In May of 2000 The Allman Brothers Band released a statement announcing that founding member, Dickey Betts would not be with the band on that year's summer tour. "Sadly, there are creative differences. However, the band hopes that their good friend and brother will be back on the road with them in the fall." He didn't come back. This year marks the 5th Beacon Theater run without Dickey.

A few days after the Brothers press release, Betts sent the following communication to The Allman Brothers official web site. "Last Thursday I received a fax informing me that I would not be performing this summer with ABB. It said, you have not been performing well and our shows have been repeatedly disappointing to both us and the fans. The implication was that I was suffering from some sort of health or drug problem. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY, UNFOUNDED."

Nine days after the fax Betts had not heard from Butch, Jaimoe, or Gregg. So he called Allman for a more personal explanation. He responded, "If you don't know, I can't tell you, listen to the fuckin' tapes."

He did and said he was impressed with the sound of the band and proud of his guitar work. At that point Butch Trucks chimed in, "Ain't no way we can fire Dickey. We will be doing the summer tour without him. I will not get into the details. I will not comment further about what is going on with Dickey." And then he did when he added, "Do you remember a summer a few years ago when we had to tour without him." He was commenting on Bett's situation that landed him in rehab in 1994.

Shortly after the war of the words in early June, and just about a week before the ABB tour kicked off in Virginia Beach, Betts went on a rampage in Florida. Rolling Stone reported, "After destroying his living room, threatening his wife and sending police on a manhunt near his Osprey, Florida home, Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts was corralled and sent for a psychiatric evaluation."

As fans we'll never know all the details, but it's a no brainer to see that the spring of 2000 was no day at the beach for Dickey.

I've seen him perform twice since then. The last time was 3 years after his dismissal. It was at The Gathering of the Vibes in '03, on a farm an hour or so outside Albany, New York. He played on Friday night. The next day ABB, Gov't Mule, Susan Tedeshi, and The Derek Trucks band took over the festival.

He was mesmerizing. He played "Back Where It All Begins," and Memory Of Elizabeth Reed" better than when he was with the ABB, obviously the way he'd play them now if he was still peakin' at the Beacon. He looked great, took his guitar playing to a higher level than I ever witnessed, and on that July evening he was simply the greatest guitar player in the universe, the Zen master of the liquid blues soaring solo. I loved it.

I love the ABB current line up: Gregg Allman, Jaimoe, Butch Trucks, Warren Haynes, Marc Quinones, Oteil Burbridge, and Derek Trucks. I mean, Warren interpreting and redefining Duane on "Statesboro Blues," Gregg kicking off the soulful vocal with, "Wake Up Mama," Jaimoe and Butch keeping the powerful tempo, then Derek takes his solo. Hey, forget the year, don't worry about the line up, these guys are the Allman Brothers pure and simple. Nobody has this sound and no one ever will. They are greater than great, but . . . they are better with Dickey Betts for a hundred reasons. The first three are the inclusion of "Jessica," "Blue Sky," and Ramblin'Man," into the set - three Betts compositions.

Warren Haynes on taking Betts spot: "It's a little strange. I would have never imagined the Allmans without Duane or Dickey. Being one of their biggest fans, it's not the perfect scenario for me. I'd much prefer Dickey still be in the band, but having talked to both sides, that's not an option. We just have to deal with the reality as it exists. I love all those guys and wish everybody the best."

Gregg added, "As for Dickey, Dickey has left the building, I mean the band. What can I say about him? You know? He's gone. He's gone."

It's always great to see The Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon. I've been attending for a decade.

It was equally cool to see Dickey Betts jamming on "Ramblin' Man' with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Elvin Bishop on the Grammy awards.

It would be even greater to see him perform it again with the Allmans.