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Lynyrd Skynyrd Will Officially Continue Touring in 2023

By Jon Freeman

Jon Freeman

Lynyrd Skynyrd ’s music will continue to be a live attraction following the March death of the band’s last original member, Gary Rossington . The remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and family estates released a statement on Monday announcing the group’s plans to continue as a touring outfit, including a summer trek with ZZ Top this year.

Rossington’s widow and longtime Skynyrd backing singer Dale Rossington offered a statement on coming to grips with his loss and his considerable body of work with the band.

Singer Johnny Van Zant, who stepped into his late brother Ronnie’s role when the band reformed to tour in the Eighties, touched on the importance of the Skynyrd concert experience.

“Gary, along with my brother Ronnie and Allen, started this band and left us all a legacy of music that has stood the test of time, and crossed three generations of fans,” he said. “The music they created, and the music we created, together since 1987, was always meant to be experienced live.”

The final performance of Gary Rossington with Lynyrd Skynyrd took place at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in November 2022. A recording of that performance will air in August on PBS.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd And ZZ Top Announce Co-Headlining The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour

Tickets On Sale Starting Friday, December 16 at 10am Local on LiveNation.com

Today, the titans of American classic rock ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd have announced their first co-headlining tour – The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour – taking over twenty-two cities in North America this summer. Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on Friday, July 21 at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL, and continues with stops in Fort Worth, Phoenix, Chicago, and more before wrapping up in Camden, NJ at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on Sunday, September 17.

TICKETS:  Tickets go on sale starting Friday, December 16 at 10am local time on LiveNation.com

LYNYRD SKYNYRD & ZZ TOP: THE SHARP DRESSED SIMPLE MAN TOUR DATES: 

Fri Jul 21 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Sun Jul 23 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Fri Jul 28 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP

Sat Jul 29 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

Sun Jul 30 – Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman

Mon Aug 7 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre*

Thu Aug 10 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

Fri Aug 11 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

Sun Aug 13 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion

Thu Aug 17 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO

Sat Aug 19 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL

Sun Aug 20 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Fri Aug 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center

Sat Aug 26 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Sun Aug 27 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Fri Sep 01 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Sat Sep 02 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Sun Sep 03 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

Fri Sep 08 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Sat Sep 09 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium

Sun Sep 10 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

Fri Sep 15 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Sun Sep 17 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

* Not A Live Nation Date

About Lynyrd Skynyrd:

As Lynyrd Skynyrd approaches the 50 th anniversary of the band’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd’ in 2023, they resonate as deeply with their multi-generational fan base today as when they first emerged out of Jacksonville, Florida in 1973. Few ensembles have had the deep impact in creating a lifestyle as Skynyrd has. The band travels forward with a primary mission of celebrating a legacy that honors all whom have had a resonating contribution to the lives of hundreds of millions of fans globally. Former members Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Ed King, Billy Powell, Bob Burns, Leon Wilkeson and Hughie Thomasson alongside others will forever remain significant contributors to this indelible repertoire and the band’s colorful history. Today, Lynyrd Skynyrd rocks on with a current line-up featuring Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Keith Christopher, Peter Keys, Carol Chase and Stacy Michelle. Gary Rossington continues to have a significant presence and creative influence with the band, while making select appearances on the road.

The rock and roll powerhouse continually tours, and as Van Zant shares, “It’s about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the fans are all about. There’s nothing like getting out there playing a great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music.”  Adds Rossington, “We’re still standing, Still keeping the music going. We wanted to do the guys who aren’t with us any more proud, and keep the name proud, too.”

 With a catalog of over 60 albums, billions of streams, and tens of millions of records sold,  Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd remain a cultural icon that appeal to all generations.

About ZZ Top:

“That Little Ol’ Band From Texas” has been at it for well over a half century delivering rock, blues and boogie on stage and studio to millions of devoted fans. With iconography as distinctive as their sound, ZZ TOP is globally recognized with their beards, hotrod cars, spinning guitars and that magic keychain, all of which transcend geography and language.

It was in 1969 Houston when ZZ TOP coalesced from the core of two rival bands, Billy Gibbons’ Moving Sidewalks and Frank Beard and Dusty Hill’s American Blues. ZZ Top’s 1973 release, Tres Hombres , catapulted them to national attention with the hit “La Grange,” still one of the band’s signature pieces today.  Eliminator , their 1983 album was something of a paradigm shift for ZZ TOP. Their roots blues skew was intact and added to the mix came their hightech-age trappings that soon found a visual outlet with such tracks as “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” on the nascent MTV. It was one of the record industry’s first albums to have been certified Diamond, far beyond Gold and Platinum, a reflection of sales exceeding 10 million units.

As a touring outfit, they’ve been without peer over the past five decades, having performed before millions of fans over four continents and have been the subject of their own Grammy-nominated documentary titled That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.   The band’s line-up of the bearded Gibbons and Hill and Beard, who ironically is clean shaven, remained intact for more than 50 years.  When Dusty temporarily departed the tour in the summer of 2021, Elwood Francis entered the picture accepting the directive from Dusty to be the perfect choice to stand in on the bass-guitar and now handles the low-end duties for the band for the present as well as into the future.

The elements that keep ZZ TOP fresh, enduring can be summed up in the three words of the band’s internal mantra: “Tone, Taste and Tenacity”. As genuine roots performers, they have few peers. Their influences are both the originators of the form – Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed, et al – as well as the British blues rockers and Jimi Hendrix who emerged generations before ZZ’s ascendance.

They have sold hundreds of millions of records over the course of their career, have been officially designated as Heroes of The State of Texas, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (by Keith Richards, no less) and have been referenced in countless cartoons and sitcoms. They are true rock icons and, against all odds, they’re really just doing what they’ve always done. ZZ TOP abides!

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Bob Merlis | [email protected]

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Lynyrd Skynyrd 

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Lynyrd Skynyrd (formed in 1966) is an American southern hard-rock, country and blues band hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, in the U.S.

The earliest incarnation of Lynyrd Skynyrd, formed by friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington, performed under the moniker My Backyard, before switching to One Percent in 1968. Two years later the band thanks to headlining a series of local concerts and opening for several national acts, Lynyrd Skynyrd became a popular Jacksonville act, they honed their hard-rock, southern blues style and began to make their studio recordings.

As a result of a successful performance at an Atlanta club Funocchio, which caught to attention of producer Al Kooper, the band singed to MCA in 1972. The band’s debut album arrived in 1973 with members Van Zant on lead vocals, Rossington on lead guitar and rhythm guitar, Collins also on guitar, Ed King on lead guitar, Billy Powell on keyboard, Bob Burns on drums and Leon Wilkeson on bass. The single “Free Bird” from the album earned Lynyrd Skynyrd their first taste of national exposure, notorious for their three guitar attack.

It wasn’t long before the band developed a popular following, with the success of “Free Bird” and opening for the Who on their “Quadrophenia” tour. Lynyrd Skynyrd's sophomore album “Second Helping” was released 1974 featuring the hit single “Sweet Home Alabama”. The album has since been certified multi-platinum and was followed up by 1975’s Nuthin’ Fancy”. “Nuthin’ Fancy saw Burns and King leave the band and replaced by Artimus Pyle. The album was there first to break the Top 10 and performed much better than its successor “Gimme Back My Bullets” released in 1976.

The band maintained its devoted following through well-documented touring and the release of the double live album “One More from the Road”. Three days after the release of the band’s sixth studio album “Street Survivors” on October 17, 1977, the band’s privately chartered plane crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and his back-up singer sister Cassie all died in the crash with everybody else picking up manageable injuries. Due to the event and the media coverage, “Street Survivors” became one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s biggest and most popular albums, however the band soon broke up after the crash.

In 1987 members Rossington, Powell, King and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd with the addition of vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randall Hall. The band toured relentlessly which can be heard on the double live album “Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour - 1987”.

