Allman Brothers Band (with Duane) - Blue Sky - live 9/11/71

There exist only five recordings of 'Blue Sky' with Duane Allman: the commercial recording on 'Eat a Peach', Academy of Music, NYC 8/15/71, New Orleans Warehouse 9/16/71, Stonybrook NY 9/19/71, and this one, performed on 11 September 1971 at the Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson University in South Carolina. It is the second earliest existing recording of 'Blue Sky'.
Apologies for the poor sound quality.

[@Johnnypoundcakes]

Dickey Freaking Betts. The most underrated guitarist of all time. Screw the audio quality. Thank you for posting. God Bless you Dickey

[@robbiegadeguitar]

***** Dicky is the most melodic lead guitar player ever. He is the master of guitar harmonies.

[@mattgibbons4496]

+Hunter Bruner in a general sense, a lot of people wouldn't rank him as one of the best guitarists. On the other hand, Duane there is a general consensus that he's one of the best of all time.

[@kondiff]

I do agree. His guitarplaying mikes me so happy. Going up to the Blue Skyes.

[@minnesotajack1]

The first solo is Duane, right?

[@PanhandlePrepping]

minnesotajack1 Duane then Dickey.

[@RickMcCargar]

Thought I've heard them all...what a treat. I don't care about the sound quality, to hear them play it differently one more time is everything!

[@claysayshola]

With these bootlegs it makes me completely rethink which solo is my fav lol I have to learn how to play this one tho, learned the other 3 already.

[@jamesharrington1456]

Still not always sure who takes the first solo but maybe Dicky this time because I hear Duane stinging in with the harmony fill and then break out, which I used to think was Dicky's turn. Maybe I've been mistaken all these years btw who is introducing the song? Doesn't sound like typical Duane's voice and the crowd is very quiet and polite. Wow.

[@danielbrager3049]

Well said Rick! Can still feel it all the same 😁

[@louisesmith2141]

My favorite song .the guitars sound like heaven.RIP Duane , Gregg

[@Falcon-qu7ik]

The audio quality isn't the best, but this is still amazing.

[@buddhamus]

A little rough in the recording quality, but so what, it's great to hear Duane and Dicky play together. I've seen Dicky when he was still with ABB, but never got to see Duane play live. Enjoyed this a lot.

[@bluesky6985]

Wail on Skydog. The circle will be joined again, soon.

[@MrCrapheadist]

Too soon

[@papafigo2253]

Now maybe not so soon.

[@stevelongobardi6870]

Incredible phrasing by Duane. Full of soul and groove, neither Haynes nor trucks sound anything like this .

[@johnhy27]

Amen brother

[@TheRockinmac]

Trucks and Haynes are great, but they were another level that no one has ever achieved, IMO. The flow of Duane's notes is unmatched to this day. His bends are overbent perfectly, and then Dickey feeds off of that while not being as free flowing in his playing he adds his own emotions and his own style that is just unreal.

[@danielcombs3207]

It's always wonderful to hear Dickey and Duane compliment each other live . No matter the quality of the sound.

[@Invisiguy]

This is another superb performance, and I find it delightfully different from the original and Stony Brook versions, though with familiar musical themes to those versions. Another gift -- one of the most perfect little gems in the history of R&R!

[@johnhy27]

Have you heard the version at NOLA ? try to run it down. It's breathtaking 😍

[@minnesotajack1]

I should know this....but Duane starts off and Dickey comes in at 3:34, right? Dickey’s tone was always a little edgier than Duane’s. I always thought their tones matched their playing styles: Duane was round and smooth and Dickey’s had corners and edges.

[@voodoochild-bz7gp]

I too like the solo at SUNY best, but I am so grateful Duane left us with 4 very distinct and different versions. I will say, however, that this is my favorite solo by Dickie! I was wondering if anyone could confirm since all recordings are August 71 and later if all 4 live recordings and the studio Eat A Peach version were with Hotlanta? It would be cool if it was a mix of the cherry and darkburst, but probably only photos could tell this.

[@uncasist]

Boy, could Duane play!

[@davidgay8764]

Horrendous sound quality, but oh how Duane & Dickey complemented each other. They brought out the best in each other, setting the bar for dual lead guitarists in southern rock.

[@6ick6ick6ity5]

Duane allman sounds like a damn sax player

[@davidpate3859]

Hard to believe Skydog would be gone in 6 weeks from this recording, we are blessed that the last song he ever recorded was Blue Sky, and I thank the late Dickie Betts for giving us one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

[@skydog46]

The best version without a doubt. The band literally explodes right when Duanes solo starts....they combust right then. You can feel it. Duane just inspires so much.

[@madhavandoraiswamy658]

skydog46 I

[@ronaldpetrin5823]

Still a gem. In the beginning...who knew? "Dualing" heck "harmonious" lead guitars rule, especially here this is.the high standard.

[@jamesnagel6264]

The raw recording but sweet melodies and playing show just how inspired they truly were. Those melodies cut through the raw gritty sound perfectly. In a way this is how I imagine that tunnel to heaven would sound.....if I believed in that stuff. Things arent perfect and they dont need to be. The music speaks for itself.

[@9thwardyat]

For sure that is Dickey, this photo was taken maybe 12-31-70- or 3-20-71 at the WAREHOUSE in New Orleans

[@lonniehunsinger6084]

I was at this show. It's where I discovered Wishbone Ash too.

[@leosaari345]

Thank you Mr. Betts , Thank you Mr. Allman. 52 years later and it's still a magnificent masterpiece. I can't picture anyone who would dislike it.

[@nllleonard]

Having seen them play it (with Duane) in Atlanta, I'm really glad to find it live here, regardless of quality. Thanks very much for sharing. Thinking of Dickey today.

