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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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• April 12, 2024 Setlist

Lynyrd Skynyrd Setlist at Ford Center, Evansville, IN, USA

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• Song played from tape Panama ( Van Halen  song) Play Video
• Song played from tape Thunderstruck ( AC/DC  song) Play Video
• Workin' for MCA Play Video
• Skynyrd Nation Play Video
• What's Your Name Play Video
• That Smell Play Video
• Whiskey Rock-a-Roller Play Video
• I Know a Little Play Video
• Saturday Night Special Play Video
• The Ballad of Curtis Loew Play Video
• Tuesday's Gone ( Dedicated to Gary Rossington ) Play Video
• Simple Man Play Video
• Gimme Three Steps Play Video
• Call Me the Breeze ( J.J. Cale  cover) (with Billy Gibbons ) Play Video
• Sweet Home Alabama Play Video
• Free Bird Play Video

Edits and Comments

11 activities (last edit by Kyle_D1039 , 13 Apr 2024, 03:47 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Gimme Three Steps
• Tuesday's Gone
• Sweet Home Alabama
• The Ballad of Curtis Loew
• Workin' for MCA
• I Know a Little
• What's Your Name
• Saturday Night Special
• Whiskey Rock-a-Roller
• Skynyrd Nation
• Call Me the Breeze by J.J. Cale

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Setlist History: Lynyrd Skynyrd Saves Venue and Records Live LP

Ford center.

• Black Stone Cherry Start time: 7:00 PM 7:00 PM
• ZZ Top Start time: 7:50 PM 7:50 PM
• Lynyrd Skynyrd This Setlist Start time: 9:30 PM 9:30 PM

Lynyrd Skynyrd Gig Timeline

• Apr 04 2024 Mississippi Coast Coliseum Biloxi, MS, USA Add time Add time
• Apr 06 2024 Propst Arena Huntsville, AL, USA Add time Add time
• Apr 12 2024 Ford Center This Setlist Evansville, IN, USA Start time: 9:30 PM 9:30 PM
• Sep 13 2024 Pine Knob Music Theatre Clarkston, MI, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time

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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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Lynyrd Skynyrd is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 38 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

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ZZ Top Kicks Off Tour With Lynyrd Skynyrd: Set List and Interview

ZZ Top launched their Sharp-Dressed Simple Man co-headlining tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd on Friday evening at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Texas legends delivered a tight 16-song set which touched on moments from their entire catalog. 1983's Eliminator recently hit the 40-year mark, while 1973's Tres Hombres will celebrate its own 50-year milestone next week. Both were well-represented during the night's performance.

You can see the complete set list, as well as videos, below.

The current tour marks a reunion for the two groups, who toured together in 1999 and 2000, with a brief reprise in 2019 when Lynyrd Skynyrd opened two dates on ZZ Top's 50th anniversary tour. But the roots go much further back for the two bands. "It was kind of a rekindling of kindred spirits. It’s a little known fact that ZZ Top gave Lynyrd Skynyrd one of their first official paying gigs, way, way back in the day," guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons laughs during a conversation with UCR following the first show. "We had an enjoyable moment to compare notes over five decades of sharing the stage with Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s been a really interesting and incredibly long run."

It's easy to think the Florida heat could have kept the fur-covered guitars in the road cases. But as ZZ Top broke into "Legs," the fabled instruments were right there, now representing a signature part of the song's legacy 40 years later . "It’s over 100 degrees," Gibbons confirms. "But you know, we’ve done it before and we’ll do it again. Somebody said, 'A fur guitar in this heat? Are you crazy?' I said, 'Well, we’ve been crazy for a long time. I think we’ll get by.'"

Watch ZZ Top Perform 'Legs' in West Palm Beach

Some of the most poignant moments of the night were provided by the people who weren't there at the gig. Though Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington passed away earlier this year , he was still very much part of the concert. "I was walking across the stage just now and Gary’s setup is still in place," Gibbons shares. "What was really warming...was that last night, I was standing at the microphone and Lynyrd Skynyrd had just left the stage. I looked down and there was a piece of tape marking the spot that Gary would occupy. So he’s still with us in no small terms. All of those guys, you know, it’s that Skynyrd thing. They live on."

The Sharp-Dressed Simple Man tour, which sees the two bands alternating as headliners, continues tonight in Alpharetta, Georgia, before moving to Tennessee in the coming week.