The band subsequently released a string of studio albums including “Endangered Species” in 1994, “Twenty” in 1997, “Edge of Forever” in 1999, “Christmas Time Again” in 2000, “Vicious Cycle” in 2003 and “God & Guns” in 2009. In 2012 Lynyrd Skynyrd released the album “Last of a Dyin’ Breed”, it was produced by Bob Marlette and recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

Live reviews

Well, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hands down the hardest working band in the land, came to my area. San Francisco. I can't recall the Southern Rockers playing a venue in San Francisco, let alone headlining, since the 70's, at the now, just a memory Bill Graham's Winterland Arena. It was Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Co. together for a night in the city by the bay. And what a weekend for the Bay Area to host an event with so much happening in and around the Golden Gate. I live just North of San Fran in the wine country. Usually a pleasant 45 minute drive South on the state route 101. Last night was no exception. I'm sure the boys in the band will be hanging around today to stop in at the 49ers new home in Santa Clara to take in the game vs. the Denver Broncos. I don't recall, but I believe their next performance is in Saratoga tonight which would take their tour bus right by Levi Stadium. What a fantastic state of the art sporting arena that is. Lynyrd Skynyrd, my FAVORITE band in the world, so close to home. A few years back they played at the now closed down resort, Konocti Harbor, in Clearlake, I was fortunate to see them there 2 or 3 times. They played both the outdoor amphitheater and the small, intimate indoor stage. On Superbowl Sunday of all days. Probably THE MOST badass kickass rock-n-roll show I had ever seen. And, I've seen a lot. Skynyrd took the stage immediately following the Denver Broncos and the Greenbay Packers Superbowl game. What a game that was. By games end the crowd inside the Konocti Resort was well lubed and rowdy. Setting the stage for a typical bar room brawlin beer guzzlin fist fightin broken furniture guitar slingin amplifier blowin rock show. Their signature giant Confederate Army flag dropped the lights came up, and BAM! like a ton of led, Gary Rossington's screaming Les Paul Guitar fired right down your throat. I have goose bumps and tears in my eyes right now typing this review. There they were, my hero's. Four feet in front of me. Jamming. Playing ALL the Skynyrd hits. They played for well over an hour. I Idolized Ronnie Van Zant since the day I first received the vinyl album Nuthin Fancy for my 13th birthday. It was 1974. I was use to my older brother smoking weed in his bedroom and listening to Prounced Lehnerd Skinerd in his bedroom and would always put my ear to the wall when the epic Freebird song would play. I would air guitar Allen Collins and his solo. What fond memories. I once drew a picture of Ronnie Van Zant that, I guess was so good, it was stolen from house during a party later in my life. I miss that drawing. Probably THE BEST drawing I have ever done. Forward to 2014, San Francisco, California. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Co. I didn't get to go. AGAIN. This is the 2nd time. First time was 1977. Day on the Green, Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California. Directly across the bay. I was given a ticket the night before the concert. It was my Birthday. It was the last concert Lynyrd Skynyrd would play in California before the horrific and devastating plane crash on October 20, 1977. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Peter Frampton. I couldn't get a ride. Oh, a lot of my friends were there for sure, but I couldn't hook it up. In fact the entire Sonoma County Rocker Army was on The Green for that show. Not me. And my idol was killed shortly after that day. No. Lynyrd Skynyrd at The Warfield Theater in Downtown San Francisco was way over my budget for me to attend. Lynyrd Skynyrd had finally out priced me. Kicked me to the curb. I am disabled now. I live on a measly little SSI income. I can't afford concert tickets anymore. The ticket prices for Lynyrd Skynyrd, in my opinion, were astronomical. Way over "The Workin Man" budget. So much for playin for the fans. So long Skynyrd, you are in a different stratosphere than I am now. I will still listen to every song, on every album you ever made. Even the ones you haven't made yet, because I AM a DIEHARD LYNYRD SKYNYRD FAN! To the core. My blood runs deep in the South. My hair is turning white, my neck has always been red, and my collar is still blue. Gary, carry on the name and your signature sound, I will always be your biggest fan. Johnny you are doing your brother proud. Instead of San Francisco, and spending two,three, or most likely four hundred dollars that I don't have, I drove 18 minutes westward to the little town and my former stompin grounds, Forestville, California. The infamous Forestville Club. Eric Lindell and his band returned to his Little Ol club that he always enjoyed playing so much. A place he calls home in West County. For 20 bucks. What a great show he put on. I danced my crippled self till 1AM. Eric Lindell what a fantastic musician and gentleman. Now that is my kind of venue.

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Great show. They sounded great.. just wonderful. And the Forest Hills venue was beautiful and first class. Skynyrd was at the top of their game. Iconic and legendary artists. Amazing show.

Hank Williams Jr was awful though.. odd & confusing act IMO, complete with a carnival-like stage-intro announcement on the PA mentioning how many awards and hits he has (we didn't know any of his "hits"). He constantly told stories about how famous and important he is, who he wrote songs for, his father, etc etc... His act seemed like one long lecture and bio/promo to a captive audience. Strangest parts were when he started-- for some very odd reason-- playing Cat Scratch Fever and Walk This Way covers, and about 30 seconds into each song, stopped to talk more, and never returned to finish those songs, and, also when he took the stool halfway through his show for an "acoustic set", and was basically talking the whole time, barely playing the guitar or any long form songs. After a relatively upbeat first few songs, this "acoustic" set yak-fest just popped the air and energy right out of the place. Maybe this is all why he is still an opening act, and not the headliner. Talked way too much, and couldn't wait for the lame act of this cocky blowhard to end.

Lynyrd Skynyrd can do no wrong. I got to see them and ZZ Top at the Backyard in Austin, Texas. I am young, but I know enough of their music to appreciate them. This was one of the better live concerts I have ever gone to. It seemed like everyone in the crowd knew every word to every song. I distinctly remember the concert as being family friendly but extremely exciting too. These guys may be getting old, but they will keep on rocking until they just can't rock any longer. Not only did they play the hits, but some other great songs too. Hopefully they will keep putting on great shows like this for a while. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a band that everyone should get to see at least once in their life. This was an amazing show and I feel lucky to have been able to see both of these great bands. I have known their music since I was a child, and have grown up hearing their wonderful songs. If you ever get the chance, I would definitely suggest going to see Lynyrd Skynyrd. You will not regret it.

I saw the pre plane crash Lynryd Skynyrd

in Ft Worth, Texas in 1974. They were on top of the world then and the concert was

great. It was the best concert I had ever

been to until I went to the first of 5 McCartney. I was a stupid kid in 10th grade and my buddies and I drove over

from Dallas. The lead singer and leader of the band, Ronnie Van Zant, somehow got

a cut on his forehead swinging the mic stand around. He had blood flowing down

his face the rest of the show. A guy I knew said he went to the band’s room after the show to find out

where the post party was and Ronnie was

getting his head patched up.

Planes have

been the death of many great rock bands beginning with Buddy Holly. I was at Texas Tech at the time and during one of my classes the professor got word somehow and announced to the class about the crash. It was very sad day.

I have not had the chance of seeing the new Skynyrd in concert. After seeing the original I don’t know if I could see the new.

This Concert was so Bitter Sweet! I can honestly say I have seen thousands and thousands of concerts over the years and Lynard Skynard NEVER disappoints. However, this show was by far the VERY BEST CONCERT EVER! It makes me sad to think that I will never experience the Warmth, Excitement, Extreme Fun, & Overall Euphoria as I did on Saturday night, again due to this being their Farewell Tour! I love this band and they love their fans! Simply AWESOME Band! True Entertainment! This band has always been my Husband's Favorite Band and soon after I met him, I realized why. They have climbed hurdle after hurdle with loss and crazy black clouds following their path over the many years that they made their musical way. Yet, they are still on top and saying Farewell! I Love Lynard Skynard!

Saw Lynyrd Skynyrd again Friday night. After 31 years on tour, these guys can still rock out with the best of them. I've seen them in several different cities on several different occasions and have never been disappointed. Friday night at the Amp in Rogers, AR, they proved once again that they are one of hardest working bands out there today. Their farewell tour setup is amazing! They've combined footage of past concerts and family pictures to show where they came from and how they got to where they are now. I hate to see them quit touring, but I'm damned glad I got to see one of their final shows.

Massive Wagons and Status Quo guest starred.

Massive Wagons were good, Status Quo absolute brilliant, amazing song choices and they performed spectacularly.

Lynyrd Skynyrd were out of this world, loved every second. Video background was lovely and showed us again they will never forget thier roots. So grounded and appreciative of all the attending fans. Skynyrd chose the perfect set of songs and everyone was up singing and rocking away. I will never forgot it. A night to remember. Thank you for blessing us last night 29/07/2019 @ SSE Arena Wembley London

Lynyrd Skynyrd was awesome! They played for a solid hour and a half, rocking the house the whole time. No, it’s not the original Lynyrd Skynyrd but you would never know. Johnny Van Zant has filled in admirably for his brother and it was great to see Gary Rossington still playIng those guitar licks. My only complaint is with the parking at the Toyota Amphitheatre. It literally took an hour to park and more than an hour to get out. There has to be better traffic control or people will not make the trip to Wheatland. Rock on!

It was a great show. They played most of the classics but it was what seemed to be a short set.With over 40 years of material they could have played all night. They could have thrown more picks! I did end up with a drum head and a very sweaty towel from Mr. Rickey! The one bad thing is that the Meet and Greet was not listed when I bought the tickets. I would have loved to do that one. It needs to be publicized when the tickets go on sale so fans can confirm it then.