[@michaellouro8447]

Roughest audio, beautifelest recording

[@markcorley]

I hadn't noticed that the sound quality was poor, until I read the comments. Was just digging it.

[@scmah174]

thank you so much for this. i am in awe of Duane

[@weaesq]

Classic. It would be interesting to hear what a recording engineer could do with this recording to clean it up. Duane Allman - one of the best rock guitarist. The harmony between Betts and Duane guitars is something one never forgets. Now in April 2024, about 55 years later, we have lost the other half of these two. RIP Dickey.

[@michaelmosteller941]

Glad a friend found this for me I was at this concert!!

[@jacobabrownful]

Guess i'll just sale my guitar now...🤙👌🤘

[@mathijsblok1166]

Does anyone have a better version in terms of sound quality of this particular performance ?

[@jab3785]

Both Duane and Dickie stay very close to the studio version on this occasion. Only a week late at Stony Brook they were much more experimental. Both are great regardless.

[@dollydagger7502]

jab3785 have to disagree...while they stay close time-wise, I struggle to hea much in the way of phrasing similarities between the solos here vs EAP. That being said the Stonybrook version blows it all apart....

[@janetkeyser5677]

The studio version is all Dickey except where he's joined by Duane on the harmonies, live is a whole different thing , IT"S ALL GREAT !

[@Invisiguy]

Huh? Duane plays the first half, ALWAYS -- studio, here, Stony Brook. They handoff at the literally the midpoint of the song. Duane's playing is more dynamic, more "throw yourself in front of the train and pray you survive"; Dickey is more stairstep in his progressions and repeats while he's thinking of what he's going to do next. This IS a superb version however.

[@MDLOP8]

@@janetkeyser5677 , not so. Duane took the first solo on this song in all versions.

[@timeout66]

this song reminds me of the only woman I ever truly loved. Riding in the boat at sunset with a big blue sky.

[@MrFUHGEDDABOUDIT]

A rare recording. Very special !!!

[@mickjh55]

This is so cool ,, I always though because the album came out after Duane died Dickie played lead , soo good to know ,,, now I get it

[@justinstearns9723]

A good chunk of the songs on Eat a Peach have Duane on them. Blue Sky being one of them. As they do here, Duane takes the first solo on the album version, then him and Dickey double up for a minute, before Dickey takes the second solo.

[@beachlifebestlife]

duanes soloing ( not slide) is killer....

[@supsailor1885]

I had this on an old CBM Bootleg in the 70's, sure would like to hear the whole show!

[@chevyblue10]

I can't tell which one's which. It's all great.

[@TheGuitarMan71]

Duane’s first solo and Dickey is second. Both are goddamn legends

[@100078kz]

just a great perfect songd,d,ickey is a great songwriter

[@GOTTAFISHNOW]

how have I never heard this before. the bluesky from stonybrook has been my favorite recording for years....and this is somehow even better. Thank you. thank you!!!!!!!

[@davidmilfred3809]

Have this on bootleg lp😊

[@jamesharrington1456]

What a great new morning experience to me it's Duane Allman trying to do his Dicky Betts impression which makes it that much harder to tell who takes the first solo but I still think it's Dicky and then Duane so good and I do wish we could filter out the hiss somehow for such a beautiful version.lovely

[@Invisiguy]

No, the first solo is Duane - on this and every other version I have heard. The most Dickey-like playing from Duane is on Stormy Monday from the Fillmore East recordings.

[@MichaelHarrington17]

Yes, all versions of Blue Sky give Duane first solo and Dickey coming in on second solo. Their styles are distinctly different.

[@CapAnson12345]

The acoustics in Littlejohn are awful. But I'll bet it still sounded great live.

[@boblackey1]

Well you're right. The second half of the solo is Dickey Betts. I've noticed Haynes plays a lot of Dickey's phrasing on the current lineup's version of Blue Sky. Well I heard Trucks will his share of Duane licks on the first solo. I would imagine they are trying to make it sound more like the track on Eat A Peach. But it's still Haynes singing so that makes it sound different. Haynes can sound like other guitar players when he wants too. Just listening to him do a Hendrix set with a Strat w/Mule

[@mattm1982]

Not sure why this was downvoted. I agree... they have some soul but the phrasing and feeling doesn't come close to Duane. Dickey's up there close to Duane a lot of the time though.

[@kristianbjrnsen4274]

turn your love my wayyyyy

[@jscharleston7963]

Thanks for sharing this. I now can listen to all 5 versions. To me these are national treasures. I will listen to each one and love every second-with this one thought in mind. You can Mountain Jam this song as well and still isn't long enough.

[@miktofu1]

This is LOVE!

[@tsokinawan]

I like this feeling!

[@jamestomkin8119]

Happy 75th birthday Duane! Playon Skydog!

[@richardlee866]

This is a work of art thank you great music I could care less about the sound quality I can still hear it for what it is the best thank you much.

[@randikantor1527]

with Duane Allman

[@bluesky6985]

Too bad the recording wasn't better

[@Jetsetfastfood]

Thank you very much!

[@FriggnDiggn]

That CANT be Dickey in the picture!?!?

[@extrasolar213]

:D

[@kristianbjrnsen4274]

The solo...

[@PlAyInSomeBluez]

is that dickey on the right? I've never seen his hair that long lol

[@gfriedman99]

Max Malmgren hes wearing a wig

[@booblikon]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/apO1YYx_ea17o5Y

[@fastedward53]

did J.Giels open this show ?

[@lonniehunsinger6084]

Lion, a South Carolina band, and Wishbone Ash. Tickets were $4 for general admission, $5 on the floor.I was at this show.