THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Pays Tribute To DICKEY BETTS: 'You Will Be Forever Remembered And Deeply Missed'

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND have issued a statement on the passing of the band's founding member Dickey Betts. Dickey died Thursday morning (April 18) at the age of 80. The cause was cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Betts's manager David Spero confirmed to Rolling Stone.

In their statement, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND wrote: "With deep sadness THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND learned today that founding member Dickey Betts has passed away peacefully in his home in Sarasota, Florida, following a period of declining health.

"Dickey wrote quintessential BROTHERS songs including 'Blue Sky', 'Rambling Man', 'Jessica', 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed' and many others. His extraordinary guitar playing alongside guitarist Duane Allman created a unique dual guitar signature sound that became the signature sound of the genre known as Southern Rock. He was passionate in life, be it music, songwriting, fishing, hunting, boating, golf, karate or boxing. Dickey was all in on and excelled at anything that caught his attention.

"Betts joins his brothers, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman, as well as ABB crew, members Twiggs Lyndon, Joe Dan Petty, Red Dog, Kim Payne and Mike Callahan in that old Winnebago in the sky touring the world taking their music to all who will listen.

"Our condolences to his immediate family Donna, Duane & Lisa, Christy & Frank, Jessica, and Kim.

"Play on Brother Dickey, you will be forever remembered and deeply missed.

"ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, Family, and Crew".

Betts released several acclaimed solo albums in the 1970s and 1980s and was involved in THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND reunion in 1989 following a seven-year hiatus.

Betts exited THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND in 2000 after a comeback that found the group releasing several acclaimed new studio albums, winning a Grammy for a live performance of "Jessica" and being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Before fellow THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND founding member Gregg Allman died in May 2017, he and Betts reconnected, with Dickey later saying: "I'm so glad I was able to have a couple good talks with him before he passed. In fact I was about to call him to check and see how he was when I got the call."

In 2018, Dickey suffered from a mild stroke and survived an unexpected head injury. He later underwent surgery to relieve swelling in the brain.

Betts was reportedly the inspiration for the character played by Billy Crudup in Cameron Crowe's 2000 film "Almost Famous".

"Crudup's look, and much more, is a tribute to Dickey," Crowe told Rolling Stone in 2017. "Dickey seemed like a quiet guy with a huge amount of soul, possible danger and playful recklessness behind his eyes. He was a huge presence."