RIP Dickey Betts

I never lived there but I've been through there. Cornelia, Commerce, Athens, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Dublin, McRae, Douglas, Pearson, Homerville and Fargo north to south on 441. And you'd better have SiriusXM or Spotify, because even the radio stations are few and far between.

Little towns with little brick houses, little rundown downtowns and maybe a McDonald's or Hardee's. Like you've gone back to 1960.

Although there's a certain charm about Douglas. If it wasn't for the oppressive summer heat, maybe a nice place to disappear from the world.

 

I think it was Lumber City (in Telfair County on US 23) where I heard Melissa and had the song and place connection seared into my head. Not my first time hearing the song, but it just fit the late Sunday afternoon mood so perfectly in that melancholy little slice of America.

 

I have one of his solo albums somewhere. "Highway Song" is a nice tune.

"Blue Sky" and "Jessica" are epic songs. Saw the ABB in Richmond in 1973. Good show.

 

'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is a tour de force.

 

I've been to Commerce a dozen times for NHRA events. I never had any problems there.
I did get off the interstate in Macon once for the express purpose of visiting Duane's grave. I got right back on the interstate and kept heading north.

 

Although more associated with Macon, Ga., the Allman Brothers Band really originated out of Florida as did Skynyrd, Outlaws, and Molly Hatchet. Combine them with people like Tom Petty, John Anderson, Jimmy Buffett, and the music scene in Florida in the 70s was off that chart.

 

I've seen the Mount Rushmore of Southern Rock in some very odd places.
Allman Brothers - World's Fair Park, Knoxville
Skynyrd - high school football stadium, Kingsport
Molly Hatchet - Kingsport VFW
Outlaws - Harley dealership, Maryville
Marshall Tucker - bbq/beer festival, Kingsport

Throw in Charlie Daniels - fairgrounds, Knoxville

 

All of my daddy's people were from down there. Macon, Lyons, Vidalia, Hamilton/Pine Mountain, that neck of the woods.

 

Was fortunate to see Betts, Levell and Derek Trucks play a show back probably late 80s or early 90s. Susan Tedeshi was with them. Great show.

 

The closest I got to seeing the classic ABB was at the Georgia Jam in June of '74. Grinderswitch, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker, and the ABB at Atlanta Stadium. Halfway through Marshall Tucker,t he heavens opened and it rained hard. We hung in, wet and steaming and uncomfortable, waiting for the Brothers. Problem was that they got so wasted backstage waiting to go on that when they finally did they were trashed. I watched two roadies each take one of Gregg's elbows and carry him up the stairs and plop him on his organ stool. It was a terrible show. It was the best Skynyrd show I ever saw, though.

They put it out later that someone had spiked the punch or something backstage, but damn few people bought that. They just sat around waiting too long and got bored, and "Oh well."

 

Anybody familiar with The Big House in Macon, Ga.?
My brother spent some time in the South and mentioned this place on a FB thread about Betts and the Allman Bros.

 

Statesboro Blues. End of story.