Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard “Dickey”Betts wrote and recorded “Blue Sky” in 1971 and it was released on The Allman Brothers Band’s 1972 double album Eat A Peach. It is marked by two monumental guitar solos. Duane Allman’s is first beginning at 1:07 into the song, followed by a shared harmony between the two guitarists and finally Betts begins his response at 2:37. Dickey’s inspiration for the song was his girlfriend, native American Sandy “Bluesky” Wabegijig, whom he eventually married. The song was Dickey’s debut as a lead singer for the Allman Brothers. It has not only become an American musical icon but lives on in the hearts of the countless people throughout the world.
“Blue Sky” is universally treasured for its sunshine, sing along simplicity, its carefree appeal as a love song and for its cheerful, conversational guitar lines both shared and harmonized by Dickey Betts and Duane Allman. It meanders and bubbles like a stream in the forest , like clouds passing in a “Blue Sky”, like a mockingbird warbling a busy song on its springtime perch and remains with us to this day as a classic celebration and affirmation of being alive and in love. Those flowery lines have come to represent a genre that can only be defined as the music Dickey Betts. “Walk along the river, sweet lullaby, it just keeps on flowing,It don’t worry ’bout where it’s going, no, no.
Don’t fly, mister blue bird, I’m just walking down the road,
Early morning sunshine tell me all I need to know.”
U of Music 