Watch ZZ Top Perform 'Sharp Dressed Man'' in West Palm Beach

Watch ZZ Top Perform 'La Grange' in West Palm Beach

Watch ZZ Top Perform 'Just Got Paid' in West Palm Beach

Watch ZZ Top Perform 'Tube Snake Boogie' in West Palm Beach

Watch Lynyrd Skynyrd Perform 'That Smell' in West Palm Beach

Watch Lynyrd Skynyrd Perform 'Call Me the Breeze' in West Palm Beach

Watch Lynyrd Skynyrd Perform 'Free Bird' in West Palm Beach

ZZ Top, iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida, 7/21/23  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, iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida, 7/21/23  1. "Workin' for MCA" 2. "Skynyrd Nation" 3. "What's Your Name" 4. "That Smell" 5. "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" 6. "The Needle and the Spoon" 7. "Saturday Night Special" 8. "The Ballad of Curtis Loew" 9. "I Know a Little" 10. "Tuesday's Gone" (Dedicated to Gary Rossington) 11. "Simple Man" (Dedicated to First Responders and the Troops) 12. "Gimme Three Steps" 13. "Call Me the Breeze" (J.J. Cale cover) 14. "Sweet Home Alabama" 15. "Free Bird"

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Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top announce 2024 tour with stops in 36 cities: See the list

American classic rock wizards ZZ Top  and  Lynyrd Skynyrd  are uniting for another co-headlined North American tour.

The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour will take over 36 cities across the nation in 2024, both bands unveiled Monday.

The tour kicks off March 8 at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia before making stops throughout the Southeast in the spring. After a more than three-month break between April 20 and Aug. 9, the tour wraps up in Ridgefield, Washington on Sept. 22.

Special guests on the tour are Black Stone Cherry and the Outlaws, the bands announced.

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ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd tour dates, cities

• March 8 − EnMarket Arena − Savannah, GA
• March 9 − Hertz Arena − Estero, FL
• March 14 − Bon Secours Wellness Arena − Greenville, SC
• March 15 − Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center − Knoxville, TN
• March 16 − Colonial Life Arena − Columbia, SC
• March 22 − Brookshire Grocery Arena − Bossier City, LA
• March 23 − Landers Center − Southaven, MS
• March 24 − Macon Amphitheater − Macon, GA
• March 28 − Rupp Arena − Lexington, KY
• March 29 − Greensboro Coliseum − Greensboro, NC
• March 30 − Charleston Coliseum − Charleston, WV
• April 4 − Mississippi Coast Coliseum − Biloxi, MS
• April 5 − Donald L Tucker Civic Center − Tallahassee, FL
• April 6 − Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center  − Huntsville, AL
• April 12 − Ford Center  − Evansville, IN
• April 13 − Vibrant Arena  − Moline, IL
• April 14 − Resch Center  − Green Bay, WI
• April 18 − Simmons Bank Arena  − North Little Rock, AR
• April 19 − Cajundome  − Lafayette, LA
• April 20 − American Bank Center  − Corpus Christi, TX
• Aug. 9 − Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort  − Mount Pleasant, MI
• Aug. 15 − Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview  − Syracuse, NY
• Aug. 16 − Bethel Woods Center for the Arts  − Bethel, NY
• Aug. 17 − Xfinity Center  − Mansfield, MA
• Aug. 22 − Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater  − Wantagh, NY
• Aug. 23 − Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion  − Gilford, NH
• Aug. 24 − The XFINITY Theatre  − Hartford, CT
• Sept. 5 − Ameris Bank Amphitheater  − Alpharetta, GA
• Sept. 7 − Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach  − Virginia Beach, VA
• Sept. 8 − Jiffy Lube Live  − Bristow, VA
• Sept. 12 − Darien Lake Amphitheater  − Darien Center, NY
• Sept. 13 − Pine Knob Music Theatre  − Clarkston, MI
• Sept. 14 − Ruoff Music Center  − Noblesville, IN
• Sept. 19 − Toyota Pavilion at Concord  − Concord, CA
• Sept. 21 − White River Amphitheater  − Auburn, WA
• Sept. 22 − RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater  − Ridgefield, WA

A nipple bra? When Kim Kardashian's nipple bra dropped, some people laughed. Breast cancer patients rejoiced.

ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd tour presale code, ticket info

Presale opened Tuesday with code SKYNYRD50, Lynyrd Skynyrd announced.

Tickets will be available starting Friday at 10 a.m. ET. More information can be found on the bands' websites.

What to know about ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd

ZZ Top, a blues rock band from Texas known for hit songs including "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man" while Southern rock Lynyrd Skynyrd's setlist staples often include "Free Bird," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Simple Man."