Lynyrd Skynyrd in Savannah was Great! Really enjoyed the songs and the talent. Unfortunately, was tired by the time they came on. Opening band was poor. Would have been better without them. Marshall Tucker was better, but mostly played filler music to take up time. Neither band did anything to get the crowd ready for Lynyrd Skynyrd. They played solidly for 90 minutes and closed with Free Bird. Awesome!

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Want to see Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert? Find information on all of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 32 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top Launch 2024 Tour: Set List, Video

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top kicked off the second leg of their co-headlining Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour on Friday at Savannah, Georgia's Enmarket Arena.

You can see set lists and videos from both bands below, as well as fan-shot video from their Saturday night concert in Estero, Florida.

Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered a 15-song set, which focused heavily on  (Pronounced 'Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd) ,   Second Helping and  Street Survivors . The band came out swinging with "Workin' for MCA" and "Skynyrd Nation," then cycled through hits such as "What's Your Name," "That Smell," "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man" and "Gimme Three Steps." They ended their set with the immortal one-two punch of "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird."

ZZ Top served a similarly power-packed, 16-song set that featured  Eliminator smashes "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Got Me Under Pressure," "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man" as well as  Tres Hombres classics "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Waitin' for the Bus" and the set-closing "La Grange." Minor hits and fan favorites such as "Pearl Necklace" and "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," plus a pair of covers — Sam & Dave's "I Thank You" and Merle Travis' "Sixteen Tons" —  rounded out the set.

The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour Rolls On

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top embarked on the first leg of the Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour last July. The current leg comprises 36 shows and will keep both bands on the road through September, wrapping on Sept. 22 in Ridgefield, Washington.

Both groups have soldiered on in the face of tragedy in recent years. ZZ Top bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill died in 2021 and was succeeded by the band's longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis. Skynyrd, meanwhile, said goodbye to their last original member, guitarist Gary Rossington , in 2023.

Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke recently told UCR that the band is plotting an "all-star Skynyrd record" featuring Rossington. He also admitted his bandmate's death is "still a very raw spot in my heart. ... We do a tribute every night to Gary, to the song ' Tuesday's Gone ,' and I can't even look at the video."

Lynyrd Skynyrd, 3/8/24, Enmarket Arena, Savannah 1. "Workin' for MCA" 2. "Skynyrd Nation" 3. "What's Your Name" 4. "That Smell" 5. "I Know a Little" 6. "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" 7. "Saturday Night Special" 8. "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" 9. "Tuesday's Gone" 10. "Gimme Back My Bullets" 11. "Simple Man" 12. "Gimme Three Steps" 13. "Call Me the Breeze" 14. "Sweet Home Alabama" 15. "Free Bird"

ZZ Top, 3/8/24, Enmarket Arena, Savannah 1. "Got Me Under Pressure" 2. "I Thank You" 3. "Waitin' for the Bus" 4. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" 5. "Gimme All Your Lovin'" 6. "Pearl Necklace" 7. "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" 8. "I Gotsta Get Paid" 9. "My Head's in Mississippi" 10. "Sixteen Tons" 11. "Just Got Paid" 12. "Sharp Dressed Man" 13. "Legs" 14. "Brown Sugar" 15. "Tube Snake Boogie" 16. "La Grange"

Lynyrd Skynyrd Albums Ranked

Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci

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Lynyrd Skynyrd on Their Most Memorable & Wild Tour Stories

By Nicole Mastrogiannis

August 21, 2018

At the beginning of this year, Lynyrd Skynyrd announced that they were heading out on their farewell tour - "The Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour," which kicked off in May. The trek takes the American rock band throughout the country through September with an incredible career-spanning set. The band is also set to take the stage in Las Vegas during this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival . 

The band's Gary Rossington exclusively tells iHeartRadio of the farewell tour, "It's going great. We've been touring, and we're gonna keep touring for a while. It takes a long time to finish the Farewell Tour." He adds, It's fun and we're having a great time, and the audiences are great. Johnny [Van Zant] says it every night; we're not going away forever. I mean, we might do a new CD after this tour. And, play some more for it here and there."

Johnny Van Zant chimed in and explained that even the Beatles continued making music after their last tour date. He said, "What were you saying the other day about the Beatles? Their last tour date, then seven more records or something?" He adds of the farewell tour, "It's been great. It's been old, it's been young, all sorts of generations."

The band's Rickey Medlocke describes the different generations of fans who come out to the shows as "a way to say goodbye and then say hello."

Lynyrd Skynyrd also opened up about some of their favorite stories from the road — from the most emotional memories, to the wild ones. Read on to find out which moments from touring throughout their careers have stuck with them the most.

Gary on that time The Who's Pete Townshend Smashed Cake In His Face On Tour For His Birthday

In 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd went out on tour with The Who during their US "Quadrophenia Tour," and Gary recalled one of his most memorable tour stories, which involved Pete Townshend smashing cake in his face on his birthday. He tells iHeartRadio:

"Billy Powell, our piano player, he wasn't known to Bill Graham; Bill Graham didn't know us well. It was our first gig with him. And after our set, we were walking around backstage and stuff, so we went out to see The Who play and he didn't know Billy Powell, so he came running across the stage, and tackled him, and threw him out of the show, you know, because he didn't have a pass. And then later on, that was my birthday that night, Pete Townshend came, and smashed a cake all in my face, and we had to go out and do interviews and stuff."

Rickey on Rejoining the Band ... and that time a fan streaked through their bus

Rickey, who was with Lynyrd Skynyrd in the '70s, rejoined the band years later, and one of his favorite memories involves his first tour back with the group. He explains:

"I think it was the very first tour when I came back with the band. Because I'd been with the band in the early years, and [then] I came back with the band. And I remember that night, getting ready to go on, and I was like, 'Wow, I'm back with a family,' you know? It was like I'd been with the guys before, and now I'm back again doing the second round. And that was at Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach. It was pretty interesting because when I stepped out there I went, 'Wow I'm really here, again.' You know, it's pretty interesting, [that] one gig that you remember that vividly. And I remember that one real vividly."

Johnny also vividly remembered about the tour date, "Was that the same night the girl was naked, running naked through the bus?" He added, "And one of the guys had his wife with him, so she was like, 'Oh my God. Does this happen every night, honey?' It was a fan. Yeah, she followed us to the hotel."

Johnny on the "Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour" Honoring The 10th Anniversary of the Plane Crash

In 1987, Lynyrd Skynyrd went out on their "Tribute Tour," ten years after the plane crash that claimed the lives of several members of the band. A few of the surviving members had reunited for the cross-country trek. Johnny tells us of the tour:

"We didn't know exactly what fans were gonna think, because it had been a ten year span since the airplane crash. And, Skynard fans can be tough people. We love you, but you can be tough people. And, we didn't know if they were gonna throw bricks at us, eggs or what, you know? And, they just loved hearing the music. And actually, after the Tribute Tour, which was a period of about three years, we kinda stopped and went away. And then we said, 'Wow, it was almost like the plane crash happened again,' you know? Because we are a family. And, we started back up in 1991, and it's been 31 years this year for me. So, it's been crazy. It's seemed like 31 seconds, it really does."

Photos: Rachel Kaplan

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Lynyrd Skynyrd Announces 'Big Wheels Keep On Turnin' 2021 Tour

Lynyrd Skynyrd has technically been on a farewell tour back since May 2018. The ongoing Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour was intended to be the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band's final victory lap. Lead singer Johnny Van Zant had said: "We've said we want to play every venue and market we've ever visited around the world one last time, and even some places we haven't, so we get to see all of Skynyrd Nation. We are getting close!"

But now they're saying farewell to farewell! Skynyrd has announced a new cross-country tour, the Big Wheels Keep On Turnin' Tour, which kicked off on June 13, 2021, and with 30 dates so far, is set to run through November 19.

"Last of the Street Survivors"

Read More: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1977 Plane Crash, a Southern Rock Tragedy

Once the Coronavirus pandemic halted the Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour, the band members did not perform together for fifteen months. And in that time, it seems, they realized they were not ready to say goodbye. At least not yet. Van Zant described the feeling:

"Once something is taken away from you — music and touring in our case — you truly realize how important it is and such a part of your life. Music is a great healer, and that's what we all turn to when things are good or bad. A Skynyrd show is a family affair, and we want these dates to help heal our fans as much as ourselves."

In addition to Van Zant, the band on tour will include original member Gary Rossington, along with Rickey Medlocke, Dale Krantz, Mark "Sparky" Matejka, Carol Chase, Keith Christopher, Michael Cartellone, and Peter Keys. And as always, Skynyrd will join forces with other c elebrity musicians : Tesla, Kansas, Joan Jett And The Blackhearts , Allman Betts Band , Blackberry Smoke, and The Marshall Tucker Band.

So will you be making the Big Wheels Keep On Turnin' Tour  your first live music experience of 2021?

