FREEBIRDS: THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD STORY

Based on one-on-one interviews with members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, their families, their friends, their business associates, and their fans, Freebirds: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Story examines the roots, evolution, and eventual emergence into world renown of one of the most hard rocking, hard living bands in music history – a group fueled by rock-and-roll fury but crippled by fate.

From “Freebird” and “Sweet Home Alabama” to “Saturday Night Special” and “What’s Your Name,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s guitar-driven, southern blues-rooted songs have celebrated stoic independence, and bar-hopping camaraderie, invoking vivid images of Southern landscapes, raunchy good times, and reckless romance, and emphasize the importance of home, family, and individual responsibilities.

Despite devastating personal tragedy, personnel changes due to the ravages of the road, the untimely deaths of seminal founding members, a variety of legal entanglements, and internal bad blood, Lynyrd Skynyrd has continued to record, to tour, and to produce powerful, personal music.

Now Marley Brant has written a fascinating, behind-the-scenes chronicle of the group’s history; the ambitious and dedicated climb to the top; its intricate interband relationships; the stories behind charges of vehicular manslaughter, child molestation, and broken contracts; the origins of their songs; their recordings and concerts; and much more. The result is a mesmerizing look at how this legendary band has prevailed. 

Material for Freebirds was derived from such primary sources as interviews with past and present Skynyrd members Ed King, Johnny Van Zant, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, Rickey Medlocke, Leon Wilkeson, and Hughie Thomasson, as well as Ronnie Van Zant’s widow, Judy Jenness; Steve Gaines’ widow, Teresa Gaines Rapp; and musician friends such as .38 Special’s Donnie Van Zant and Jeff Carlisi; Marshall Tucker’s Doug Gray, Grinderswitch’s Dru Lombar, Charlie Daniels, Allman Brothers’ Warren Hayes and Allen Woody, and Al Kooper, the producer of the band’s first three albums. Also included are over 50 photos from the personal collections of the band, their friends and family members.

Excerpt: 

Lynyrd Skynyrd has the reputation for being a rowdy, fist-fighting band but sometimes misfortune sought and found THEM:

*It didn't take long for Lynyrd Skynyrd to experience firsthand The Who's aggressive atmosphere. During the Cow Palace show, Billy Powell fell victim to an assault by both a security guard and the show's promoter. Powell had been in a hurry to get himself down in front of the stage during The Who's set so that he would be able to see the excitement up close. In his rush, Powell had failed to reveal his stage pass.

"[Legendary concert promoter] Bill Graham and [The Who's] bouncers started throwing these people over this fence that was in front of the stage," says Powell. "All these people that didn't have backstage passes hung aroung their necks. There was this seven-foot tall black guy throwing them over this fence. I was standing there right next to the stage, watching this happen. Then this guy comes to me, and gets ready to throw me. I went down to my knees. I had a coat on, I said, 'Hold it...I'm in the Skynyrd band.' I was trying to get my backstage pass out of my coat pocket, I wasn't wearing it. We were kind of getting in a fight there and I was finally back on my feet still trying to get the thing out of my pocket."

Powell wasn't fast enough. "Bill Graham came running down the stage, down this ramp from the stage, and punched me in the mouth," Billy remembers. "I mean with full momentum, Knocked me about ten feet. He knowcked me silly. I was bleeding everywhere, and I was about to pass out. I showed [the pass] to him, and he finally realized that [it was] people that were playing for Skynyrd he just hit." Apparently Graham didn't realize that the kid arguing with the security guard was actually a member of the opening act. "He apologized, swear to God, ten times, sent flowers, even after the tour he sent me flowers at home, apologizing. We became real good friends after that, laughed it off and all that."

Reader Review:

There have been stories of Skynyrd's humble beginnings, rock & roll antics, head-strong personalities and individual excesses since Day One. CREEM and Rolling Stone kept watch. Cameron Crowe offered his tip-of-the-hat to them in "Almost Famous." But the real story? The real people? Finally, it's here. And it's every bit as compelling as Skynyrd's timeless compositions.

FREEBIRDS is a fascinating book about the roots and evolution of Lynyrd Skynyrd from its beginning through present day. It was never as simple as blue collar rough neighborhoods and kids with a dream. The book reveals a highly kinetic mix of intelligent, complicated individuals and their talents, friendships, differences and colliding fates. Not to say there wasn't the private or very public fight here or there... The actual events are discussed by the people who were there. Brant maintains an even hand in presenting different sides of the same story. Contradicting recollections of events (whether through past "impairments" or 20-20 hindsight) are examined and placed before the reader for consideration.

The information in the book far exceeds anything published before (or that probably ever will be) by virtue of the sheer depth and number of events discovered, disclosed, investigated, tales told and recollections shared. It is evident Author/Biographer Brant had the professional credibility and respect to write FREEBIRDS. It was a book that needed to be written and the author has given the reader both solid fact-finding and spellbinding story telling blended together artfully in top notch writing.

FREEBIRDS "reads" very well -- it's comfortable and engaging, evenly paced and balanced in it's approach. I was very drawn in by it. As the old saying goes, "It's a real page turner!"

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