The late Gary Rossington, a guitarist who died in March , formed Lynyrd Skynyrd with the late Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns in 1964. Van Zant died in a 1977 plane crash along with guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines.

ZZ Top lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons, formed the band in Houston in 1969 with drummer Frank Beard and bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill, who died in 2021. 

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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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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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:

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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 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

Related Articles

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.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd reached out to Neil Young about doing shows together, singer says

J acksonville, Florida spawned a disproportionate amount of now-classic Southern rock bands. Allman Brothers . Molly Hatchet. 38 Special . Blackfoot. Cowboy . And, yes, Lynyrd Skynyrd .

Johnny Van Zant is the younger brother of Skynyrd legend Ronnie Van Zant and 38 Special singer Donnie Van Zant, and since 1987 he’s been the frontman for the rebooted Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Over the phone on a recent cold Wednesday morning, I ask Johnny why Jacksonville’s been such fertile ground for Southern rock, the subgenre known for blue-jean anthems and guitar solos as long as highways.

“You know, man, it was a very poor town way back when,” Van Zant says. “There was a whole lot to do here. We didn’t have anything to do. But music fell on everybody’s ears, and I think we all chose to do music instead of getting into crime and going to jail. You could do music. And I think all the guys growing up all went, ‘Hey, let’s start a band.’ Then I think it got to be a competition between everybody. Who’s gonna make it? Who’s gonna do this? Who’s gonna do that? The Allmans went on to Macon [Georgia], but all the rest of us kind of stayed here.”

Prior to first being enlisted sing with surviving Skynyrd musicians for a successful ‘87 tour — 10 years after the infamous 1977 plane crash that killed Ronnie and several other members of the band — Johnny fronted his own Johnny Van Zant Band. With brother Donnie, Johnny recorded as a duo under the name Van Zant, a project he’s returned to from time to time since.

Currently, Johnny Van Zant is on tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd and coheadliners ZZ Top, playing Skynyrd classics like “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Free Bird” to packed arenas and festivals. Complete tour dates lynyrdskynyrd.com .

After guitarist Gary Rossington died in 2023, no original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd remain alive. Artimus Pyle , who replaced original drummer Bob Burns in 1974, tours with his own band and has been out of Skynyrd for a while.

In addition to JVZ on the mic, Skynyrd’s current lineup has guitarists Rickey Medlocke , Damon Johnson and Mark “Sparky” Matjka, drummer Michael Cartellone, keyboardist Peter Keys and bassist Keith Christopher. As their hot performance on New Year’s Eve on live national TV attests, this lineup is honoring the band’s legacy and bringing those songs to millions of fans who love them .

The amiable Van Zant checked in for our phone interview from his home just outside the city of his birth and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s. Edited excerpts below.

Johnny, I’m sure you love all the Skynyrd songs, and there are so many great ones. But has one or two grown on you after singing them all these years now?

Johnny Van Zant: I always liked “Simple Man.” But after being at the band as long and seeing how it’s touched so many people. When I joined the band, I thought it was going to be “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” those songs, but people really gravitate to “Simple Man.” And every night when we play it, it just amazes me. I mean, you can take the biggest, baddest, burliest guy in the world and you might see him crying in the audience because, hey, we all want to make our mama happy. And also the ladies, they’re like, I love this song.

Like you said, there’s so many good songs, and it’s been actually a problem for us because we’ve made new records. But whenever we play live, we want people to hear that old stuff that made this band basically. And it’s been hard to throw a couple of new things in there because you want to play “That Smell” and “What’s Your Name” … [Laughs] And “Give Me Three Steps” and “Alabama” and “Free Bird.” It makes it hard for a setlist.

This year we’re actually doing “Whiskey Rock-A-Roller” — we’ve got a whiskey out that’s called “Hell House Whiskey” – and it went over so good. I’m having a great time playing that one. And then, I don’t know for sure if we’re gonna do it all this year, we went back and did “All I Can Do Is Write About It,” which is just a great song. And we put in “Red White & Blue” from the later stuff.

What’s your take on the digital avatars Kiss unveiled at their final concert? And, eventually, when it gets to where you want to step away from the microphone, where does Skynyrd go from there?

I don’t know, dude. [Laughs] That’s pretty wild to me. I think it fits them because of their characters and I think it’s a great idea for them. You know, whether it would be for Skynyrd, I have no clue. I think people still want to see the live in-person person.