Lynyrd Skynyrd's Big Wheels Keep On Turnin' Tour  2021 Dates:

Jun. 13 - Forest City, IA - Country Thunder Iowa Jun. 18 - Ft. Worth, TX - Billy Bob's Texas Jun. 19 - Ft. Worth, TX - Billy Bob's Texas Jul. 22 - Shakopee, MN - Twin Cities Summer Jam Jul. 23 - Minot, ND - North Dakota State Fair Aug. 09 - Canton, OH - Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Aug. 10 - Jackson, MI - Jackson County Fair Aug. 13 - Atlanta, GA - Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood Aug. 14 - Cullman, AL - Rock The South Aug. 19 - Canandaigua, NY - CMAC Aug. 20 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Aug. 22 - Wildwood, NJ Barefoot Country Music Festival Aug. 27 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center Aug. 28 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sep. 03 - Paducah, KY - Touchdowns and Tunes Tailgate Party Sep. 04 - Durant, OK - Choctaw Grand Theater Sep. 17 - Selbyville, DE - Freeman Arts Pavilion Sep. 18 - Doswell, VA - After Hours Concerts at the Meadow Event Park Sep. 23 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center Sep. 27 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater Oct. 01 - Irvine, CA* - FivePoint Amphitheater Oct. 02 - Laughlin, NV - Laughlin Event Center Oct. 08 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center Oct. 09 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center Nov. 05 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson Boling Arena Nov. 06 - Charleston, WV - Charleston Coliseum Nov. 13 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Nov. 14 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome To Rockville Nov. 19 - Bossier City, LA - Brookshire Grocery Arena

Purchase tickets here!

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Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top Kick Off 2024 Tour with Powerful Setlist

via AIE TUBE / YouTube

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top recently launched the second leg of their highly anticipated co-headlining Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour. The tour took off in style at Savannah, Georgia’s Enmarket Arena, where both bands delivered exhilarating performances. Fans were treated to an impressive lineup of classic hits, and the energy in the arena was electric.

Rocking Through the Skynyrd Legacy

Lynyrd Skynyrd, known for their Southern rock sound, showcased a 15-song set that took fans on a journey through their iconic albums, including (Pronounced ‘Leh-‘nerd ‘Skin-‘nerd), Second Helping, and Street Survivors. The band wasted no time, opening their set with the rousing “Workin’ for MCA” and “Skynyrd Nation.” They then proceeded to thrill the crowd with beloved hits such as “What’s Your Name,” “That Smell,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and “Simple Man.” The performance reached its climax with the immortal one-two punch of “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.”

According to the band, their setlist is a tribute to their legacy and the songs that have resonated with their fans throughout the years. Lead guitarist Rickey Medlocke spoke about their emotional connection to the music, saying, “We do a tribute every night to Gary, to the song ‘Tuesday’s Gone,’ and I can’t even look at the video.” This heartfelt homage serves as a reminder of the late guitarist Gary Rossington’s impact on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music.

ZZ Top’s Unforgettable Performance

ZZ Top, the blues-infused rock icons, delivered a powerhouse performance of their own. Their 16-song setlist showcased their trademark hits from the albums Eliminator and Tres Hombres, igniting nostalgia among their fans. The crowd couldn’t help but groove to the infectious beats of “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Got Me Under Pressure,” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” Classic tracks like “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and “Waitin’ for the Bus” transported the audience to the heyday of ZZ Top’s career. The set concluded with a thrilling rendition of their renowned hit “La Grange.”

In addition to their own hits, ZZ Top included a few surprises in their setlist. They delighted the crowd with covers of Sam & Dave’s “I Thank You” and Merle Travis’ “Sixteen Tons.” These unexpected choices showcased the band’s versatility and ability to put their unique spin on beloved classics.

The co-headlining tour, titled the Sharp Dressed Simple Man tour, commenced last July, with this leg consisting of 36 shows spanning from Savannah to Ridgefield, Washington in September. Both Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top have faced significant hardships in recent years. ZZ Top mourned the loss of their bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill in 2021, with the band’s longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis stepping in to carry on the legacy. Meanwhile, Lynyrd Skynyrd bid farewell to their last original member, guitarist Gary Rossington, in 2023. Despite these challenges, both bands have persevered and continue to captivate audiences with their unwavering dedication to their music.

Looking ahead, fans can anticipate an “all-star Skynyrd record” featuring Rossington, as teased by guitarist Rickey Medlocke. The album aims to pay homage to the band’s legacy while embracing new opportunities. With the tour in full swing and the promise of exciting future projects, Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top are ensuring that their music lives on and continues to resonate with generations of fans.

ZZ Top also at Hertz Arena pic.twitter.com/seQ4jMPOXA — Richard Torricelli (@RichardTorrice1) March 10, 2024

Lynyrd Skynyrd Setlist at Enmarket Arena, Savannah:

“Workin’ for MCA” “Skynyrd Nation” “What’s Your Name” “That Smell” “I Know a Little” “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller” “Saturday Night Special” “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” “Tuesday’s Gone” “Gimme Back My Bullets” “Simple Man” “Gimme Three Steps” “Call Me the Breeze” “Sweet Home Alabama” “Free Bird”

ZZ Top Setlist at Enmarket Arena, Savannah:

“Got Me Under Pressure” “I Thank You” “Waitin’ for the Bus” “Jesus Just Left Chicago” “Gimme All Your Lovin'” “Pearl Necklace” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” “I Gotsta Get Paid” “My Head’s in Mississippi” “Sixteen Tons” “Just Got Paid” “Sharp Dressed Man” “Legs” “Brown Sugar” “Tube Snake Boogie” “La Grange”

More Lynyrd Skynyrd/ ZZ Top at Hertz pic.twitter.com/O6Cn1beT0h — Richard Torricelli (@RichardTorrice1) March 10, 2024

Both Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top continue to prove that their music stands the test of time. Fans eagerly await their upcoming performances and the release of new material, as these legendary bands demonstrate their resilience and commitment to rocking the stage.

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With over 28 million records sold in the U.S. and a sound as iconic as the American culture it celebrates, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd continue to inspire fans of all ages while embodying the very soul of Southern rock.

Celebrating 50 years.

From their humble Jacksonville beginnings, through tragedy, reunion, and redemption, the band has earned its place on Rolling Stone’s list of the “ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time ” – as well as a prominent spot in the hearts of generations.

In 2023, with the 50th anniversary of their pioneering debut album  Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd  the band continues to tour, record, and delight their hundreds of millions of global fans with an eye on both the future and their rich history.

The Beginning 1964 - 1967

In the summer of 1964, teenagers  Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns , and  Gary Rossington  met while playing on rival baseball teams in Jacksonville, Florida. An impromptu afternoon jam session in the carport of Burns’ parents’ house inspired the trio to form a band. Before long, guitarist  Allen Collins  and bassist  Larry Junstrom  were added to the mix, and the band began entertaining Jacksonville audiences – first as  My Backyard , then as  The Noble Five , then as  The One Percent , before finally arriving on the name  Lynyrd Skynyrd  in 1969.

(The name was partially inspired by a P.E. instructor at the boys' high school who was known for his strict policy forbidding long hair on boys.)

Allen Collins, Bob Burns, Gary Rossington, Larry Junstrom, Ronnie Van Zant

Staking their claim. 1970 - 1973

By 1970, the band was well on their way to developing the hard-driving mix of blues, country, and rock that would become their signature. Having become one of the top bands in the Jacksonville area, they had an opportunity to record their first demos at the now iconic Muscle Shoals Sounds Studio in Alabama. Originally intended to form the basis of their debut album, these tracks were ultimately shelved, which made their follow-up effort, "Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd,” their actual debut in 1973. The album, featuring the hit song “Free Bird,” sold over a million copies and reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Muscle Shoals recordings would ultimately be released in 1978 as “Skynyrd’s First and…Last,” then repackaged in 1998 as “Skynyrd’s First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album.”

Breaking Through 1973 - 1974

Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson, Ronnie Van Zant, Billy Powell, Bob Burns, Ed King

The band’s fan base continued to grow throughout 1973, fueled in part by their performances as the opening act for The Who’s U.S. “Quadrophenia” tour.

Then came the album that would change everything. 

Recorded and released in 1974,  “Second Helping”  cemented their legacy as a band determined to face the world entirely on its own terms. 

In addition to introducing the world to the  three-guitar attack  that would become their hallmark, the album also featured some of Ronnie Van Zant’s finest moments as a songwriter – with tracks like  “Sweet Home Alabama”  and  “The Ballad of Curtis Loew”  establishing a blueprint for Southern rock that would inspire artists of all genres for decades.

"Sweet Home Alabama"  reached number 8 on the charts in the summer of ’74, on its way to becoming one of the  best-known American rock anthems of all time.

