Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Author: Gene Odom
Publisher: Crown
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2003-10-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0767910273
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The first complete, unvarnished history of Southern rock’s legendary and most popular band, from its members’ hardscrabble boyhoods in Jacksonville, Florida and their rise to worldwide fame to the tragic plane crash that killed the founder and the band’s rise again from the ashes. In the summer of 1964 Jacksonville, Florida teenager Ronnie Van Zant and some of his friends hatched the idea of forming a band to play covers of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Yardbirds and the country and blues-rock music they had grown to love. Naming their band after Leonard Skinner, the gym teacher at Robert E. Lee Senior High School who constantly badgered the long-haired aspiring musicians to get haircuts, they were soon playing gigs at parties, and bars throughout the South. During the next decade Lynyrd Skynyrd grew into the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful of the rock bands to emerge from the South since the Allman Brothers. Their hits “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama” became classics. Then, at the height of its popularlity in 1977, the band was struck with tragedy --a plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and two other band members. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock is an intimate chronicle of the band from its earliest days through the plane crash and its aftermath, to its rebirth and current status as an enduring cult favorite. From his behind-the-scenes perspective as Ronnie Van Zant’s lifelong friend and frequent member of the band’s entourage who was also aboard the plane on that fateful flight, Gene Odom reveals the unique synthesis of blues/country rock and songwriting talent, relentless drive, rebellious Southern swagger and down-to-earth sensibility that brought the band together and made it a defining and hugely popular Southern rock band -- as well as the destructive forces that tore it apart. Illustrated throughout with rare photos, Odom traces the band’s rise to fame and shares personal stories that bring to life the band’s journey. For the fans who have purchased a cumulative 35 million copies of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s albums and continue to pack concerts today, Lynyrd Skynyrd is a celebration of an immortal American band.

Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars

Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars
Author: Mark Ribowsky
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2015-04-01
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1569761647
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"Mark Ribowsky has written one king hell of a book about one king hell of a band. Buy that man a drink!" —Mick Wall, author of When Giants Walked the Earth This book tells the intimate story of how a band of lost souls and self-destructive misfits clawed their way to the very top of the rock'n'roll peak, writing and performing as if beneficiaries of a deal with the devil—a deal fulfilled by a tragic fall from the sky. The rudderless genius behind their ascent was a man named Ronnie Van Zant, who guided their five-year run and evolved not just a new country/rock idiom but a new Confederacy. Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars is based on interviews with surviving band members and others who watched them. It gives a new perspective to a history of stage fights, motel-room destructions, cunning business deals, and brilliant studio productions, offering a greater appreciation for a band that, in the aftermath of its last plane ride, has sadly descended into self-caricature as the sort of lowbrow guns-'n'-God cliché that Ronnie Van Zant wanted to chuck from around his neck. No other book on Southern rock has ever captured the "Free Bird"–like sweep and significance of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Mark Ribowsky has written twelve books, including widely praised biographies of Tom Landry, Howard Cosell, Phil Spector, and Satchel Paige. He has also contributed extensively to magazines including Playboy, Penthouse, and High Times. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, and Me ... Gene Odom

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, and Me ... Gene Odom
Author: Scott Coner
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2011-04-27
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1462006973
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During a time when toughskin blue jeans, button-down shirts, and flat-top haircuts were all the rage, Gene Odom and Ronnie Van Zant became best friends. Growing up on the same block, Ronnie and Gene fished, played football, and dreamed together. Years later, one of the boys would become famousand the other would stand by his side through thick and thin. This is the story of two young men from the same neighborhood, school, and world who together, discovered the meaning of true friendship. As Ronnies dreams of becoming a professional musician finally became a reality, Lynyrd Skynyrd began selling out arenas and became famous for not only their music, but also their substance abuse. After Ronnie offered Gene a job as a security officer for the band, he embarked on an unforgettable journey into a world like no other. But everything would change in October 1977 when the plane carrying the band plummeted from the sky. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, and Me Gene Odom provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it was like to be friends with one of the biggest rock stars of the 1970s and how a friendship between two childhood buddies stood the test of time.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd
Author: Lee Ballinger
Publisher: Quill
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1999
Genre: Rock musicians
ISBN: 9780380801541
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The inside story of one of the greatest American rock bands, told in their own words, both before and after the horrific 1977 airplane crash that claimed three of the band members' lives.

Street Survivor

Street Survivor
Author: Artimus Pyle
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017
Genre: Drummers (Musicians)
ISBN: 9781617136542
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(Book). Artimus Pyle, a Marine, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and the "Wild Man" of southern rock, is one of the last surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He played drums with the band during its seventies heyday. He is the first bandmate to write about the tortuous rise and tragic fall of the Jacksonville hell raisers, offering detailed insights into the band's complex personalities and anthemic music. Packed with anecdotes of booze-fueled violence and destruction, he also lays out the exquisite musicianship and sheer hard work that transformed Lynyrd Skynyrd into one of America's greatest rock 'n' roll bands. It all came to an end on October 20, 1977, when four shows into a world tour to promote its new album, Street Survivors , the band's rickety private plane ran out of gas just minutes from its destination, and crashed into a Mississippi swamp. Artimus survived, but three of his bandmates including leader Ronnie Van Zant did not. Artimus recounts every moment of that flight, as well as the days leading up to the crash, and the years of painful recovery. Remarkably, he would encounter even greater challenges when he was falsely accused of horrific crimes. But Artimus is a survivor with a keen sense of humor, and he continues to perform Lynyrd Skynyrd music with just as much energy and precision as in his youth.

