Derek Trucks and Duane Betts have shared a stage for the first time since the passing of Dickey Betts last month, swaying through a soulful rendition of the Allman Brothers' Dreams.
Joining his former bandmate and the Tedeschi Trucks Band on stage at Miami's Sun, Sand, and Soul festival, Duane Betts helped pay tribute to his late father in the best way possible, and the lick trade-offs across the 15-minute track are a sight to behold.
The pair grew up together side of stage at Allman Brother shows, a band they would play in alongside each other at the turn of the century, so it’s fitting that the band would unite them once more – as they have done their entire lives.
During the jam, there appears to be a hint of apprehension from Betts, perhaps feeling the weight of the moment. But their rapport is plain to see, with Trucks encouraging his lifelong friend, coaxing him out of his shell.
Pride and joy then pours from Trucks, wielding a Gibson SG for the performance, as Betts and his Les Paul, flicked onto the neck pickup, starts to let go, unfurling a stream of single-note bends that draw roars from the crowd.
It’s something viewers of fan-shot footage have also noticed. One commented: “[I] love how Derek looks so proud during Duane’s solo, like a brother would.”
Betts’ tenure alongside Trucks in the Allman Brothers was short-lived, lasting about a year, and has since focused much of his efforts on his solo material.
The pair collaborated on a song, Stare at the Sun last year, as a tribute to Dickey, which has become more far poignant in recent weeks.
Speaking to Guitar World, Duane Betts recalled a conversation he’d had with Derek Trucks about the legacy of his father’s playing and how he’s “one of those players who’s not afraid to stare directly into the sun,” a line he said he loved.
“I was already working on a new song,” he explained, “and Derek’s sentiment gave the song a center.”
The song effortlessly succeeds in achieving an “old school Florida vibe” with the song, and its parent record. But Guitar World's Matt Parker extends that it pulled off much more, saying it “also entwines some beautiful, fleeting nods to Betts Sr.’s playful major pentatonic runs and chiming tones.”
Earlier in the day at the same festival, Trucks joined Duane Betts & the Palmetto Motel for a live rendition of the song, which you can check out via the above video.
Betts Sr. passed aged 80, having suffered from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was one of the more influential rock guitarists of his generation and leaves behind a legacy of work that includes Jessica – named after his daughter – and the Allman Brothers' biggest hit, Ramblin' Man.
