By Steve Newton 1973 sure was a stellar year for guitar-based rock. Maybe the best one ever. Mind you, that opinion has a lot to do with how old I was back in '73 (which just happened to be the same year that Bob Seger released Back in '72, the one with "Rosalie" and "Turn … Continue reading 50 years on, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut LP still brings the dynamite in both hands
Tag: Gary Rossington
That time I asked Rickey Medlocke about rejoining Lynyrd Skynyrd–and why he’d left in the first place
By Steve Newton Lynyrd Skynyrd was one of my fave bands in the seventies, but I never got to see them live with Ronnie, to my infinite regret. I did get to see them for the first time in Vancouver back in '97 on the Legends Tour, and that was cool because the lineup at … Continue reading That time I asked Rickey Medlocke about rejoining Lynyrd Skynyrd–and why he’d left in the first place
That time I asked Dale Krantz-Rossington if it was rough being a mom and a rocker at the same time
By Steve Newton Anybody who's raised a coupla kids will tell ya: it's rough. I've raised a coupla kids and lemme tell ya: it's rough. But it's still the best thing in the world. Now raising a coupla kids while rockin' and rollin' with your guitar-legend hubby Gary Rossington, that's gotta be a challenge as … Continue reading That time I asked Dale Krantz-Rossington if it was rough being a mom and a rocker at the same time
Album review: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Endangered Species (1994)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 13, 1994 By Steve Newton It’ll be 17 years this month since Lynyrd Skynyrd’s chartered plane went down in the Mississippi woods, killing—among others—vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines. Ten years after the crash, the group’s survivors decided to honour the music of the lost rockers … Continue reading Album review: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Endangered Species (1994)
Gary Rossington and Dale Krantz-Rossington on leaving Rossington Collins, having kids, and “Workin’ for Atlantic” in ’86
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 31, 1986 By Steve Newton Just before Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane went down on October 20, 1977, the now-legendary southern rock band released an album ironically titled Street Survivors. That crash took the lives of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and singer/guitarist Steve Gaines, and grounded the band's career just as it … Continue reading Gary Rossington and Dale Krantz-Rossington on leaving Rossington Collins, having kids, and “Workin’ for Atlantic” in ’86
American Stars ‘n Bars: Lynyrd Skynyrd and the lure of the Confederate flag
By Steve Newton The Rebel flag. The Southern Cross. Stars and Bars. Whatever you call it, the battle flag of America's former Confederate states has been getting a lot of attention lately—most of it in the wake of last June's mass shooting of black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine parishioners were killed by 21-year-old … Continue reading American Stars ‘n Bars: Lynyrd Skynyrd and the lure of the Confederate flag
Lynyrd Skynyrd blows the motherf***ing roof off the Hard Rock with a southern-fried riff-fest for the ages
photo by Kevin Statham. All other less-impressive photos by the Newt By Steve Newton Four of the seven Lynyrd Skynyrd members pictured on the cover of the band's phenomenal first album are dead. That's unfortunate, obviously; tragic, even. But if you saw the band play last night you might be tempted to say "So what?" … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd blows the motherf***ing roof off the Hard Rock with a southern-fried riff-fest for the ages
Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 30, 2003 By Steve Newton It doesn’t seem likely in today’s musical climate that any band would record a 90-minute concept album about 1970s rock and southern U.S. culture, focusing on the legend of doomed Dixie rock act Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s even more unlikely that such a CD would get critical … Continue reading Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd heads to Vancouver for a “Friday Night Special”
Southern-rock heroes Lynyrd Skynyrd have just announced a show at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver. And it's on a Friday, which is pretty close to a "Saturday Night Special." As anyone who's followed the band from its early-'70s beginnings knows, Skynyrd's story is composed of the highest highs and lowest lows. The lowest was the … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd heads to Vancouver for a “Friday Night Special”
Spine-tingling guitar solos light up Lynyrd Skynyrd’s first-ever Vancouver show
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 4, 1997 By Steve Newton Those ’70s-rock fans sure are a devoted bunch. Even if one of their fave old bands hasn’t produced a hit in two decades, they’ll stick with it and flock to its concerts to hold Bic lighters on high and relive the halcyon days … Continue reading Spine-tingling guitar solos light up Lynyrd Skynyrd’s first-ever Vancouver show
Rickey Medlocke on reuniting with Skynyrd, the plane crash, and the rebel flag
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 21, 1997 By Steve Newton October 20, 1977, is a day branded by sadness for southern-rock fans. That’s when Lynyrd Skynyrd’s rented plane, short on fuel, crashed into a Mississippi swamp en route to a gig at Louisiana University. Vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines died in the crash—along … Continue reading Rickey Medlocke on reuniting with Skynyrd, the plane crash, and the rebel flag
Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell dead at 56
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 28, 2009 By Steve Newton Original Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell died early this morning at his home in Orange Park, Florida, apparently due to a heart attack. He was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m. after paramedics responded to a 911 call in which Powell, who has a history of … Continue reading Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell dead at 56