Tumult leads to triumph 1974-1976

Over the next few years, personal issues began to take their toll on the group. The band’s next album, “Nuthin’ Fancy,” was recorded in a rushed 17 days to accommodate an aggressive touring schedule. Disagreements and pressure led to fissures among the group and prompted additional lineup changes. 

One of those new additions was Steve Gaines , whose multiple talents were on full display in the band’s fifth album, "Street Survivors." In addition to multiple songwriting credits and rousing guitar riffs, Gaines also served as co-vocalist – the only time to that point anyone other than Ronnie Van Zant had sung lead vocals for the group.

The album was an instant success, going gold in just 10 days. (It would eventually go double platinum.) It marked the last Skynyrd album featuring original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins. It was also Steve Gaines’ only Skynyrd studio recording.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Three Guitar Army: Allen Collins, Gary Rosington, Leon Wilkeson, Steve Gaines

Tragedy strikes October 20, 1977

On October 20, 1977, just three days after the release of “Street Survivors,” the band was flying from a show in Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when their chartered plane ran out of fuel. The plane crashed in the woods five miles outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi, killing band members Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, as well as backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve’s sister) and road manager Dean Kilpatrick. Both pilots also lost their lives. The other band members suffered serious injuries but survived.

Skynyrd disbanded following the crash. It would be ten years before they reunited.

The return 1987

In 1987, the band returned for what was intended as a one-time tribute tour and album – "Southern by the Grace of God: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour 1987." Ronnie’s younger brother Johnny Van Zant took on lead vocals, backed by members of the pre-crash band, the return of Ed King , and new guitarist Randall Hall . Although intended as a one-off, the tribute tour was so successful it prompted a rebirth of the band. Before long, a second generation Lynyrd Skynyrd was adding new members and recording new music, despite legal battles with the widows of Van Zant and Gaines over the use of the name.

The band’s sixth studio album, “Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991,” was their first collection of new music since 1977’s “Street Survivors."

Replacements and resilience 1997 - 2006

The next few years saw several changes in the lineup, including a major retooling of the band’s “guitar army” – with members Hughie Thomasson and Rickey Medlocke now contributing to the band’s songwriting along with Van Zant and Rossington.

This new lineup released their first album, “ Twenty ,” in 1997. Several other albums followed, including " Edge of Forever ," " Vicious Cycle ," “ Thyrty ,” and more, as band members continued to come and go.

The early 2000s saw more recording and touring, including a performance at the 2008 “Bama Jam” in Enterprise, Alabama, which was attended by over 111,000 people – the largest crowd the band had ever entertained.

Honors and Recognition 2004-present

The band’s legacy as pillars of Southern rock has only grown over time. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Lynyrd Skynyrd number 95 on their list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

On March 13, 2006, in a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by fellow musician Kid Rock. Inductees included Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ed King, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, Bob Burns, and Artimus Pyle.

Still rocking 2023+

After five decades and more than 60 albums, the musical powerhouse continues to tour – delighting crowds around the world with their iconic sound. 2023 sees them teaming with fellow southern legends ZZ Top for the “Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour,” as well as playing several stand-alone concerts for their enthusiastic and generational fan base.

As founding member Gary Rossington says, “We’re still standing, Still keeping the music going. We wanted to do the guys who aren’t with us any more proud – and keep the name proud, too.”

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Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top Announce Co-Headlining Sharp Dressed Simple Man 2024 Tour — See the Dates!

"Skynyrd Nation!! We heard ya! We're bringing the Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with @ZZTop to a city near you in 2024," wrote the band on Monday

 R. Diamond/Getty; Kevin Winter/Getty

Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top are teaming up!

After touring together last year, the two bands announced The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour 2024 on Monday, unveiling 36 concerts set to take place from March through September of the upcoming new year.

"Skynyrd Nation!! We heard ya! We're bringing the Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with @ZZTop to a city near you in 2024," wrote the "Sweet Home Alabama" group on X (formerly Twitter). "We can’t wait to celebrate 50 Years of Skynyrd with you!"

Currently featuring a lineup of Rickey Medlocke, Johnny Van Zant, Michael Cartellone, Mark Matejka, Peter Keys and Keith Christopher, Lynyrd Skynyrd was originally formed in 1969. The group released its first album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) in 1973, so this past year has marked the 50-year anniversary of its official debut.

The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour 2024 kicks off March 8, 2024, in Savannah, Georgia, before the two bands play shows across North America and wrap the run on Sept. 22, 2024, in Ridgefield, Washington.

Throughout the tour, Black Stone Cherry will appear as opening act from March 8 through April 20, while The Outlaws will support the shows from Aug. 15 through Sept. 22.

Tickets for the concerts are available on presale from Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. local time through Nov. 2 at 10 p.m. local time. General on-sale tickets become available at 10 a.m. local time on Nov. 3. More information regarding tickets is available on Lynyrd Skynyrd's website .

See Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top's 2024 dates for The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour below.

March 8 – Savannah, GA - Enmarket Arena

March 9 – Estero, FL - Hertz Arena

March 14 – Greenville, SC - Bon Secours Wellness Arena

March 15 – Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boiling Arena at Food City Ctr.

March 16 – Columbia, SC - Colonial Life Arena *

March 22 – Bossier City, LA - Brookshire Grocery Arena

March 23 – Southhaven, MS - Landers Center

March 24 – Macon, GA - Macon Amphitheater

March 28 – Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena

March 29 – Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum

March 30 – Charleston, WV - Charleston Coliseum

April 04 – Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum

April 05 – Tallahassee, FL - Donald L. Tucker Civic Center

April 06 – Huntsville, AL - Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center

April 12 – Evansville, IN - Ford Center

April 13 – Moline, IL - Vibrant Arena

April 14 – Green Bay, WI - Resch Center

April 18 – North Little Rock, AR - Simmons Bank Arena

April 19 – Lafayette, LA - Cajundome

April 20 – Corpus Christi, TX - American Bank Center

August 09 – Mount Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

August 15 – Syracuse, NY - Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview

August 16 – Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

August 17 – Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center

August 22 – Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

August 23 – Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion

August 24 – Hartford, CT - The Xfinity Theatre

September 05 – Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheater

September 07 – Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amph. at Virginia Beach

September 08 – Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live

September 12 – Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Amphitheater

September 13 – Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre

September 14 – Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center

September 19 – Concord, CA - Toyota Pavilion at Concord

September 21 – Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre

September 22 – Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

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Live: manhattan da alvin bragg appears before congress on trump prosecution, covering the lynyrd skynyrd plane crash tragedy left tom wills with traumatic memories, but lasting friendships.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Oct. 20, 1977, a Convair CV-240 airliner took off from Greenville, South Carolina.

There were 24 passengers inside the charter flight that Thursday evening including, crew and band members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, a Jacksonville-based southern rock band that created hits like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

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The band had just released its fifth studio album three days earlier and took off in the airplane, with “Lynyrd Skynyrd” painted on the side, bound for its next concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Friday night.

But the flight never arrived.

An NTSB report later revealed the aircraft ran out of fuel mid-flight due to “inadequate flight planning” and an engine malfunction that caused “higher-than-normal fuel consumption.” It crashed into a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing 5 miles northeast of Gillsburg, Mississippi.

In Jacksonville, Channel 4 broke into “The Newlywed Game” just after the 11 O’clock News with a bulletin to report the crash.

Young anchor Tom Wills, who had just arrived two years earlier, was in the newsroom that night when the phones began to ring. Callers, including loved ones of those involved, were desperate for information about what happened.

“I was not familiar with the band’s music, but our 11 o’clock producer, Mark Darden, was. I was soon to get an education about Lynyrd Skynyrd,” Wills said this week, recounting that night nearly 47 years ago.

MORE: Stories celebrating Tom’s 49 years at WJXT

It was later revealed that four passengers were killed in the crash, including Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist and founding member Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist and vocalist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. Captain Walter McCreary and First Officer William John Gray also died in the crash, and the rest of those on board were badly injured.

Wills, who is retiring on Friday , took some time to look back on covering the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd, a story that left a deep mark on him and followed him all the way through his 49 years at News4JAX.

Wills walks among the wreckage

The day after the crash, News Director Joe Moreland, who had ties to Baton Rouge and was a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, decided to send Wills and photographer Joe Coppoletta to the scene, and Moreland had the connections to facilitate the trip.

Moreland knew a private pilot who flew for his former Baton Rouge station and arranged for that pilot to fly Wills and Coppoletta between Baton Rouge and McComb, Mississippi, the closest airport to Gillsburg and the wooded area where the plane went down.

But there was a snag.

“Channel 4 had just switched from 16mm film to portable 1-inch videotape. No one on our staff had ever taken the equipment on an airline flight, and neither we nor the airline knew how to transport this gear. It wound up in the overhead compartment. When we landed at Baton Rouge airport, the camera wouldn’t work. I can still visualize Coppoletta on the terminal floor frantically trying to fix it,” Wills said.

