Lynyrd Skynyrd 1977, Oakland CA, "Sweet Home Alabama."

[Saul Goodman]

A simpler time. No cel phones. Before the food industry made us all fat and inflamed. And you could display the Rebel Flag in all its glory in Oakland, CA. I hated this band when I was a teen now it makes me crave those days.

 

[Steve Haynie]

The original band was great at the time.  My Skynyrd collection started in 1977 or 1978 when I was in seventh grade, and those cassettes were played all through high school.  

Seeing present day Lynyrd Skynyrd ain't the same.  During a concert there are doubts about it really being a Lynyrd Skynyrd show.  Seeing the Artimus Pyle Band late last year gave me a similar feeling, but there were Artimus and Barry Lee Harwood on stage, two people with a genuine connection to the original band.  

[Dave Scepter]

I grew up in the Bay area but was really never a country rock fan, but since my mom's passing, I am totally convinced that the song "Simple man" was a song written as a direct message from her to me. ❤️

 

[hamerican gigolo]

Almost all of the original band are no longer with us. 😢

LS is now a tribute band.

[Jakeboy]

I loved them in the 70s. Such good guitarists. Ed King was a monster and a better slide player than Gary, IMO. But all 4 were great in their own way. When I lived in south Florida in the 70s, some local rock station played Freebird at midnight every Friday or Saturday, I forget which. Every car would tune in and blast it all together. Those were the days. We didn’t hate Freebird then, it was considered a guitar master class. Gary on slide and Allen’s one take solo…and add in Gaines on the Live album.  Thanks for the nostalgia tour, @Saul Goodman.

[alantig]

6 hours ago, hamerican gigolo said:

Almost all of the original band are no longer with us. 😢

LS is now a tribute band.

I finally saw Skynyrd a couple years ago.  It was before Rossington died, but he wasn’t on the tour at that point.  Afterwards, I said to my buddy (who is a longtime fan), “Well, I finally saw Skynyrd, but did I really?”  He said, “You didn’t.”  I’m hesitant to hit some of these bands with the “tribute” label.  Members change - I get that.  But at some point, doesn’t it really stop being the same band?  

We used to joke about how some of the oldies/doo-wop groups would come to town and there was nobody in the band you’d ever heard of, and we’d say, “At least the bands we really like aren’t doing that,” except now they really are.  Foghat is just Roger Earl.  Jefferson Starship has David Freiburg.  Foreigner and Kansas are touring w/no original members.  At some point, the name really should be retired.  Although I did read an article about how some bands are being sent out to protect a name or trademark.  It is a business after all.

[geoff_hartwell]

I play with Artimus and his band periodically. We are under the same management and booking. My Allman Bros tribute band, Soulshine, does package shows with them and it’s always a blast.

Uncle Artimus is the real deal and one of my favorite humans, and Barry Lee is also the real deal and such a sweetheart. I’ve learned a lot about a lot of things from them and particularly their sound guy Russ T Nutz. The shows always sound *Really Good* and it’s a total Love Fest. I look forward to the next one.

If anyone has any questions about the production aspect or anything behind the scenes I’m happy to help if I can.

[DaveL]

On 4/3/2026 at 11:50 AM, Saul Goodman said:

A simpler time. No cel phones. Before the food industry made us all fat and inflamed. And you could display the Rebel Flag in all its glory in Oakland, CA. I hated this band when I was a teen now it makes me crave those days.

 

There’s a clip somewhere where skynyrd was opening for the stones and were told not to walk out on the tongue…(part of the stage)  and of course they did.     I’m sure mick and keef wanted no part if these Florida men.  lol.  

[hamerhead]

22 hours ago, DaveL said:

There’s a clip somewhere where skynyrd was opening for the stones and were told not to walk out on the tongue…(part of the stage)  and of course they did.     I’m sure mick and keef wanted no part if these Florida men.  lol.  

The Skynyrd boys are real-deal scrappers. The Stones were designer bad boys.