Skynyrd made great records, but seeing a Skynyrd a show is what it’s all about. Hell, they went and blew The Who off the stage and gave The Rolling Stones a hell of a run for their money. There’s something about Skynyrd, even to today, you know. Come see it live. It’s very active and very energized.

Fans loved the official release of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1976 performance at the Knebworth Festival in England. And more archival and vault releases coming up that you can tease, where it be live stuff or studio outtakes?

There’s all sorts of stuff – I can’t say — but looking for stuff too. The problem with the original band was nowadays everybody’s got a camera on their phone, but way back when it was all handheld cameras. And I guess the management back then didn’t look into the future and say, Hey, let’s videotape a lot of stuff. So here’s very little bit of it out there that we can find.

What’s a moment onstage you feel particularly close to your brother Ronnie, singing his songs with Lynyrd Skynyrd?

I think from the very get-go. I mean, there’s not a time that I don’t go on stage I go and go, OK brother, be with me and let’s go out and kick some butt. But there is a moment in the show doing “Free Bird” we have a video screen … And it’s the only thing that we actually use that’s taped. We’re a total live band, What you see is what you get. If I’m sick, you’re gonna get a sick throat. If one of the boys has got a hurt finger, he may not hit that lick. But we’re gonna give it hell.

But during “Free Bird” he actually sings with the band on the second verse. And it’s a pretty amazing thing. If you’re a fan of Skynyrd, you’ve gotta see it.

John 5 , a guitarist Lynyrd Skynyrd cowrote with on the band’s most recent studio album, “Last of a Dyin’ Breed,” is now the guitar player in Mötley Crüe . What made him a good collaborator for Skynyrd?

Matt, let me tell you the story. We were up in Nashville, we were writing and our management came to us and said, “Hey, there’s this fantastic guitar player. He plays with Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson.” And I was like, “Well …” And so Gary [Rossington] at the time said, “Shit, let’s see this guy and if he’s great.” So we googled him and went, holy shit, he’s a great guitar player.

So he was in Nashville, and we were staying at a Residence Inn. And so we were in a hotel room — I had like a living room and a kitchen, two bedrooms – and we were sitting there writing there that afternoon. They said he’d be there around four o’clock. And I opened up the door and he was completely dressed like he was a Marilyn Manson or Rob Zombie. I was like, Oh my God, dude. You are a freak. And he looks at me, and he goes, “I thought you were looking like a freak, too.” [Laughs]

So we just hit it off. And he’s a great guy, unbelievable player. We wrote a few great songs. We wrote some good country stuff that has never been recorded. The guy can play heavy metal, he can play country like nobody can play it — just a wonderful guy, man. We’ve been friends ever since, and I’m glad he’s getting to go out there with the Crüe.

Of course, in “Sweet Home Alabama” there’s the line: “I hope Neil Young will remember a Southern man don’t need him around, anyhow.” [Ronnie Van Zant wrote the lyrics in response to Young’s songs “Alabama” and “Southern Man,” which where critical of the South.] Have you ever met Neil Young?

You know what? First of all I want to say everybody in Skynyrd’s always loved Neil Young’s music. But to answer your question, I’ve never met Neil. We actually put the word out we said, hey, let’s go play some shows. But we never heard back from it, so maybe he don’t like us as good as we like him. [Laughs]

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©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

• Anniston/Gadsden

How an Alabama guitarist is helping Lynyrd Skynyrd rock and roll on

• Updated: Apr. 05, 2024, 7:12 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 05, 2024, 5:43 p.m.

Guitarist Damon Johnson and singer Johnny Van Zant of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Photo: Warren Linhart) Warren Linhart

• Matt Wake | [email protected]

In their family’s Jacksonville home, growing up Johnny Van Zant shared a bedroom and bunkbeds with his older brother Ronnie Van Zant. When Ronnie’s band, which became the Southern rock juggernaut Lynyrd Skynyrd , rehearsed early on in Ronnie and Johnny’s parents’ living room, “I was just a little kid running around getting in the way,” Johnny recalls.

“I never thought I’d be in Lynyrd Skynyrd,” Johnny tells me over the phone on a recent morning. “I never wanted to be in Lynyrd Skynyrd – you know, I was just a fan of Skynyrd.”

Johnny may not have sought out this role, but it’s one he was destined to play.

Ronnie, a charismatic frontman and brilliantly unpretentious lyricist, and other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd died in the tragic 1977 plane crash that killed several members of the band, known for hits like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Ten years later, when surviving members of Skynyrd reunited for a highly successful tour, it was with Johnny at the mic.