They took the broken camera to Moreland’s former station, and even though the engineers there had no direct experience with “minicams,” Wills said they got it working again and saved the day.

But then it was time to get to work documenting the tragedy. Nothing could have prepared Wills for what he saw at the crash site.

“There are no words to describe the impact of standing silently in the woods surrounded by the personal belongings of men and women who died there, men and women who were horribly injured there, and the shattered wreckage of a machine that used to fly,” Wills said.

Wills was the only Jacksonville reporter to have walked amongst the wreckage of the plane in the woods, and he shared the tragic story with thousands of mourning hometown fans and beyond.

What he saw that day was recounted in the 1977 documentary “Need All My Friends.”

In it, Wills’ legendary voice and delivery were on display as he detailed what happened that fateful night and spoke to witnesses and survivors.

“You can’t even realize seeing one of these things on television, exactly what a crash of this magnitude looks like,” Wills reported while standing in front of the scattered metal. “Up there sitting against a tree is a piece of an airplane wing torn away from the rest of the airplane.”

Friendship from tragedy

Wills first met Billy Powell, Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist and crash survivor, when Powell flew home a few days after the crash. Powell arrived at Air Kaman adjacent to the Jacksonville airport. His nose was stitched up and cuts were visible on his face.

“I believe he agreed to let me interview him because of a decision I had made when he and other injured survivors were hospitalized in McComb and Jackson, Mississippi,” Wills said. “Friends of the band who had come to McComb asked me not to go to the hospitals and to give the injured their privacy. I agreed not to go to any of the hospitals.”

Wills said he will never forget how Powell described the crash.

“All I saw was treetops,” Powell said during the interview. “I looked out my window, I was in the middle of the airplane on the right wing. I tried to get as close to the back of the airplane as possible. I got in the middle of the airplane near the right wing, and all I saw was treetops. At first, it wasn’t so bad, but when we hit the middle of the trees, it was horrible. It was an experience nobody wants to ever experience.”

IMAGES: Lynyrd Skynyrd then and now | EXTENDED: Tom Wills’ interview with Gary Rossington

Over the years, Wills and Powell would run into each other and soon discovered they had a bond, one shared through tragedy.

Wills said the friendship really took off in 2001 at the Super Bowl in Tampa. Former Channel 4 Sports Director Sam Kouvaris and Wills were there covering the game and because Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing a concert there that Super Bowl weekend, they covered that, too.

“Billy and I greeted each other like brothers,” Wills said.

There was just chemistry between the two before Powell died in 2009.

Over the many years since the crash, Wills also managed to stay connected with the Van Zant family and other band members.

“I don’t bother anyone connected to the band needlessly. They graciously take my calls and answer my texts when I reach out, and I only reach out for newsworthy reasons. I’m especially grateful to Rickey Medlocke, Johnny Van Zant, and Ronny Van Zant’s widow, Judy,” Wills said.

But it wasn’t just Powell who became connected to Wills, it was Lynyrd Skynyrd fans, as well.

“They have been so loving and affectionate and appreciative since Joe Coppoletta and I produced a news special about the band and the crash which aired on Channel 4 within days of the tragedy,” Wills said, referencing “Need All My Friends.”

Looking back

In October 2019, Wills returned to the crash site for the first time in 42 years. The occasion was the unveiling of a roadside memorial near where the plane went down .

RELATED: Ronnie Van Zant’s family remembers classic band | Lynyrd Skynyrd survivor plays on ‘to show everybody our dream came true’ | 42 years ago: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane crashes

Wills covered the ceremony and interviewed survivors still dealing with lingering injuries after all these years. He also spoke to rescuers who still live nearby.

Wills produced a documentary, “The Legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd,” which he said he regards as “perhaps the TV program of which I am most proud in my career.”

In his 49 years at WJXT, Wills helped guide the station through its transition from a CBS affiliate to an independent station in 2002; covered two space shuttle disasters, the 9/11 terror attacks and various political scandals; witnessed first-hand the birth of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and endured months co-anchoring the news with Mary Baer from a card table in his home during the COVID-19 pandemic .

But the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd will always hold a unique place in the brightest — and darkest — parts of Wills’ soul.

Wills still remembers in the late 1990s when a TV producer from Hollywood came to Channel 4 and interviewed him about the Lynyrd Skynyrd crash for the VH1 series, “Behind the Music.”

During the interview, Wills said his emotions got the best of him as he described what he saw in those woods almost 20 years earlier.

“It was then that I realized that walking amid the personal belongings scattered on the ground of people who were dead or terribly injured was traumatizing,” Wills said. “We reporters are professional observers. We’re also like everyone else, frail human beings.”

Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.

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New Lexington distillery makes Lynyrd Skynyrd whiskey; the band will be there to toast it

A new distillery is opening in Lexington with some pretty spectacular guests kicking off the welcome party.

Bespoken Spirits , new to the Greyline Station campus at Loudon Avenue and North Limestone, is holding a grand opening on March 27 that will feature Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Yes, THE Lynyrd Skynyrd, Southern rockers and whiskey aficionados, will be at the event, which will also feature a live acoustic music concert.

Why? Well, call it serendipity or maybe just great marketing. The band is in town to play a concert at Rupp Arena on March 28, with ZZ Top and Black Stone Cherry.

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And Bespoken Spirits just happens to be the company that produces Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Hell House whiskey, which will be available soon at the tasting room in Greyline. (Lynyrd Skynyrd’s band members also will sign bottles at Total Wine’s Hamburg location on March 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.)

The Bespoken tasting room will be opening for tours, which also will feature Bespoken’s other labels, beginning in April. Tours of their production facility on the other side of the parking lot will follow.

CEO Peter Iglesias said that the distillery hopes the event will be the first of many opportunities for new fans to discover Greyline Station and their unique distillery.

“Bespoken Spirits initially was a technology company, originally based in San Francisco,” Iglesias said. The company uses a patented rapid-aging process to create bourbons and other whiskeys to match the flavor and taste profiles that customers like Lynyrd Skynyrd want for their labels, he said.

Rapid aging in this case involves using 13 laser-cut oak staves that are mixed with distillate and then heated “sous vide-style” in a vat of rapidly circulating hot water until the desired flavor spikes are detected through mass spectrometry analysis, said Jared Bickel, Bespoken’s customer experience manager.

The distillery has an on-site lab that monitors different test batches and visitors to Greyline will be able to watch them work from inside the venue, Bickel said.

Once construction is completed, he said, tours of the distillery will include the manufacturing facility and bottling line as well, he said.

“We are all about transparency in our process,” he said.

Besides Hell House Canadian-style whiskey, Bespoken produces its own line of bourbon, rye and American whiskey as well as Uncle Chicken’s Bourbon with band Whiskey Myers.

The company, whose original investors included Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and former Cypress Semiconductor CEO T.J. Rodgers, in August 2023 announced plans to move to Lexington and invest $3.2 million .

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority on Thursday gave preliminary approval for up to $500,000 in tax incentives, provided the company creates at least 16 full-time jobs over the next 10 years and pays an average hourly wage of $70.77 including benefits.

The privately owned start-up distillery, founded in 2019, has focused on blending. According to a news release, Bespoken has received more than 150 medals in spirits competitions through spirit rectifying.

The distillery will begin operations later this year.

Bespoken Spirits Grand Opening

Who: Lynyrd Skynyrd, with tastings, signings and live music.

When: March 27, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Greyline Station 101 W. Loudon Ave.

Tickets: Free, eventbrite.com

ZZ Top concert at Rupp will be homecoming for one band member with Kentucky ties

©2024 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CMA Fest announces initial 2024 lineup, ticket info

Over 100 artists scheduled to appear at annual lower broadway-based country music mega-event..

The Country Music Association has announced who will highlight the best of the genre on CMA Fest's high-profile annual summer festival stages.

Yes, for the 51st year, from June 6-9, 2024, downtown Nashville will be transformed into country music's epicenter. With festival attendance nearly eclipsing 100,000 fans in 2023, 2024 plans to offer — across ten stages in four days — a who's who of artists offering outdoor performances throughout downtown Nashville, lineups at Nissan Stadium and Ascend Amphitheater, meet-and-greet moments with artists at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center, plus many unique activations along Nashville's honky-tonk laden Lower Broadway neighborhood.

Who's playing at Nissan Stadium — and are tickets on sale?

A mix of the genre's current pop crossover superstars, timeless icons, artists with over 100 hits on country radio over three decades and critically acclaimed favorites will perform at Nissan Stadium.

Those names include the following:

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• Kelsea Ballerini
• Brothers Osborne
• Jordan Davis
• Cody Johnson
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Ashley McBryde
• Parker McCollum
• Megan Moroney
• Carly Pearce
• The War And Treaty
• Thomas Rhett
• Keith Urban
• Lainey Wilson
• Bailey Zimmerman

Additional collaborations and performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

CMA Fest's Nissan Stadium performances will again be filmed for a national television special on ABC this summer. This will mark the 21st consecutive year CMA has produced a summer music program to be broadcast as a network television special on ABC.

