Dickey Betts / Shooter Jennings - Humphreys -7/22/07
I was approved to shoot Dickey Betts tonight, so imagine my surprise when there was no ticket or photo pass waiting for me at the box office. A very nice young lady tried to get a hold of the Dickey Betts tour manager, but it was a no go, he had gone to the hotel to take a shower. So there I was, waiting outside a venue thinking that I was going to be shut out for the first time. Oh well, I thought, can't win them all. Now I need to back track a little. About a week ago, I received a FedEx letter from Billboard with a Billboard Mobile Blog Laminate. It's a fun little thing, with the word press on one side and the my photo and name on the other. We were told that it was not going to get us anyplace, but its fun to have at the shows and does lend a bit of credence to what we are doing this summer. Well, tonight it saved me from going home empty handed. I explained who I was and what I was doing there and when they asked if I had any proof of this wild story, I showed them the pass. They must have figured that I was telling the truth because I was handed a pass to get into the show with the threat, that if I was lying, I was in trouble. I got into the venue just as Shooter Jennings ( the opening act ) started their second song. These guys are good. And the bass player was a photographers dream.
The bass player pulled of rock pose after rock pose. Shooter plays a mean guitar. Its a custom beast with a nod to the South.
Shooter Jennings and his band rock in the grand old Southern Rock style and if you get a chance to see them, GO!! It's a lot of fun.
Now it was time for Dickey. This was a guitar heavy show. and the back line of Marshal amps let you know, these guys are serious.
After a couple of tunes, Dickey mention to the audience that he was going to play a couple of his tunes and a couple of classics, but nothing by the Allman Brothers. The Allman Brothers was formed in 1969, and consisted of Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar), Gregg Allman (vocals, organ), Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums) and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). The Allman Brothers are considered the start of the southern rock band. After a long and difficult path, the Allmans disbanded and reformed and disbanded and reformed, but in 2000, the band forced Dickey Betts out for "personal and professional reasons." For that tour, he was replaced by Jimmy Herring. (Jimmy now plays for Widespread Panic) So there is no love lost between the current version of the Allmans and Dickey. That did not stop him from playing classic songs that the Allmans made famous but that Dickey Betts wrote, for example a great version of Ramblin' Man.
He also brought Shooter Jennings out for a spirited duet that really showed how these guys can have some fun on stage.
So from a very rocky start for this blogger tonight, I ended up capturing some great moments watching a classic figure play some classic tunes. Dickey Betts is out on the road now, and if you like the Southern Rock of the Allmans and that ilk, go check him out. Dickey Betts and Great Southern Website
Good shots Alan....I agree,looks like that bass player from SJ was getting off. I am enjoying all the different band pics that you're covering. Keep on keeping on!
Posted by: Patrick In Tally | July 23, 2007 at 08:54 AM
Excellent photos, Alan! Glad you managed to get in.... :)
Posted by: weirswoman | July 23, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Great shots Alan. Made me wish I was there!
Posted by: Derek Hess | July 23, 2007 at 01:34 PM
Alan...i can't believe that a phone could take such great pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: dione | July 23, 2007 at 01:48 PM
Way to go Alan... great shot! It just goes to show ... your the best photographer in the contest.
Posted by: Melissa Bell | July 25, 2007 at 12:30 AM
What a great story and pictures! I have wanted to see Shooter for quite some time now and have never seen any live shots like that before. Thanks! Great to see such amazing pictures come from a camera phone........may have to look into getting one one day, though I imagine it is not the tool, but the artist using the tool that captures such amazing images.
Posted by: Jerry Roskin | July 28, 2007 at 05:28 PM
Great shots again Alan......
Posted by: BINB | July 30, 2007 at 01:46 AM
WOW what a week for you ~ Dickey, CC AND RD!?! Great story and shots, It's crazy that those are taken by cell.
Posted by: Robin | July 30, 2007 at 01:04 PM