- Brad Paisley
- Gary Rossington
- Jimmie Allen
- Johnny Van Zant
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Ronnie Van Zant
- Steve Gaines
Lynyrd Skynyrd Cancel, Postpone U.S. Tour Dates After Guitarist Tests Positive for COVID-19
by Tina Benitez-Eves August 9, 2021, 7:59 am
Lynyrd Skynyrd cancelled their upcoming shows of their Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour in Mississippi, Alabama, and Ohio, and have postponed their Aug. 13 Atlanta show to Oct. 23, following guitarist Rickey Medlocke testing positive for COVID-19.
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“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Lynyrd Skynyrd is unable to perform the next four shows,” read a statement released by the band on social media. “Longtime band member Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19. Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment.”
The affected shows include upcoming dates in Cullman, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, and Canton, Ohio, in addition to the postponed show in Atlanta. The band, which was inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 2006, was set to co-headline the upcoming Concert for Legends in Canton on Aug. 9, along with Brad Paisley and Jimmie Allen.
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Named after the band’s 1977 album, Street Survivors , the Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour originally kicked off May 2018 and has logged in more than 100 shows since its launch. The tour features founding member Rossington and vocalist Johnny Van Zant, the brother of founding member Ronnie Van Zant, who died in the 1977 plane crash, which also tragically killed Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates, Cassie Gaines and Steve Gaines.
The news comes weeks after guitarist Gary Rossington, the only remaining founding member of the band, underwent emergency heart surgery in July. Vocalist Johnny Van Zant recently told their audience at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Minnesota that Rossington, 69, had a stent put in his heart but was resting and is expected to make a full recovery.
“After this past year, the country being shut down and everything we have all been thru, The Rossington’s encouraged the band to go perform in his absence,” said the band on Facebook . “Music is a powerful healer. We all felt playing the shows and bringing the music to y’all was a better option than canceling the performances.”
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Lynyrd Skynyrd Cancels Retirement, Announces New Tour Dates
By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta
June 9, 2021
After repeatedly adding dates to its 'Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour' in 2018 , 2019 and early-2020, Lynyrd Skynyrd has finally admitted that it jumped the gun on retirement.
Just days after the iconic Southern rock band's return to the stage this past weekend, the band has struck any references to farewell from its tour , rebranding it the 'Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'' tour.
Guitarist Gary Rossington , the band's sole remaining co-founder, explained that after the COVID-19 pandemic gave all the band members a taste of retirement, they decided to keep the band together but with a less rigorous touring scheduled and a more "selective" approach to booking going forward.
“We were two shows into the end of the three-year plan for the farewell tour, when the virus hit and everything was just gone,” singer Johnny Van Zant explained in a statement. “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."
The cancellations spurred a conversation, Rossington added.
"And since that time, we have been talking amongst the band, and realized that music has such a way of healing. Maybe it’s not our time to go. And maybe it’s our time to lift people’s spirits and lives and bring back some joy and happiness after so much turmoil this past year. We’re still standing, still keeping the music going."
Rossington, Van Zant and guitarist Ricky Medlocke also addressed the change of course in a video message to fans. Rossington explains that a main driver of the initial retirement plan were his heart problems. But he's since got those issues "all fixed, so now I'm feeling all right."
Van Zant added that Lynyrd Skynyrd's considerations for future touring go beyond the needs of the band members. Much of their crew was out of work for an entire year due to the pandemic shutdowns.
"People count on us, you know? All of the sudden you have nothing to pay your light bill with, so it was a very scary time for all of us ," he said.
For tickets and more information, go here .
In an interview with Q104.3 New York in late-2019 , Van Zant addressed the band's continually expanding farewell tour plan.
"...I've said it myself, 'God, they're still on their farewell tour?!' But when you do like 50 - 60 shows a year, you don't cover a lot of ground," he explained. "When we started out — what 2019 in West Palm Beach? — we said, 'Hey, we want to hit every place we've ever played and every place we didn't play before we say goodbye.' So you know we're going to be playing some next year, too. We want to go say goodbye to all of our fans."