While a limited number of Four-Night Stadium Passes are currently on sale, fans can access various ticket options starting today at 10:00 a.m. CT at CMAfest.com/tickets .

Single-night tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium will be available, starting at $84 per night.

Fans can enjoy a variety of unique festival vendors and activities (the comfort of air conditioning) at Fan Fair X inside Music City Center. Four-day and single-day tickets for Fan Fair X are available now.

Riverside Retreat is an exclusive destination along the Cumberland River. It offers early admission to the Chevy Riverfront Stage, where audiences attending the free daytime concerts often reach capacity. Visitors can enjoy shaded areas, misting stations, charging for mobile devices, discounts on select beverages, air-conditioned restrooms, yard games, free shipping on $50+ Online Orders from the CMA Fest Merch Store, and more. Four-day tickets for the Riverside Retreat will be available.

Due to ongoing construction related to the new Nissan Stadium, parking availability is extremely limited. While ADA ticket purchasers will have the option to purchase accessible parking, festival organizers kindly encourage general ticket purchasers to utilize rideshare, public parking, or the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.

...and there's more

In recent years, the Chevy Riverfront Stage , situated on a barge on the Broadway-facing banks of the Cumberland River, has become a must-see stop for every festival attendee. From typically hosting the first concert of CMA Fest to ending each afternoon with a well-regarded headliner, it has become a must-see stop for every festival attendee.

2024's lineup — featuring country chart-toppers, Grand Ole Opry members, acts appearing on Nissan's main stage, and numerous CMT Next Women of Country and Opry NextStage class members — is no different.

Those names include:

• 49 Winchester, Cooper Alan, Ingrid Andress, Avery Anna, Chayce Beckham, George Birge, Priscilla Block, BRELAND, Colbie Caillat, Dillon Carmichael, Jackson Dean, Gavin DeGraw, Adam Doleac, Eli Young Band, Larry Fleet, Wyatt Flores, Dylan Gossett, Brian Kelley, Corey Kent, Kidd G, Ella Langley, Lauren Alaina, LOCASH, Kameron Marlowe, Bryan Martin, Chase Matthew, Drake Milligan, Niko Moon, Megan Moroney, Restless Road, Lily Rose, Runaway June, Dylan Scott, Austin Snell, Alana Springsteen, Matt Stell, The War And Treaty, Anne Wilson and Warren Zeiders

Country icons, "The Voice" cast members, Grammy-nominated artists and numerous hit-making singer-songwriters will appear on the Dr Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park including the following:

• Abby Anderson, Tenille Arts, Drew Baldridge, Craig Campbell, Mackenzie Carpenter, Abbey Cone, Dalton Dover, Emerson Drive, Hannah Ellis, Tyler Farr, Josh Gracin, Andy Griggs, Mickey Guyton, Wade Hayes, Ty Herndon, Home Free, Greylan James, Alexandra Kay, Brett Kissel, Lorrie Morgan, David Nail, Catie Offerman, Ricochet, Shenandoah, Brittney Spencer, The United States Navy Band Country Current, Thompson Square, Uncle Kracker, Alli Walker, Lauren Watkins and Charlie Worsham

Chart-toppers, much-hyped aspiring country stars, and a nationally-renowned cross-section of country favorites will play the Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park . Those artists include:

• Coffey Anderson, Keith Anderson, Kassi Ashton, Kaylee Bell, Tyler Braden, Blanco Brown, T. Graham Brown, Hayden Coffman, Kolby Cooper, Spencer Crandall, Jade Eagleson, Carter Faith, HunterGirl, LANCO, Little Texas, Chase McDaniel, Chrissy Metz, Kylie Morgan, William Michael Morgan, Jamie O'Neal, Drew Parker, Puddin (K. Michelle), RaeLynn, Frank Ray, Dylan Schneider, The Castellows, Tigirlily Gold, Zach Top, Lathan Warlick, Mark Wills and Darryl Worley.

A who's who of consistent online viral country renown and solidly growing fanbases will hit the Good Molecules Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza . Those artists include:

• Tanner Adell, Angie K, Graham Barham, Casey Barnes, Laci Kaye Booth, Karley Scott Collins, Canaan Cox, Dasha, David J, Brooke Eden, Kylie Frey, Ben Fuller, Harper Grace, Kelsey Hart, Tayler Holder, Just Jayne, Britnee Kellogg, Bryce Leatherwood, LECADE, Madeline Merlo, Walker Montgomery, John Morgan, Neon Union, Griffen Palmer, Peytan Porter, Mason Ramsey, Redferrin, Owen Riegling, Emily Ann Roberts, RVSHVD, Shaboozey, Shaylen, Dallas Smith, Payton Smith, Timothy Wayne, Austin Williams, Sam Williams, Jake Worthington, Chase Wright and Zac & George.

Day and night stages at the Hard Rock Cafe return, free and open to the public, featuring the following: .

• Day shows: Palmer Anthony, Sammy Arriaga, Annie Bosko, Brennley Brown, Aidan Canfield, Ben Chapman, Travis Collins, Ashland Craft, Logan Crosby, Taylor Austin Dye, Mae Estes, Flat River Band, Fancy Hagood, Lanie Gardner, Tyler Halverson, Reid Haughton, Anella Herim, Noah Hicks, Jonathan Hutcherson, Alex Lambert, Triston Marez, Clayton Mullen, Harper O’Neill, Reyna Roberts, Sophia Scott, Colin Stough, The Washboard Union, Grace Tyler, Kasey Tyndall, Walker County, Kelsey Waldon, Tucker Wetmore and Angel White
• Night shows: Ashley Anne, Atlus, Pryor Baird, Tyler Booth, Kashus Culpepper, Drew Green, Alex Hall, John Hollier, Zandi Holup, Hueston, Taylor Hunnicutt, Matt Koziol, Brooke Lee, Trey Lewis, Vincent Mason, Canaan Smith, Dan Spencer, Sean Stemaly, Troubadour Blue, Vwillz and Eli Winders.

CMA Fest, Nashville's tourism boom, economic, social growth

Over five decades, CMA Fest — which began as a "Fan Fair" event that drew 5,000 fans to Nashville's Municipal Auditorium — has grown to an event 20 times larger, eventually outgrowing the Nashville Fairgrounds and now encompassing a massive five-block footprint of downtown Nashville.

In 2023 , fans from all 50 states and 51 international countries brought $74.7 million to Music City during its four-day run.

"[CMA Fest] brought visitors from all over the world to Music City, helping bolster the city's economic activity," said Deana Ivey, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp (NCVC).

CMA Fest's participants donate their time to perform, and a portion of ticket proceeds can directly benefit music programs nationwide through the CMA Foundation .

For more information on CMA Fest, visit CMAfest.com .

Not just Jagger: Big-name musical artists have praised, dissed DeSantis

Jagger, elton john, johnny van zant, haley williams, billy dean, pink, luke bryan have all had things to say.

On Monday night in Orlando, Rolling Stones' frontman Sir Mick Jagger took a moment between songs to welcome Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis .

“We have some great local celebrities that have come tonight. Tiger Woods is here, for instance. Joey Fatone is here,” Jagger said out from the stage at the Camping World Stadium, according to the Orlando Sentinel . “And Ron DeSantis is up there in the suite. He’s having a date night with Mickey Mouse. I’m so glad they finally made up.”

Jagger's comments, apparently tongue-in-cheek (there is no sign DeSantis was actually at the show), are the latest public mentions of the controversial Republican governor by a musician, but they're not the only ones. Several prominent artists have come out for and against the polarizing politician.

Elton John calls recent Florida laws 'disgraceful,' says US is 'going backwards'

During an interview with Radio Times in June 2023, the legendary pop singer Sir Elton John said it was "all going pear-shaped in America."

"There’s violence, laws enacted in Florida which are disgraceful," John said. "There’s a law now that, if you visit a doctor in Florida, they can refuse to treat you if you’re gay, which I find just unbelievable."

DeSantis had recently signed   SB 1580 , also called the  “Protections of Medical Conscience" bill , which allows Florida healthcare providers to refuse services based on their moral, ethical or religious beliefs.

"We seem to be going backwards. And that spreads. It’s like a virus that the LGBTQ+ movement is suffering," John said. “It’s a growing swell of anger and homophobia that’s around America.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special's Van Zant brothers write 'Sweet Florida' tribute song for DeSantis

"Well, we ain’t been locked down, we still have our freedom," Johnny Van Zant sings. "We can still see our friends and family, oh, our kids are in school and we can go to church on Sunday. And it’s all because DeSantis knows how to lead.”