Ronnie’s boots are impossible to fill. Period. But Johnny, a swaggering and talented rock singer in his own right, has done his brother proud. And he continues to do that.

On New Year’s Eve, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s current lineup – Johnny, guitarists Rickey Medlocke , Damon Johnson and Mark “Sparky” Matjka, drummer Michael Cartellone, keyboardist Peter Keys and bassist Keith Christopher – performed live on CBS’s NYE telecast. With a big crowd there in Nashville and millions of TV viewers watching, the band crushed it.

Gary Rossington , the guitar hero and last of the band’s classic era members, died in May 2023 at age 71. Still, the current version of the band sure feels and sounds like Skynyrd. Or at least damn close to it.

Johnny attributes this lineup’s faithful powerful sound to chemistry and bonds beyond music.

“We’ve kept it to people that love the music and cherish the music,” he says. “It’s not just players that you hire on, and they’re just playing it to be playing it. This is family, and we’ve always kept it that way.

“When Gary got sick and he couldn’t perform, me and Rickey both said, ‘Hey, how about Damon Johnson?’ He’s an Alabama boy, and we’ve known Damon for years, with Brother Cane his own band and he had worked with Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy. Just a fantastic guy, a great human being and a hell of a player.”

For Johnson, who first began playing with Skynyrd in 2021 as a fill-in for Rossington , the gig is literally a dream come true.

Johnson says, “For a kid from DeKalb County, Alabama, to grow up on that music as if it were gospel music, to be playing those songs and playing with these great musicians, it’s kind of hard to describe.”

Actually, it’s a dream come true twice. Johnson’s all-time favorite bands are Lynyrd Skynyrd and Thin Lizzy. He’s now been a member of both.

One of the most talented hard-rock guitarists to emerge in the ‘90s, as heard on Brother Cane hits like “Got No Shame” and “And Fools Shine On,” Johnson’s a perfect fit for Skynyrd. The guy has feel, taste and chops for days. Plus, he’s a total pro with the humility and experience (see the Cooper and Lizzy stints) crucial to inhabiting classic songs on big stages.

“And you know, the heaviest thing of all is just having Gary’s blessing,” Johnson says, checking in via phone from his Nashville area home. “Having Gary say, ‘I’m totally comfortable with him standing in that spot and playing my parts.’”

Lynyrd Skynyrd had witnessed Johnson’s ability up-close plenty of time. Between ‘93 and ‘94, Brother Cane opened around 40 shows for Skynyrd.

“We played a ton of amphitheaters, handful of arenas and it was great experience for us, obviously,” Johnson says. “That was how I got to know Johnny and Gary. Two years after that, Medlocke [who prior to joining Lynyrd Skynyrd, excelled with his own Southern rock band, Blackfoot] came into Skynyrd. Ironically, I remember Rickey calling me the week Gary and Johnny invited him to join the band.”

In 2021, Rossington, who’d dealt with heart health issues for years, was dealing with those challenges again. But he wanted the rest of the band to continue touring.

It was Medlocke who called Johnson on the phone to first broach the subject of him filling-in. They shortly after that, Johnny got on the call too. The three of them spoke for about an hour.

“I kind of just came straight-in and started playing because Gary was at home recovering,” Johnson says. “And then he got his strength back enough he came out on the road, and he’d play the last three songs [of the set each concert], which was so special.”

When Skynyrd got together in Nashville for rehearsals in 2022, Rossington was there. Initially the plan for that year’s tour was for Johnson to play the first half of the set, and then Rossington would take over for second half.

The band ran through the entire set onstage. During a break, Johnson was walking over to the catering table to get a sandwich when Rossington walked over.

“And he said,” Johnson recalls, “‘Listen, you’re a part of this thing now. I want you to stay up there with us, even when I come up.’ Just crazy cool.”

A three-guitar attack is a signature part of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s sound. Johnson thought four electric guitarists wailing onstage might be pushing it though. He suggested during the part of set Rossington was onstage that Johnson play acoustic guitar, since many Skynyrd recordings have an acoustic in the mix as a bed track, holding down a percussive rhythm.

“And he loved it,” Johnson says.

Even as a lifelong fan, going back to being a teenager listening to Skynyrd albums on vinyl and moving the turntable needle back again and again to learn the songs, Johnson didn’t fully realize Rossington’s greatness until he stepped inside all those parts in detail.