Freebirds

Freebirds
Author: Marley Brant
Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2016-06-03
Genre:
ISBN: 9781626546097
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Based on one-on-one interviews with members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, their families, friends, business associates, and fans, " Freebird: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Story "is the first narrative biography to fully examine the roots, evolution, and success of the most hard-rocking, hard-living band in rock 'n roll history. From "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" to "Saturday Night Special" and "What's Your Name," Lynyrd Skynyrd's driving, guitar-fueled, blues-inspired songs celebrate stoic independence and bar-hopping camaraderie. Evoking vivid images of Southern landscapes, raunchy good times, and reckless young romance, Skynyrd's classic catalog emphasizes the importance of home, family, and a spirit of fierce independence that defines American rock. Tenacious 'till the end, Lynyrd Skynyrd has kept on keepin' on--touring, recording, and producing hit records in the face of devastating tragedy and the ravages of life on the road. With this book, Marley Brant has given us a mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes chronicle of the group's history, struggles, and perseverance, with details about, Their formation and early days in Jacksonville, Florida Their ambitious climb to the peak of rock stardom The complexities of interband relationships and conflicts The truth behind stories of booze-fueled crime and broken contracts The origins of their songs And much, much, more "Freebirds" was culled from primary sources including interviews with past and present Skynyrd members Johnny Van Zandt, Ed King, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, Rickey Medlocke, Leon Wilkeson, and Hughie Thomasson, as well as family members, and fellow musicians like Warren Haynes, and producer Al Kooper. Also included are over 50 photographs from the personal collections of the band, and their friends and family. Marley Brant has been a Skynyrd fan since the beginning of their recording career, loving their raw and charismatic catalogue of insightful ballads and their pure, rock-ensemble attack. She has enjoyed friendships with various members of the band, the crew and their families, and is the author of nine books, which have been featured by "People" magazine, "The New York Times," VH1, A&E, The History Channel, TBS, CMT, The Biography Channel, and PBS. She has also produced a number of music-related programs for a variety of television networks.

Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock

Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock
Author: Michael Ray FitzGerald
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2020-09-15
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0813065704
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The enduring achievement and legacy of a rock movement Florida Book Awards, Bronze Medal for Florida Nonfiction The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd helped usher in a new kind of southern music from Jacksonville, Florida. Together, they and fellow bands like Blackfoot, 38 Special, and Molly Hatchet would reset the course of seventies rock. Yet Jacksonville seemed an unlikely hotbed for a new musical movement. Michael FitzGerald blends eyewitness detail with in-depth history to tell the story of how the River City bred this generation of legendary musicians. As he profiles essential bands alongside forerunners like Gram Parsons and Cowboy, FitzGerald reveals how the powerful local AM radio station worked with newspapers and television stations to nurture talent. Media attention in turn created a public hungry for live performances by area bands. What became the southern rock elite welded relentless determination to a ferocious work ethic, honing their gifts on a testing ground that brooked no weakness and took no prisoners. FitzGerald looks at the music as the diverse soundtrack to a neo-southern lifestyle that reconciled different segments of society in Jacksonville, and across the nation, in the late sixties and early seventies. A vivid journey into a crucible of American music, Jacksonville and the Roots of Southern Rock shines a light on the artists and songs that powered a phenomenon.

The Unsolved Murder of Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Leon Wilkeson

The Unsolved Murder of Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Leon Wilkeson
Author: Dale Bowman
Publisher:
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2005-06-01
Genre:
ISBN: 9780976987918
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In 2001, Leon Russell Wilkeson, also known as ?The Mad Hatter of Southern Rock?, and the bass guitarist of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, was found dead in Ponte Verde Beach, Florida. While declared an accidental death, many friends who knew Leon personally, including his personal manager, Dale Bowman, question many of the strange unexplained events surrounding the mystery of his death. This book is the true story of Dale Bowman?s relationship with Leon Wilkeson as his manager and friend, and gives a behind the scenes glimpse of life on tour with the band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Experience the truth of a normal man swept into the whirlwind of Southern rock and roll, as he travels along with the group in the tour bus, at the concerts, and in the many hotels and locations. Meet the true Leon Wilkeson, a supremely talented man with a unique sense of humor, and a kind soul. Discover the depth of their friendship, as Dale and Leon work their way through the many twists, turns, dips, and high points of a rock star?s life, and still come out smiling. Then learn the starting details surrounding the tragedy of his demise.When the facts of Leon Wilkeson? s death become apparent, there are many reasons to question what really happened to the popular bass guitarist. This book lays out the strange facts about the death, Leon?s strange behavior before that day, and the puzzling notes left by Leon predicting his own demise. Consider the facts, the history, and the life of Leon Wilkeson as experienced thorough one of his closest friends, Dale Bowman. Draw your own conclusions from the facts, and the truth may shock you.

Freebirds

Freebirds
Author: Marley Brant
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2002-01-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780823083213
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A biography of the roots, evolution and eventual emergence of rock and rolland, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Though plagued by personal tragedy, numerous personnelhanges and the untimely deaths of some of its founding members, Lynyrdkynyrd has continued to record, tour and produce albums. This volumeeatures in-depth biographies and inside stories of intricate inter-bandelationships, charges of manslaughter and broken contracts. There arenterviews with Charlie Daniels, Gregg Allman, Warren Hayes and Allen Woody.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - All-Time Greatest Hits (Songbook)

Lynyrd Skynyrd - All-Time Greatest Hits (Songbook)
Author: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Total Pages: 359
Release: 2009-08-01
Genre: Music
ISBN: 1458447596
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(Guitar Recorded Versions). Transcriptions for 14 favorites from the hard-living kings of Southern rock. Hits include: Call Me the Breeze * Free Bird * Gimme Three Steps * Saturday Night Special * Swamp Music * Sweet Home Alabama * That Smell * What's Your Name * You Got That Right * and more.