October 20,
Lynard Skynard Day
Lynyrd Skynyrd, The original Southern rock band, formed in Jacksonville, Fl, in 1964. During the 1970's the band would garner worldwide recognition with hits such as, "Sweet Home Alabama," and "Free Bird."
On October 20, 1977, just three days after the release of Street Survivors, and five shows into their most successful headlining tour to date, Lynyrd Skynyrd's chartered Convair CV-300 ran out of fuel near the end of their flight from Greenville, South Carolina. Though the pilots attempted an emergency landing on a small airstrip, the plane crashed in a forest in Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were killed on impact; the other band members (Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, and Leslie Hawkins) and road crew suffered serious injuries.
Following the crash and the ensuing press, Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album and reached No. 5 on the U.S. album chart.
Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the tragedy. In 1987, the band reunited for a full-scale tour with five major members of the pre-crash band: crash survivors Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson and Artimus Pyle, along with guitarist Ed King, who had left the band two years before the crash. Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, took over as the new lead singer.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the group No. 95 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2006 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The inductees included Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Ed King, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, Bob Burns, and Artimus Pyle.
A toast in there honor!
Alabama Slammer
A nod to one of the greatest songs in history, Sweet Home Alabama!
Ingredients:
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Southern Comfort
1/2 oz Amaretto
1/2 oz Sloe Gin
OJ
Preparation:
Pour the liquors into a highball glass filled with ice.
Fill with orange juice.
Free Bird
Songwriters: Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be traveling on, now
'Cause there's too many places
I've got to see
But, if I stayed here with you, girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you'll can not change
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can?t change
Bye, bye, baby it's been a sweet love
Yeah, yeah
Though this feeling I can't change
But please don't take it so badly
'Cause the Lord knows
I'm to blame
But, if I stayed here with you girl
Things just couldn't be the same
'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you'll can not change
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And this bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can't change
Lord help me, I can't change
Lord I can't change
Won't you fly high, free bird, yeah?
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