On songs like the sidewinding “Workin’ For MCA,” which Skynyrd opens each show with. Then there’s Rossington’s lyrical slide-guitar playing, on tracks like “The Ballad of Curtis Lowe,” “Free Bird” and “Tuesday’s Gone.”

“Gary was a great foil for Ronnie’s love of country music and blues music,” Johnson says. “There is this bluesy, almost gospel-tinged component to his melodies and the simplicity of some of the parts he would create. You sing that solo at the beginning of ‘Tuesday’s Gone.’ You can sing that beautiful melody at the start of ‘Free Bird.’ It’s iconic.

“And Gary just sat in a room and came up with that, man. He pulled that out of thin air. He could turn up the fire and dig in and get aggressive and have fun and play what some people later called Southern rock boogie. He epitomized that as well. But you’d be hard pressed to name any single guitar player that was more melodic and soulful in their note choice and in their phrasing than what Gary was.”

One of Rossington’s biggest guitar influences was Paul Kossoff of the British band Free, known for their 1970 hit “All Right Now.” Free’s singer, Paul Rodgers, later of hit-makers Bad Company, was one of Ronnie Van Zant’s primary touchstones. Rodgers is also a huge influence on Johnny Van Zant, who’s also been inspired by singers ranging from Foreigner’s Lou Gramm to R&B genius Ray Charles to Southern rock deity Gregg Allman.

Guitar-wise with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnson brought some of his personal talismans on the road.

There’s his vintage wine-red Les Paul, nicknamed “Gertrude,” that he used on many now-classic Brother Cane recordings. A friend who’s an airline pilot lent Johnson a reproduction of Rossington’s vintage Gibson SG guitar to use with Skynyrd.

Onstage, Johnson is using Rossington’s former amplifier rig, which includes a Peavey and a Magnatone, the latter of which ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons introduced Rossington to.

Of course, this being the social media age, not everyone appreciates the love, skill and oomph Skynyrd’s current lineup puts into the band’s classic songs.

Johnson says, “You know, you’re never going to stop the naysayers and keyboard cowboys from just popping off. But they’re so busy being negative that they’re not listening. They haven’t come to the see the band. And for people that are real fans -- and there are millions of diehard Lynyrd Skynyrd fans -- most of those people are so thrilled, appreciative, grateful that the music carries on.

“That was essentially the last thing Gary Rossington ever said to me. Gary said to me on the phone, ‘Damon, these songs are bigger than me. They’re bigger than Ronnie. I’ve just been so fortunate to get to play the songs my entire life. And now this group of musicians who are family are going to carry it forward.’ What’s heavier than that, man?”

As Johnny Van Zant puts it, “There’s not a time that I go onstage and don’t go, ‘OK, brother, be with me -- and let’s go out and kick some butt.”

Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top will perform at Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena in Huntsville on Saturday. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets start at $36 plus applicable fees via ticketmaster.com and the VBC Box Office, address 700 Monroe St. And yes, for University of Alabama basketball fans, the Tide’s Final Four game versus the University of Connecticut will be shown on screens in the VBC’s concourse, and, during intermission, the big screen inside the arena.

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Lynyrd Skynyrd merch company cracks down on bootleggers in Biloxi

Coming off last Thursday’s Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top concert in Biloxi, officials with the Mississippi Coast Coliseum have released some details regarding what they’re calling one of the biggest merchandise scams the venue has ever seen.

Per a report from WLOX , Lynyrd Skynyrd’s merchandise manager informed coliseum workers that a group of suspects had been selling bootlegged apparel at the band’s previous stops on its 50th-anniversary tour. That’s when coliseum workers and security swooped in and confiscated 200-plus counterfeit t-shirts.

Matt McDonell, executive director of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, told the local TV station that not only is it taking money away from all parties involved but also resulting in concertgoers getting a lesser product.

“We take the position that it’s taking money from the band. It’s taking money from the venue. It’s taking money from the people that are hired to sell the product, and it’s certainly taking revenue from the Mississippi Department of Revenue,” McDonell said. “We just are pretty aggressive about it here at the coliseum. We don’t want it to happen. The product is inferior. The people who buy it think they are getting a real, licensed product from their favorite band and they’re not.”

Bootlegged merchandise is not new, but according to a report from Moneywise , there’s been a rise in fake apparel showing up at concerts that could be attributed to Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour . For instance, an official Eras Tour t-shirt runs for $55 while counterfeit ones have been spotted on sale for as low as $14.29.

As for Skynyrd and its recent run-in with bootlegged merchandise, the band is hopeful the Biloxi incident will halt some of the fake merchandise going around at upcoming stops in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

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