BLUE SKY - The Allman Brothers Band. The Melodically Perfect Guitar Solo. RIP Dickie.

Hello again everyone! Today we have my cover and a bit of a discussion on what is my all time favorite guitar solo, Blue Sky by Duane Allman and Dicky Betts of the Allman Brothers Band.

Hope you enjoy, KDA

[jackjustice]

and as someone who's been listening to and playing this song for the better part of my life, you absolutely nailed it brother.

[johnpandolfino]

I'm old enough to have seen them play with Duane three times before he best live band in the land ....sure miss those boys

[KellyDeanAllenGuitar]

RIP Dickie. You were a master. One of my favorite players of all time.

[MDavidG]

A little background information, for the uninitiated:
Blue Sky, from Eat A Peach, was composed and sung by Dickey Betts. It was recorded in August, 1971 at Criteria Studios in North Miami, Florida with the legendary Tom Dowd producing. At the time of the recording of the song, Dickey was 27 and Duane was 24. Duane died October 29, 1971 in Macon Ga before the album was released. Thus Blue Sky was among the very last songs Duane recorded in the studio with The Allman Brothers Band. There is one known (and semi-available) live version of the song with Duane playing on it, from S.U.N.Y. in September 1971. In only a month since the studio version was recorded, the S.U.N.Y. live version was lengthened and changed a surprising amount. But that was how the Allman Brothers tended to do things. For my money, no other version of Blue Sky recorded since the studio original is as good. The idea and title of the song came from the American Indian name of Betts' third wife, Sandy 'Blue Sky' Wabegijig.

[lmh]

This solo is absolutely amazing. I can’t play it, but I’ll always whistle along when I listen to it. You are an amazing player, love your cover.

[rickt]

That's the reason that Blue Sky is my all-time favorite song of all time and the Allman Brothers Band is my all-time favorite band. I have to say that is the best cover of the Blue Sky solo I ever heard well done sir.

[ttexas]

I agree with you on this guitar solo being perhaps the greatest of all time. I live about 30 minutes away from where it all happened in Macon Ga. There is a fantastic museum there ( the Big House) in the house where they lived when they created all this great music. The Allman Bros were a special band with 2 incredible guitar players and 2 great singers as well. Ive never saw a live band come close to them, and saw all the great British players. ( SRV being the exception)
You nailed this solo, perfectly.
You are a great player. I enjoy your channel.👍

[darrellallen]

Thank you Sir! Blue Sky is my absolute favorite song of all time. I'm 70 now and just appreciate that melodic guitar even more. You covered it masterfully. I was fortunate to see Dickie Betts play it in a bandshell next to the Mississippi rive in davenport Iowa. A free show and I stood fifteen feet away and watched in utter amazement.

[tommcnally]

Dicky is AWESOME and underrated, you are right that the melody is so refreshing in rock guitar

[amajoradd]

I love the studio version, but check out Live at StonyBrook 9/19/71, 5 weeks before Duane’s death.

Duane takes the first solo and wails, taking you on a melodic and dynamic journey, the dickeys solo just gets you on your feet’s and rollin

[tommyal]

Great job bro! Dickey would be proud for sure!

[davidflint]

AB fan since 1973. One of my favorite solos of all time too! Love the harmony parts. Good analysis

[charlesvartanian]

Wow great tribute and performance. Thank you for confirming my long held view that Dickie Betts was one of the best ever. Got to see him live with ABB and his solo projects in NJ in the 70s. His solos were poetry. There is that one lick in the solo from "Blue Sky" that is so sweet and melancholic that actually turned me into being a lifelong fan. It's the slide down from the e on the 17th fret of the second string. Peace to all.

[leosaari]

The "Blue Sky" guitar break is one of the best of all time. This guy certainly has his ducks in the right order and line. I also have to admit that "Blue Sky" is my favorite song of all time, and ABB my favorite band. I think that BS is also getting more popular with age - I'm not surprised.

[CorbCorbin]

One of my favorites as well.
Dickey was so great, covering so much ground, for the band going forward, after Duane.
When I first found that pocket, to play solos like this, it immediately opened doors to so many other solos.
The album version is a beautiful piece, and they have some sweet sounds like.

[michaelpalumbo]

I've been playing this for 40 years for my own pleasure and it had a tremendous impact on my style of soloing since the very beginning. This is one of the greatest and most melodic solos ever recorded. You absolutely nailed it playing-wise and description-wise. The harmony at 1:38 is one of my favorite guitar licks of all time. Thanks for bringing this to everyone! Now it's in my head...time to take it to the neck!

[grantwilcox]

Classes solo! Well done. My favorite also. Thanks and keep up the excellent work. I always enjoy it.

[bluzzjazz]

I agree Dean. Blue Sky was one of my favorites to learn when I was wood shedding with the vinyl. Learn a phrase, pick up the needle and put it back down for the next section! I never did get to see Duane, but I did see Dickie play with Great Southern. I still have the Live at Filmore East LP, what a great live album, probably the best ever.

[buckbryant]

Cool song, one of my favorite Dicky Betts tunes. I have learned some of this but have not made it all the way through. Very long

[burgerslayerorbstein]

One of the best two guitar solos ever put together. Nicely done.