‘Ramblin’ Man’ Dickey Betts a Floridian through and through
The “Ramblin’ Man” of the Allman Brothers was a Florida man, too.
Dickey Betts was a founding member and a lead guitarist of the trailblazing Southern rock group he formed with brothers Gregg and Duane Allman in Jacksonville in 1969.
Betts wrote the band’s sole Top 10 single, “Ramblin’ Man,” in 1973 — a song that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 that fall.
The Allmans had many adventures on the road both in and out of Florida and Betts split from the group in 2000. But there was plenty of Florida man in this ramblin’ man from the start of his career through the end.
In fact, the Betts name in Florida dates back to the Civil War.
Here are some of Betts’
Florida connections.
Betts was born in West Palm Beach on Dec. 12, 1943. He was raised in Bradenton. His family’s roots in Florida date back to the southeastern Manatee County community of Myakka City, about the time of the Civil War, according to the Sarasota Herald-Trubune.
Betts Road, named for the family, is just east of Bradenton in Myakka City.
Betts formed a band, Second Coming, with bassist Berry Oakley, in Jacksonville in the late ‘60s. The pair would soon meet with the Allmans and form that band in the same locale in 1969.
The Allman Brothers Band’s second album, “Idlewild South” that featured Betts compositions “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Revival,” with Tom Dowd producing, was the first of the group’s numerous albums to be either partly, or wholly, recorded at Criteria Studios in North Miami. The Allmans also cut “Seven Turns” at Criteria in 1990, and mixed their 1995 live album, “2nd Set,” at Criteria.
Betts recorded his second solo album “Dickey Betts & Great Southern” in 1977 at Criteria. He wrote the closing track. “Bougainvillea” with actor Don Johnson, who later starred in ‘‘’Miami Vice.’’ Betts played guitar on Johnson’s high-profile debut album, “Heartbeat” on an upbeat track called “Love Roulette.”
The Allmans recorded their 1994 album, “Where It All Begins,” their last studio album with Dowd as producer, at Burt Reynold’s studio in Jupiter. Five of the 10 songs, including the title track, were Betts compositions. This was Betts’ last album with the band.