 2020
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, 2006
Joss Stone, 2012
Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest, 2005
Jack Blades of Night Ranger, 1984
Colin James, 1995
Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, 1998
Tom Cochrane of Red Rider, 1983
Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 1995
Taj Mahal, 2001
Tom Wilson of Junkhouse, 1995
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, 2003
David Lindley, 2002
Marty Friedman of Megadeth, 1991
John Hiatt, 2010
Nancy Wilson of Heart, 2006
Jeff Golub, 1989
Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness, 1990
Todd Rundgren, 2006
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, 2001
Steve Earle, 1987
Gabby Gaborno of the Cadillac Tramps, 1991
Terry Bozzio, 2003
Roger Glover, 1985
Matthew Sweet, 1995
Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, 2003
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars, 2001
John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, 1995
Steve Hackett from Genesis, 1993
Grace Potter, 2008
Buddy Guy, 1993
Steve Lynch of Autograph, 1985
Don Wilson of the Ventures, 1997
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, 1998
Trevor Rabin of Yes, 1984
Albert Lee, 1986
Yngwie Malmsteen, 1985
Robert Cray, 1996
Tony Carey, 1984
Ian Hunter, 1988
Kate Bush, 1985
David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, 1984
Jeff Healey, 1988
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1996
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, 1993
Colin Linden, 1993
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 1995
Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, 1986
Elliot Easton from the Cars, 1996
Wayne Kramer from the MC5, 2004
Bob Rock, 1992
Nick Gilder, 1985
Klaus Meine of Scorpions, 1988
Jason Bonham, 1989
Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers, 1991
Joey Spampinato of NRBQ, 1985
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, 2003
Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, 2003
Steve Kilbey of the Church, 1990
Edgar Winter, 2005
Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, 1990
Randy Hansen, 2001
Dan McCafferty of Nazareth, 1984
Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam, 2007
Jimmy Barnes from Cold Chisel, 1986
Steve Stevens of Atomic Playboys, 1989
Billy Idol, 1984
Stuart Adamson of Big Country, 1993
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, 1992
Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule, 1998
John Bell of Widespread Panic, 1992
Robben Ford, 1993
Barry Hay of Golden Earring, 1984
Jason Isbell, 2007
Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, 1991
Joe Satriani, 1990
Vernon Reid of Living Colour, 1988
Brad Delp of Boston, 1988
Zakk Wylde of Pride & Glory, 1994
John Sykes of Blue Murder, 1989
Alice Cooper, 1986
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1985
John Doe, 1990
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon, 1992
Myles Goodwyn of April Wine, 2001
John Mellencamp, 1999
Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1999
Kenny Aronoff, 1999
Doyle Bramhall II, 2001
Jon Bon Jovi, 1986
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1992
Randy Bachman, 2001
Little Steven, 1987
Stevie Salas, 1990
J.J. Cale, 2009
Joe Bonamassa, 2011
Tommy Emmanuel, 1994
Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip, 1997
John Petrucci of Dream Theater, 2010
…with hundreds more to come
Great YouTube video of him, Greg and Warrren doing acoustic version Melissa thanks Scoop