The use of the double-time hits at the 4:30 mark that allows for the start of the lead section is inspired. I particularly love the ghost-note ruffs in the choruses. But, each section of the song has its own part, its own vibe. The drums on “Free Bird” are a beautiful example of “Playing to the song.” Bob Burns’ track is bedrock. Then, in a rehearsal, Collins started to play the part and Ronnie had him loop it and in 5 minutes the lyrics were finished and the rest is, quite literally, HISTORY. there IS a difference.Īl Collins had been playing the chord progression to this song for, by all accounts, YEARS, but Van Zant always complained that it had “too many chords” and that he couldn’t find a melody to fit over the top of them. Although Skynyrd is considered to be “Hard Southern Rock.” And, yes, according to those in The Know. It would go on to include “Tuesday’s Gone”, Gimme Three Steps”, “Simple Man”, “Things Goin’ On”, and the album, and every live show from that point on’s, closer, the 9 minute opus that is, “Free Bird.” This is a debut album that is partly responsible for the success of “Southern Rock” as a genre. The band entered Doraville, Georgia’s, Studio One in March of ’73 to record their eponymous debut album. Died in the plane-crash in 1977 at the age of 29. He is the only member of this line-up to still be playing and touring with L.S.Īcoustic/Lead Guitar – Allen Collins. Organ/Mellotron – Al Kooper (who Produced the record) under the alias Roosevelt Gook. He was originally a roadie for the band until they heard him playing keys during sound-check and immediately drafted him to the position. There is only one member of the original line-up still alive, but the crew that worked on “Free Bird” is as follows:īass – Ed King who plays bass on this album but soon after was replaced by Leon Wilkison’s return to the band as bassist which, in-turn, meant that King took over guitar duties and the bands “Triple Axe Attack” line-up was concreted. Although,I DID just make that statistic up. How many times a years does some douche-bag, at some random show, live event, wedding, bar-mitzvah, or ANYTHING, yell “Free Bird!!”? I am going to guess that the number is around 3.8 million. Is there any tune more maligned than “Free Bird”? I would proffer that the answer is a hard “No.” There may be songs that are mocked just as much, “Never Gonna Give You Up” would be on that list, but, I don’t think that there is any tune that has been as misunderstood as this CLASSIC. The accident ended the lives of the band members a mere three years after their debut album had given the World one of it’s quintessential rock songs. In a horrible twist of fate Aerosmith’s management had, just prior, refused to hire the plane and crew for their tour citing fears of the professionalism and air-worthiness of both. his older sister Cassie, who sang back-ups, and the band’s charismatic lead-singer, Ronnie Van Zant, who was 29 at the time of the his death. The crash took the lives of the pilot, co-pilot, Skynyrd’s Assistant Road Manager, their guitarist Steve Gaines. On October 20th, 1977, a Convair CV-240 carrying the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and their touring party went down just outside Gillsburg, Miss.
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