Show notes
SUMMARY
This week on Dopey Greatest Hits, Dave officially declares July to be Allman Brothers Month and revisits one of his favorite interviews—with Duane Betts, guitarist, songwriter and son of the legendary Dickey Betts.
Before the interview, Dave talks about his lifelong love of “Blue Sky,” reflects on a difficult Patreon Zoom and reminds himself of one of recovery’s hardest lessons: restraint of pen and tongue. Papa Smurf contributes an incredible story about selling mushrooms in an Allman Brothers parking lot, getting grabbed by undercover cops and escaping after an oblivious hippie accidentally distracts them.
A listener named Jeff also shares a disastrous Phish adventure involving craft beer, moonshine, cocaine, getting lost outside the venue while “Maze” played in the distance, wandering through a locked campground and receiving a possession charge that ultimately introduced him to AA.
Then Dave sits down with Duane Betts for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about growing up inside the Allman Brothers family, touring with his father, living at Cher’s Malibu home, learning guitar on the road and finding his own musical identity.
Duane opens up about Hodgkin lymphoma, discovering Dilaudid after surgery, the Malibu party scene, Molly, cocaine, crack, black tar heroin and a gram-a-day opiate habit. He recalls smoking heroin-and-cocaine speedballs, flipping a car after scoring drugs, waking up beside a friend who had overdosed and nearly dying after a massive cocaine hit.
He also describes arrests, drug court, treatment, Suboxone, relapse, touring with Dawes and eventually finding lasting recovery. Now more than seven years sober, Duane talks about meeting his wife in Jackson Hole, staying grounded through music, hiking, yoga and connection, and continuing the Allman Brothers legacy through his solo work, Palmetto Motel and the Allman Betts Family Revival.
It is a story about rock-and-roll history, inherited addiction, devastating loss, recovery and finding a life filled with music, gratitude and purpose.
Allman Brothers month continues!
