Dickey Betts is one of all-time favorites, musical heroes, and the reason I fell in love with the Allman Brothers. I'm so sad to hear that he suffered a fall at his home in Osprey, Florida (near Sarasota) on Monday night.
According to reports from the Bradenton Herald, Dickey has been sedated but remains in "critical but stable" condition.
Dickey's longtime friend and manager, David Spero, was the first to detail what he described "just a freak accident". It seems he was playing with the family dog in his backyard when he slipped and cracked his head, causing bleeding in his brain.
So he's scheduled to receive brain surgery to relieve swelling tomorrow (Friday, 9/21).
And remember last month when he experienced a mild stroke, which forced him to postpone several tour dates of his upcoming tour...so things haven't been the greatest for his health. At 74 years old, a fall like this can be very serious.
After weeks of treatment, Spero announced via the crooner's social media platforms: “Dickey Betts is raring to go. His recovery from his minor stroke is ahead of schedule and he has already started playing his guitar again.”
As far as we know, Dickey's next shows have since been rescheduled for November.
His wife Donna gave the following statement in light of the accident: “The family appreciates all of your thoughts and prayers during this very trying time. ... We are by his side giving him the strength to pull through this.”
Get well, Dickey! Hang in there. Hope to see you back in the saddle real soon.
Here's one of my favorite performances of Dickey's with the Allmans...enjoy: