Dickey Betts Cancels Tour After 'Mild Stroke'

Former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts has canceled his upcoming concerts following what his doctors have called a "mild stroke."

Betts had three shows coming up this week in Syracuse, NY, Wallingford, CT, and Hampton Beach, NH. 

In a doctor's visit late last week Betts was reportedly diagnosed with "post-stroke repercussions." 

While it's not clear when the Grammy-winner had the stroke, "Doctors have assured Betts that after three to five weeks he will be 100 percent recovered and can resume his touring schedule," said a release on his website. 

Betts began performing live again last May after announcing his retirement in November of 2017. 

The guitarist reported being burned out and described himself as "like a boxer who gives it up."

"When I turned 70 years old, I figured I wanted to go fishing and play golf and mess around and stuff, so I would retire," he said after changing his mind. "Well, I got bored as hell sitting around here."

Betts' solo band includes his son Duane on guitar. 

Duane and Gregg Allman's son Devon made news this spring when they announced that they would tour together, taking a break from their respective solo careers to keep the music their fathers made — the music of the Allman Brothers Band — alive. 

"There's tribute bands out the ass," Devon Allman said at the time of the announcement. "It's a big, money-making deal. But wouldn't you rather see a Bonham beat the s**t out of the drums? And wouldn't you rather hear an Allman and a Betts do 'Blue Sky' and 'Midnight Rider' instead of a tribute band? Hell yes, you would!"

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