Lynyrd Skynyrd 2021 'Big Wheels Keep on Turnin'' Tour
June 13 - Forest City, Iowa, Country Thunder Iowa
June 18 - Ft. Worth, Texas, Billy Bob’s Texas
June 19 - Ft. Worth, Texas, Billy Bob’s Texas
July 22 - Shakopee, Minn., Twin Cities Summer Jam
July 23 - Minot, N.D., North Dakota State Fair
Aug. 9 - Canton, Ohio, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Aug. 10 - Jackson, MI, Jackson County Fair
Aug. 13 - Atlanta, Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Aug. 14 - Cullman, Ala., Rock The South
Aug. 19 - Canandaigua, N.Y., CMAC
Aug. 20 - Bethel, N.Y., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Aug. 22 - Wildwood, N.J., Barefoot Country Music Festival
Aug. 27 - Holmdel, N.J., PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug. 28 - Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sept. 3 - Paducah, Ky., Touchdowns and Tunes Tailgate Party
Sept. 4 - Durant, Okla., Choctaw Grand Theater
Sept. 17 - Selbyville, Del., Freeman Arts Pavilion
Sept. 18 - Doswell, Va., After Hours Concerts at the Meadow Event Park
Sept. 23 - Mansfield, Mass., Xfinity Center
Sept. 27 - Morrison, Colo., Red Rocks Amphitheater
Oct. 1 - Irvine, Calif., FivePoint Amphitheater
Oct. 2 - Laughlin, Nev., Laughlin Event Center
Oct. 8 - Noblesville, Ind., Ruoff Music Center
Oct. 9 - Cincinnati, Ohio, Riverbend Music Center
Nov. 5 - Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson Boling Arena
Nov. 6 - Charleston, W.V., Charleston Coliseum
Nov. 13 - Greensboro, N.C., Greensboro Coliseum
Nov. 14 - Daytona Beach, Fla., Welcome to Rockville
Nov. 19 - Bossier City, La., Brookshire Grocery Arena
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Lynyrd Skynyrd cancel shows as guitarist Rickey Medlocke tests positive for COVID-19
The band's shows in Canton, OH, Jackson, MI and Cullman, AL have been cancelled, while their show in Atlanta, GA has been rescheduled to October 23
Lynyrd Skynyrd have cancelled a series of upcoming concerts, as guitarist Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a social media statement, the band said that they are “unable to perform the next four shows in Canton, OH, Jackson, MI, Atlanta, GA and Cullman, AL”.
“Longtime band member Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19,” the statement reads. “Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment. We will continue to update you on his condition.”
While the band's shows in Canton, Jackson and Cullman have been cancelled, the Atlanta show has been rescheduled, and will now take place on Saturday, October 23.
Medlocke's COVID-19 diagnosis is the latest health issue to face members of Lynyrd Skynyrd; last month, the band announced that founding guitarist Gary Rossington is recovering from “emergency heart surgery” .
In a statement on social media at the time, the band said that Rossington “is home resting and recovering with his family”, adding that “he is doing good and expects a full recovery”.
“After this past year, the country being shut down and everything we have all through, the Rossingtons encourages the band to go perform in his absence,” the statement continued. “Music is a powerful healer! We all felt playing the shows and brining the music to y'all was a better option than cancelling the performances.
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“We wish Gary a speedy recovery and we will see the Skynyrd Nation very soon!”
Lynyrd Skynyrd's current lineup consists of Gary Rossington – who is the only remaining founding member – Johnny Van Zant – brother of founding vocalist Ronnie – guitarist Rickey Medlocke, drummer Michael Cartellone, guitarist Mark Matejka, keyboardist Peter Keys and bassist Keith Christopher.
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Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar .
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Lynyrd Skynyrd suspends, cancels performances after guitarist tests positive for COVID-19
CANTON, Ohio – Lynyrd Skynyrd will not perform Monday night with Brad Paisley after guitarist Rickey Medlocke tested positive for COVID-19, the Pro Football Hall of Fame said Saturday.
The Southern rock band, which was inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 2006, was set to co-headline the Concert for Legends at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, with three-time Grammy winner Paisley. Lynyrd Skynyrd is best known for songs "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird."
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Lynyrd Skynyrd is unable to perform the next four shows," a band publicist said in a statement released by the Hall of Fame. "Longtime band member Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19. Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment.”
The band already was without its only original member Gary Rossington, 69, who is recovering from recent emergency heart surgery .
More: Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington expects 'a full recovery' after emergency heart surgery
Country music artist Jimmie Allen, who was the opening act, has extended his set list to open the show. He performs a duet with Paisley on the current hit “Freedom Was a Highway.”
Fans who purchased tickets specifically to see Lynyrd Skynyrd may request a refund by going to https://www.profootballhof.com/21cflticketoptions/ . Requests cannot be made by phone. The deadline to submit a request is 6 p.m. Monday.
The band also suspended shows in Jackson, Mississippi; Atlanta; and Cullman, Alabama, with the Aug. 13 show in Atlanta rescheduled for Oct. 23.
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY; and the Associated Press
'Our time is coming to an end': Lynyrd Skynyrd on new music, loss and farewell tour
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Lynyrd skynyrd show canceled after guitarist tests positive for covid-19.
The country rock band was set to co-headline the Pro Football Hall of Fame concert Monday night with Brad Paisley but Medlocke's positive test forced the group's withdrawal, according to a band statement.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd has pulled out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame concert after guitarist Rickey Medlocke tested positive for COVID-19.
The country rock band was set to co-headline the concert Monday night with Brad Paisley but Medlocke’s positive test forced the group’s withdrawal, according to a band statement. “Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment,” the statement said.
