Forrest Richard “Dickey” Betts is a multiple-awarded guitarist, songwriter, singer and composer, born on 12th December 1943 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. He is best known as a founding member of “The Allman Brothers Band”, and one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time.
Have you ever wondered how rich Dickey Betts is? According to sources it has been estimated that Dickey Betts’ overall net worth is $40 million accumulated through a highly successful career which has lasted for over 50 years. The Grammy-awarded musician has also had a notable solo career, which has significantly added to his wealth. Since he is still active in the music industry, his fortune continues to grow.
Dickey Betts Net Worth $40 Million
Although born in West Palm Beach, Dickey was raised in Bradenton, Florida and grew up in a musical family listening to bluegrass, Western Swing music and country from the early age. He started playing ukulele when he was five, and later mandolin, banjo and guitar. During his teenage years he played in a series of bands throughout America before forming the “Second Coming” band in 1967.
Two years later, Dickey’s fellow-musician, Duane Allman got in touch with former Otis Redding manager Phil Walden, and after organizing several jam sessions, recruited Betts and an additional guitarist to form the band which became The Allman Brothers Band. Betts wrote numerous hit songs for the band, including “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Blue Sky”, which eventually became their radio and concert hymns. However, after Duane’s death in 1971, Dickey took on a greater singing and leadership role in the band, also becoming its sole guitarist. He practiced intensively to cover the majority of Duane’s parts, and went on to write classics such as “Jessica” – for which he was rewarded with the best rock performance Grammy Award – and the band’s biggest commercial hit “Ramblin’ Man”. His net worth was rising steadily.
In the mid ‘70s, Betts released his first solo album – “Highway Call” (1974) – which featured fiddle player Vassar Clements, and then three more after the Allman Brothers Band fell apart in 1976. The band reformed three years later to release the “Enlightened Rogues” album, and several others to follow, until disbanding again in 1982.
However, after a (supposedly) one-off reunion tour success in 1989, the band line-up resulted in a permanent reunion and three acclaimed studio albums between 1990 and 1994.
Unfortunately, in 2000 things went the wrong way when the remaining original ABB members suspended Betts due to his use of alcohol and/or drugs, and he was replaced by Jimmy Herring. After Dickey sued other band members, they split-up permanently, and so he later re-formed the Dickey Betts Band and continued to tour.
He is today known as one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time, being ranked no.58 on “Rolling Stone’s” 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list in 2003 and no.61 on the list from 2011. He was inducted with the band to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
When it comes to his personal life, Dickey married four times before settling down with his fifth wife Donna, to whom he has been married for over 20 years. From his previous unions, Betts has four children.
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