Lynyrd
Skynyrd is the quintessential American rock and roll band. Anthems like
"Sweet Home Alabama," "Free Bird," and "Gimme Three Steps" all tell stories
like American folklore. They are OURS whether you live in the north or
the south, in a small town or big city.
In
October 1977, when a private plane carrying the band and crew crashed,
lead singer/co-founder Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and Steve's
sister, back up vocalist Cassie Gaines were killed, along with several
crew members and, seemingly, Skynyrd's career. Before that, they had sold
millions of records, and brought their down-home brand of rock to legions
of fans around the world. Their sixth album, "Street Survivor" had just
been released and became the first Lynyrd Skynyrd album to be certified
gold upon release. Their first tour of major arenas had been booked including
a lifelong dream fulfilling show at New York's Madison Square Garden. But
after the plane crash, which seriously injured surviving members Gary Rossington,
Leon Wilkeson, Allen Collins, Billy Powell, and Artimus Pyle, the thought
of continuing as Lynyrd Skynyrd felt like an impossibility.
The
survivors, some of whom were temporarily crippled - physically as well
as emotionally - reunited in January 1979 for a special appearance at Charlie
Daniel's Volunteer Jam V where they performed an instrumental version of
"Free Bird" as a eulogy for their lost comrades and the band. Although
Lynyrd Skynyrd was no longer performing as a band, its members continued
to work together. First, guitarist and co-founder Gary Rossington, along
with guitarist Allen Collins, bassist Leon Wilkeson and pianist Billy Powell
formed the Rossington-Collins band which released two albums in the early
1980's and toured extensively. When Rossington-Collins broke up, Rossington
and his wife, singer Dale Krantz, moved to Wyoming and recorded and performed
as a duo while Collins started the Allen Collins Band. Collins' band included
Wilkeson and Powell. "There might not have been a Lynyrd Skynyrd, but some
of us never stopped working together," says Wilkeson. "I guess the 'reunion'
was inevitable." Sure enough, 1987 the tenth anniversary of the crash,
brought up the thought of a tribute concert. Once the decision to do it
was made, the survivors invited Ronnie's younger brother Johnny, an accomplished
recording artist in his own right, to provide lead vocals.
"Originally,
we were just going to do one show," Johnny explains, "but then that became
a week's worth of dates, then a full-fledged tour and then, thanks to the
overwhelming support of old and new fans, the next thing I know, I'm in
the band full time." It's been an emotional experience for the talented
singer whose resemblance both vocally and visually to his older brother
is obvious. "In the beginning I was scared," Johnny admits, "but over the
years I've come to peace with it, and I think Ronnie's proud of what we're
doing today." On "Twenty" his tribute to his lost brother includes a duet
of "Travelin' Man" featuring the original master of Ronnie's lead vocal
and Johnny's ne studio vocal alternating verses, with the current lineup
providing new studio music of the song.
In
putting together the current lineup of the band, Rossington, Van Zant,
Wilkeson, Powell and Hale went to some of the American rock's finest guitarists
- former Blackfoot founder/guitarist Rickey Medlocke, and Hughie Thomasson
from The Outlaws. In the summer of 1996 this and broke records in amphitheaters
across the country as they toured together for the first time. "The fan
base is amazing," admits Rossington. "The people who came to see it were
parents our age with their kids. Some of their kids had kids old enough
to be married. It was like there were three generations in the audience."
Adds Thomasson, "It proves to me that good rock and roll is timeless -
that because this band has always stayed so true to themselves musically,
their importance and influence will be endless."
That
is what is evident on the record, "Twenty" - that this is a Lynyrd Skynyrd
album. They are true to their southern blues roots and which Rickey Medlocke,
who co-wrote a number of the songs on the new album promises "...can hold
up against anything else out there today." From ballads like "Home Is Where
The Heart Is" and "Sad Songs" to the boogie feel of "Bernice and "Talk
Myself Right Into It" to the blues/rock sounds of "Bring It On," Skynyrd
will continue to appeal to an ever-expanding audience of 90's kids much
in the same way they did to their parents back in the 70's (and still do
today!)
This
appeal, claims Medlocke "...is because Lynyrd Skynyrd's music has always
touched people. The passion that we all feel for making our music and for
making it fun carries over into the audience. That always has been always
will be Skynyrd's legacy. Good time rock and roll for always and for all."
