Berklee Establishes Dickey Betts Memorial Endowed Scholarship

An all-star lineup of musicians will celebrate the legacy of Allman Brothers Band cofounder Dickey Betts while raising proceeds for a new Berklee College of Music endowed scholarship in his honor at a benefit concert this weekend in Macon, Georgia.

The concert, titled In Memory of Dickey Betts, takes place on Friday, February 28, at the Macon City Auditorium and includes performances by Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi BM ’91, Oteil Burbridge, Jaimoe, Chuck Leavell, Devon Allman, Charlie Starr, Jimmy Hall, Lamar Williams Jr., and Dickey’s son, Duane Betts. For those unable to attend in person, the concert will be livestreamed at nugs.net.

The Dickey Betts Memorial Endowed Scholarship will provide financial assistance to students who demonstrate exceptional musical ability and financial need, enabling the next generation of artists to carry forward Betts’s innovative spirit and passion for musical exploration.

“We are thrilled to know that the proceeds are going to such a worthy cause,” said Duane Betts.

An influential guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Betts helped define the sound of Southern rock. Following Duane Allman’s tragic motorcycle accident in 1971, he stepped up to lead the Allman Brothers Band, crafting some of its most memorable songs, including the group’s biggest hit, "Ramblin’ Man," from 1973’s Brothers and Sisters. He also led his own musical projects, recording and performing as Dickey Betts and Great Southern, the Dickey Betts Band, and under his own name.

For more information or to make a donation to the Dickey Betts Memorial Endowed Scholarship, please visit its crowdfunding page or reach out to Davis Wimberly, senior director of institutional advancement, at dwimberly@berklee.edu or 617-747-6944.