Johnny Van Zant, lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, and his brother Donne, a founding member of .38 Special, wrote a new song, "Sweet Florida," to pay tribute to DeSantis and raise campaign funds by selling merchandise for the song.

'Paramore' lead singer Haley Williams cusses out DeSantis supporters at show

Days after DeSantis officially announced his short-lived presidential bid, "Paramore" lead singer Hayley Williams made it clear she would not be voting for him.

"I’ll be happy to tell you I’m very f---ing comfortable talking politics," she said between songs , to cheers. "And if you vote for Ron DeSantis, you’re f---ing dead to me.

"So is that comfortable enough for anyone?" she said.

Last June, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost , D-Florida, joined Williams on stage in Washington, D.C. after she asked him to say a few words. Those words were more expletives against DeSantis .

Billy Dean releases song endorsing DeSantis for president

Country music singer-songwriter Billy Dean, who sang the National Anthem for the first day of the 2021 Legislative Session, wrote a theme song for DeSantis' presidential campaign called "Never Back Down," featuring fellow Florida natives Hugh and Cody VanLandingham. The governor played it at his campaign rallies.

“I’m a Florida native and resident who has lived the American Dream,” Dean said in a release. “My dad served in World War II and lost two of his brothers to the cause. They sacrificed their dreams so I could live mine. My dad did not want me to serve the country with guns and bullets, but I can serve with my pen, paper and guitar.”

Azealia Banks praises DeSantis' leadership

Rapper Azealia Banks had lots of approving words for DeSantis in a 2023 Guardian interview, saying she felt "way safer" in Florida than in Los Angeles.

“There are elderly people in our country without walkers, who don’t have the money to get a septic tooth pulled," she said. "If we’re talking about divvying up healthcare funds, those situations should take precedence to facial feminization surgeries and stuff like that. I mean, I get it – but that’s a cosmetic surgery. Like, does your penis work? Can you pee? You’re not as in trouble as the older woman who can’t afford her dialysis. I think DeSantis is practical about a lot of things.”

Pink handed out banned books at Florida shows

While she didn't name DeSantis, multi-Grammy winner and singer-songwriter  P!nk took a shot at his policies last year when she teamed up with literacy advocacy group PEN America and Florida bookseller Books & Books to give away 2,000 banned books at a couple of Florida concerts to highlight  the surge in book bans in Florida  and across the country. Many of the book bans and challenges were driven by the conservative grassroots group and DeSantis ally Moms for Liberty.

“Books have held a special joy for me from the time I was a child, and that’s why I am unwilling to stand by and watch while books are banned by schools,” Pink said in a press release.

In an Instagram Live announcement, she said, "I can't imagine my own parents telling my kids what they can and can't read, let alone someone else's parents, let alone someone else who doesn't even have children."

Luke Bryan invites DeSantis on stage, gets backlash

In 2022, country singer Luke Bryan started off his Jacksonville concert by saying they were going to have  "some fun" and "raise some money tonight for the great state of Florida to benefit the Florida Disaster Fund for people impacted by Hurricane Ian . Then he brought DeSantis to the stage.

After some bantering about the upcoming Florida-Georgia game, DeSantis said, "Tomorrow's going to be a big game. But all you Florida voters, if you want to keep the state of Florida free, we need you to vote on Nov. 8!"

Thunderous applause and chants of "U-S-A!" greeted him in the stadium that night, but online Bryan took heat for the move. A few days later he defended the decision in a post to Twitter .

"I typically don't respond to stuff when I'm getting run down on a social platform but here's the deal," Bryan wrote. "I understand Governor DeSantis is a very polarizing figure. But I grew up in a country where if a governor (asks) you if they can come and raise awareness to help victims of a natural disaster you help."

John Legend calls DeSantis 'cruel' for immigrant stunt

After DeSantis had former felons arrested for voter fraud and shipped nearly 50 Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha's Vinyard, Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter John Legend called the governor cruel.

“You see his cruelty when it comes to arresting people who were told that they were allowed to vote. You see his cruelty when it comes to him, flying refugees and asylum seekers around the country, based on deception and lies,” Legend told MSNBC host Chris Hayes . “He's a cruel, small person, and you're seeing that in his resistance to the democratic reform that the voters of Florida overwhelmingly voted for.”

Like Taylor Swift's 'Florida!!!'? Here are the 16 best songs about the Sunshine State

Taylor Swift namechecks 'Florida!!!'

Swift didn't mention DeSantis either. But the song "Florida!!!" on her latest album, " The Tortured Poet's Department ," takes aim at what the governor has proudly called " a law and order state ."

The song, which fans have speculated is about her breakup with English actor Joe Alwyn and her Eras Tour shows in Tampa, paints Florida as a wild west of binge drinking, murder and drugs . "And my friends all smell like weed or little babies, and this city reeks of driving myself crazy," she sang.

Contributor: Tom Szaroleta, Florida Times-Union

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Gibson Custom Shop recreates Jason Isbell’s 1959 Les Paul, ‘Red Eye’ –formerly owned by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ed King

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Gibson has announced the arrival of a new limited edition Custom Shop recreation of Jason Isbell’s 1959 Les Paul Standard, known as a ‘Red Eye’.

The instrument, a particularly fine example of the fabled ’Burst era Les Pauls, was formerly the “long-term sidekick” of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ed King ( who passed away in 2018 ) before it passed to six-time Grammy-winner Isbell for further gainful employment.

The ‘Red Eye’ moniker is an allusion to a brighter, red area of finish near the toggleswitch. The story goes that the instrument was on display in a store window and the original finish faded in the process.

However, the tag that was hung on the toggleswitch covered a nearby area, meaning it kept more of its original pigment, leaving the a ‘red eye’ zone near the switch.

This new Isbell and Gibson partnership looks to celebrate the guitar’s history – ‘Red Eye’ and all – as part of Gibson's top tier Custom Shop Collector’s Edition series and, as such, is no standard production.

There will only be 59 of this ‘59 Burst recreation made, which – alongside the detailed reproduction, and a Brazilian rosewood fretboard – helps account for its exclusive price tag of nearly $22,000.

As we’ve come to expect by now, Gibson has spared no expense in translating every last detail of the original ‘Red Eye’ into this exclusive build, not least – courtesy of the Murphy Lab – the wear and red eye finish quirk [it even comes complete with its own toggle switch hang tag - Ed].

Isbell himself reportedly helped pick the tops for the builds. Beneath said tops, you’ll find a one-piece lightweight mahogany body, with mahogany continuing through with its 24.75” neck and Brazilian rosewood fretboard. It also offers 22 medium jumbo frets, a nylon nut, and aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid inlays.

It sports two un-potted Custombuckers, two Volume and Two tone Gold Butyrate pots and a three-way pickup switch, with an ABR-1 No-Wire bridge, lightweight aluminium stop bar, and Kluson tuners.

The 59 individuals lucky enough to pick one up will also find some case candy inside its Les Paul Protector Series hardshell case, including a Jason Isbell strap – made by Savas from Midnight Blue Wild Alligator leather with a chain stitched and inlaid Red Eye emblem – two rubber “beer bottle” style strap locks , a certificate of authenticity booklet, and, as mentioned, custom and reproduction hangtags.

“You just know [when a guitar is good], before I even plugged the ‘Red Eye’ in, I just knew,” says Isbell on his first encounter with the guitar.

Isbell, who rose to fame playing in Drive by Truckers before establishing himself as a solo artist, was tasked with documenting a number of King's guitars in the wake of his passing  and instantly fell in love with the ‘Red Eye’.

“When I was a kid me and my dad would go shopping for fishing tackle,” he recalls. “He’d take the rod and say 'go stand over there, put the end of the rod on your throat' and he would hold the handle of the rod and I would talk. If he could feel it in his hand, it was a pretty good fishing rod rod.

“It’s that way with a good guitar. Every point that you touch on that instrument, you feel the vibration moving. I would know if the ‘Red Eye’ was a good guitar even if I was stone deaf, just because you can feel it vibrating.”

Desperate to get his hands on the guitar, he asked his manager to book him for some private shows with the fairly modest provision of “no war criminals.”

Thus the guitarist, whose latest solo LP, Weathervanes released last year, “wound up at a bunch of weird Bitcoin birthday parties,” to pay for the guitar. It’s since been a staple of his live performances, carrying a torch the King so blazingly lit by King.

Isbell says he grew up studying Skynyrd’s licks “ad nauseam” and is full of praise when asked about his appreciation for King’s guitar-playing legacy.

“The Sweet Home Alabama solo is still one of the strangest, most well-constructed solos I can think of because it just does not go where it would expect it to go. The way he creates the tension and releases it – he was a brilliant guitar player.”

This unique recreation build is available for $21,999,  with only 59 produced.

Head to Gibson for more information.

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