By: Staff
Dickey Betts, Photo: Wikipedia
Dickey Betts, founding member of the Allman Brothers Band and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will take his Great Southern Band to Sarasota, FL this November 12th and 13th to headline the Dan Toler ALS Support Benefit Festival. According to a press release, the benefit is being held at Herschberger Ranch in Sarasota and will raise funds for Toler’s ongoing battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), widely known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Bonnie Bramlett, the queen of blue-eyed soul and legendary singer, will also appear at the benefit, and country band BlackHawk, had a string of Top 10 country hits in the 1990s including “Every Once in A While” and “I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No,” are headlining on the second day. Also appearing will be Bo Bice, “American Idol” season four runner-up, Sean Chambers, The Artimus Pyle Band, Wilson Williams and His Platters, the Mike Kach Group, Tony Tyler’s new band Come Back Alice and many more.
Fans will have the chance to see all these performers at The Dan Toler ALS Support Benefit Festival, with Dickey Betts’ signature Allman Brothers Band classics as “Ramblin’ Man,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Jessica” topping the festival off right.
Herschberger Ranch is located at 13010 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, and tickets for the event are as follows: $20 (one day), $35 (two day pass), $100 (one day VIP), $150 (two day VIP), $5 for children ages 12 and under. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (941) 228-5099 or go to the festival’s website. Not sure yet? Don’t worry, tickets will be available at the ticket office on the event days.
“Dan’s always taken care of everybody around him,” said Mark Serio, Mike Kach Group guitarist and event co-organizer. “He’s a wonderful cat who I’ve known for 30 years, and I would do anything for him. This is a labor of love for all of us.”
“Dangerous” Dan Toler played guitar in Great Southern before Betts, a resident of Sarasota, landed him a gig in The Allman Brothers Band in 1979. Toler can be heard on three ABB albums, including the group’s comeback Enlightened Rogues, which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard album chart.
When the Brothers disbanded in 1982, Gregg Allman formed his namesake solo band with Toler and Toler’s recently passed brother David “Frankie” Toler on drums. Together they recorded the 1986 album, I’m No Angel, which produced the hit title track.
Toler rejoined Great Southern in 2002 and stayed on for several years before leaving to pursue various other musical projects. He announced he had ALS in August of this year.
If you cannot attend the benefit festival but would like to send a donation for Dan’s ALS medical treatment, please send it to:
Dan Toler, ALS
PO Box 1786
Tallevast, FL 34270
