The family of Forrest Richard Betts aka Dickey Betts, has announced his death from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 80. Overshadowed by Greg and Duane Allman as faces of the band, Dickey Betts was an integral part of the Allman Brothers sound and was behind the band’s biggest hit ‘Ramblin’ Man’. His was a musical and visual style that defined the laid-back appearance of Southern Rock musicians and he was with the band on and off from their start in 1969 through to 2000.

Betts started out as a five-year-old playing ukelele and moved on to banjo and mandolin. “When I finally got to about seventh grade,” he told Rolling Stone magazine, “I learned about girls and rock & roll and Chuck Berry.” The rest, as they say, is history. There was often friction within the band and Betts’s part in it finally ended acrimoniously in 2000 when he received a letter saying he was out of the band for that season’s tours. In reply, Betts sued them. That was finally that.

Other guitarists came and went in The Allman Brothers Band, and the fact that these include illustrious names such as Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes is testimony to a band that always looked for, and found, the best.

A quick introduction to the coming Musik im Park Season. As always, the season will take place outside of the Trinkpavilion in Bad Godesberg Kurpark – just a leaf in the breeze away from Kleines Theater. Fans of CSNY and Steely Dan have particular cause to celebrate. Evenings of Rock, Soul, Funk and Jazz are also promised – all for free (although you might want to bring some change for a beer, a hot dog and, not least, some money in the hat for the musicians!)

Roll on Summer!!!

Just looking at the list of bands that this trio has played in will tell you that this will be a Jeff Beck retrospective of the highest class. And 3songsbonn has secured a place on the guestlist + your own guest to bring along.

The concert is at the Yard Club in Cologne (next to Die Kantine) on 14 April doors open 7 pm show start 8 pm.

To win, just complete the title of Jeff Beck’s biggest commercial hit: “Hi Ho Silver…?” and send your answer to 3songsbonn@gmx.de under the subject heading ‘Jeff Beck Competition’
The first answer received wins…

Sad to hear that Cockney Rebel singer Steve Harley has died after a battle with Cancer. Steve was still touring into the middle of last year. In December though he announced his fight with Cancer, and 2024 began with the announcement that due to ongoing health problems, no shows were currently planned for 2024.

Steve’s musical heyday was also my favourite time for the charts where pop music was concerned, the mid-1970’s. His band Cockney Rebel slid into Glam Rock consciousness alongside the likes of T Rex, The Sweet and Slade with a lyrical style all their own led by Harley’s unique vocal style and had hits like ‘Judy Teen’ and ‘Mr Soft’. They even managed to have a hit with a Beatles song which requires something very special, and indeed, Harley’s vocal on ‘Here Comes The Sun’ proved to be a perfect match for George Harrison’s lyrics.

In October of 2009 Steve Harley played a memorable show at Bonn Harmonie. Memorable for me particularly, as I remember him looking straight at me from the stage with a look of disapproval and loudly remarking that I should stop checking the pictures I was taking and listen to the music instead. Which I now take as a positive that it was the music, and not his image, that mattered to him. How could I be annoyed for long anyway? Just a half hour later he was playing ‘(Come up and see me) Make Me Smile’. One of those songs that will forever be etched in the ears and the hearts of us ’70’s teenagers.