Thursday, July 29, 2010

07.29.10 - Album of the Day & Updates

Hey all,

Before we get to the album of the day I just want to remind everyone about this Saturday at Uncle Mike's in NYC. Doors at 8, and show at 8:30. We will be followed by our friends Big Blue Spruce. Epic is the only word that can describe what will be happening in Tribeca on Saturday night. Join us for a night of good times in NYC after the show.

Also a reminder to SR fans who happen to cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. Make your way to the Linc on Thursday August 5 for Eagles Flight Night as SR will be the pre flight entertainment before the Eagles take the field at the Linc for the first time in 2010. Tickets are $10 for kids and $20 for adults. It's a night of fun for SR and Eagles fans of all ages.

Album of the Day:

As I was stumbling through my iTunes today I hit a forgotten southern rock gem that is overlooked by many rock fans. In 1987 the living members of Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited for the first time since the 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; and Honkette Cassie Gaines. Skynyrd recruited Johnny Van Zant to replace his older brother behind the mic, and original guitarist (and Sweet Home Alabama songwriter) Ed King to take Gaines place. Randall Hall was brought in for Allen Collins on guitar as Collins suffered a car accident a few years earlier that left him paralyzed. Collins though served as musical director for the tour.

The resulting live album from the tour entitled Southern by the Grace of God has proved to be the high water mark of the band since their reforming in 1987. The album features the trademark triple guitar attack of Hall, King, and Gary Rossington, most noticeable of course on the epic Free Bird, which on the album is sung by the audience in Dallas, Texas. Though Van Zant lets the crowd takes Free Bird, he shines otherwise on the album which is chock full of Skynyrd classics such as That Smell, Swamp Music (a personal favorite of Kevin's), and You Got That Right. Bassist Leon Wilkeson proved that he hadn't missed a beat and shines on his trademark song What's Your Name. The highlight of the album though has to be the killer version of Call Me The Breeze, which features a hellraising fiddle solo by the legendary Charlie Daniels. Daniels also lends his voice along with .38 Special front man Donnie Van Zant to the classic Sweet Home Alabama.

After the success of the tour Skynyrd decided to keep chugging along, though pianist Billy Powell, Wilkeson, and Collins have all passed on since the recording of the album; while King and drummer Artimus Pyle have moved on from the group. Rossington and Van Zant continue under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd, and continue to tour constantly. The band has released plenty of albums since Southern by the Grace of God, but none have matched the magic of that original gathering. It is without a doubt the most worthy album to have the name Lynyrd Skynyrd printed on it since the reunion. Definitely worth a listen to if you are southern rock and/or guitar junkie.

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