Jimmie Allen, who was the opening act, has extended his set list to open the show. He performs a duet with Paisley on the current hit “Freedom Was a Highway.”
The band also suspended shows in Jackson, Mississippi; Atlanta; and Cullman, Alabama, with the Aug. 13 show in Atlanta rescheduled for Oct. 23.
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Lynyrd Skynyrd Cancel Tour Dates Following Rickey Medlocke’s COVID-19 Diagnosis
The rockers were scheduled to headline the Pro Football Hall of Fame concert next Monday
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the band to cancel and postpone a number of upcoming tour dates.
“Rickey is home resting and responding well to treatment,” the veteran rock band said in a brief statement following the news.
Medlocke and his bandmates were slated to headline the Pro Football Hall of Fame concert alongside Brad Paisley in Canton, Ohio’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Monday night, but have withdrawn from the show. Instead, Jimmie Allen — who was originally set to open the concert — has extended his set to cover Lynyrd Skynyrd’s canceled performance.
In addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame appearance, the country rock band have canceled upcoming tour dates of their recently relaunched farewell tour in Jackson, Mississippi; Cullman, Alabama; and Atlanta, with the latter show tentatively rescheduled for October 23rd. (However, there’s no official word yet on whether the other two dates will be rescheduled or simply scrapped.)
The cancellations come on the heels of Gary Rossington — the last surviving member of the band’s original lineup — missing several shows after undergoing emergency heart surgery in July.
While Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last studio album remains 2012’s Last of a Dyin’ Breed , the rockers’ 1974 album “Call Me the Breeze,” off their sophomore album Second Helping , was recently included on the soundtrack for El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie .
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Lynyrd skynyrd cancel tour dates following rickey medlocke's covid-19 diagnosis.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Cancel December Tour Dates Over Guitarist’s Health
By Stephen L. Betts
Stephen L. Betts
Lynyrd Skynyrd fans will have to wait until 2016 for their next chance to see the band perform live. The members of the pioneering Southern rock group announced via Facebook this week that they will be canceling or rescheduling their two remaining dates in 2015 so that founding member Gary Rossington can recuperate from recent heart procedures. The 63-year-old Rossington — Skynyrd’s guitarist and the group’s only remaining original member — suffered a heart attack in October.
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The multi-platinum-selling band shared the CMT Crossroads stage with Brantley Gilbert earlier in 2015 and had shows scheduled in Loveland, Colorado, on December 4th and Mescalero, New Mexico, December 5th. Full refunds for those dates will be provided at point of purchase or through the box office. Lynyrd Skynyrd have plans to resume their touring schedule next year and — along with Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton — are among the acts slated for the annual Tortuga Music Festival April 15th to 17th at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park in their home state of Florida. The festival seeks to raise awareness and funds for ocean and marine research.
In October 1977, Rossington was one of the six members of Lynyrd Skynyrd who survived the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zandt, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and three others. A year earlier, he survived a car accident in Jacksonville, admitting later that he had been under the influence at the time. In 1980, he founded the Rossington-Collins Band with fellow Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins.
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Lynyrd skynyrd among 2024 inductees to florida artists hall of fame.
Marcela Camargo , Digital Producer , Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Lynyrd Skynyrd , a legendary band formed in Jacksonville, is among the 2024 inductees to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced on Wednesday.
“Today, we honor the newest inductees into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, celebrating their enduring influence on our state’s vibrant cultural legacy,” Byrd said. “These individuals have not only left an indelible mark on our state’s artistic landscape but have also woven themselves into the fabric of our collective identity. Through their creativity, passion, and dedication, they have inspired countless others and helped shape our beloved Sunshine State.”
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RELATED | Monument honoring late singer Ronnie Van Zant added to Lynyrd Skynyrd memorial in Mississippi
Lynyrd Skynyrd was formed in 1964 but had its debut album in 1973. In 2023, the band celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first album called “Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd.”
On Oct. 20, 1977, three days after Lynyrd Skynyrd released its fifth album, “Street Survivors,” lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, their assistant tour manager and two pilots died and dozens of others were hurt when their twin-engine plane went down in a wooded area in Gillsburg, Mississippi.
“Despite facing adversity, including the tragic loss of band members in a plane crash in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s legacy has endured, inspiring generations of fans worldwide,” officials wrote.
MORE | Rockin’ for a good cause: Concert raises money for survivors still dealing with effects of Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash
The Florida Artists Hall of Fame consists of more than 50 inductees. Other prominent figures among the 2024 inductees are author, artist, and filmmaker Roger Bansemer from St. Augustine, and Xavier Cortada, a Cuban American artist who grew up in Miami.
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About the Author
Marcela camargo.
Marcela joined News4JAX in 2023. She grew up in Mexico and eventually moved to California to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. Now, she is a proud San Diego State University alumna who has many years of experience in TV and digital journalism.
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