By: David Schultz

On the eve of their long overdue induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, southern rock superstars Lynyrd Skynyrd celebrated their good fortune with the people they hold responsible: their fans. Billing the show as "A Celebration For Our Fans," Skynyrd came to New York City's Nokia Theater for a night of "singing songs about the Southland." Given the long, tortured and seemingly cursed history of the band, reasonable rock minds could differ as to whether the group of musicians playing under the Lynyrd Skynyrd moniker are, in fact, Lynyrd Skynyrd. However, that's a discussion for another time as on Sunday night, the surviving members of the band, Gary Rossington and Billy Powell, Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny, Ricky Medlocke and the rest joined the sold-out crowd in reveling in some classic southern rock.

Lynyrd Skynyrd's fans have been clamoring for the band's entry into the Hall of Fame for quite some time. Between 1973 and 1977, Skynyrd released the albums that would establish their legacy. Their five studio efforts (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, Second Helping, Nuthin' Fancy, Gimme Back My Bullets and Street Survivors) created the blueprint for southern rock, but it's their live album, One More From The Road, that contains their most identifiable moment. Ronnie Van Zant's wry request to the Fox Theater audience, "What is it you all want to hear?" has saddled rock bands for decades after with the burden of "Free Bird" shoutouts wherever they may play. Even with their last true recordings coming close to three decades ago, their influence can still be heard today with devotees like Kid Rock and Drive-By Truckers unabashedly declaring a healthy band-love. Steeped in Skynyrd mythology, the Truckers' Southern Rock Opera contains thinly veiled references to the band's history and their own Skynyrd worship. Even though "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" have become staples of classic rock radio and Skynyrd is practically synonymous with southern rock, it has taken seven years for the Hall of Fame to invite Skynyrd to take their proper place in the pantheon of rock and roll.

For many, the band's existence ended with the legendary 1977 plane crash that killed Skynyrd's heart and soul, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines as well as injuring many others. In 1980, four of the five surviving members of the band, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, keyboardist Billy Powell and bassist Leon Wilkeson, formed the Rossington-Collins Band, releasing two albums before disbanding. At concerts, their instrumental version of "Free Bird," in memory of Ronnie Van Zant, provided their sentimental tie to the past and kept the Skynyrd vibe alive. In 1986, Collins was paralyzed in a car accident, dying four years later. In 1987, Skynyrd reformed as a touring entity with Johnny Van-Zant replacing his older brother as lead singer and original guitarist Ed King returning in Collins' stead. King remained with the band until 1996, when a heart condition necessitated his retirement and replacement by former Blackfoot guitarist Rickey Medlocke. Wilkeson remained with the band until his death in 2001.

With a drummer and bass player that appear to have been born long after the conception of the band, Skynyrd played their last show as Hall Of Fame nominees. The crowd greeted Skynyrd with rousing cheers, Confederate flags and a large sign proclaiming "It's About Time!" Van-Zant repeatedly solicited cheers for the band and for those who had passed away; waving his arms, pointing often to the sky and raising the mike stand high overhead as if beseeching music from the heavens. The entire night, Van-Zant referred to the band in the third person, asking fans to show their love for "Skynyrd" as opposed to "us." Interestingly, he never solicited cheers for himself or insinuated himself into the legacy he plays a large role in continuing.

On the other end of the spectrum, Rickey Medlocke ran about the stage like an over-caffeinated howler monkey, making scary rock star faces at the audience while ordering them to cheer every couple minutes. For those contemplating bringing the family to future Skynyrd shows, be aware, with his wild, graying hair and wide-eyed lunatic demeanor, Medlocke will scare small children . . . and probably the elderly. In constantly beseeching the audience to cheer and raise their hands, Van-Zant and Medlocke's antics bordered on unnecessary pandering and could lead one to walk away believing they have just seen the most insecure band on the planet. Their over-exuberance should be given a pass on this evening, as it did fit in, however bluntly, with the celebratory theme.

Opening with "Saturday Night Special," Skynyrd played a 90 minute set of their greatest hits from the seventies, with cowboy-hat clad Gary Rossington laying down the guitar solos that helped create their signature southern rock sound. Using the audience's familiarity with their catalog, Van-Zant turned most of them into sing-alongs, letting the crowd handle the majority of "That Smell." While the band's current makeup contains only two original members, they provide enough authenticity that you never feel as if you're watching a tribute band. In their current incarnation, they reproduce the classics with a zeal and energy proficiently echoing the past, retaining the road house flair of "Gimme Three Steps" and "What's Your Name" and wrought the sentimentality out of their 2003 Vicious Cycle tune "Red, White and Blue." Rossington's irreplacability came clear during the slower, less rambunctious songs and he brought down the house with his guitar turns on "Tuesday's Gone" and "Simple Man." Skynyrd pulled out all of their usual stage exploits: Van-Zant wrapped a Confederate flag around the mike stand, ultimately exchanging it for an American flag, and, whenever appropriate, Rossington gathered the guitarists around him for the clichéd guitar line.

Skynyrd saved their best for last, bringing out their disciple Kid Rock to help them close the show with a rambunctious version of "Sweet Home Alabama." Kid Rock gave the show a joyous jolt of energy as his appearance brought the loudest cheers of the night. The Nokia crowd received a sneak preview of the Kid Rock/Skynyrd Hall of Fame collaboration as they would rehash the performance the next night in conjunction with their induction. After trading lyrics with Van-Zant, Kid Rock relished sharing the stage with his idols, looking like a kid in a candy store, or, in Kid's case, possibly like a guy with a wad of cash in a strip club.

For the encore, Powell returned to the stage alone and began noodling on the piano. To no one's surprise, the melody slowly turned into the opening of "Free Bird." (As if, Skynyrd wouldn't finish the night with "Free Bird"). Once his vocals were finished, Van-Zant left the stage leaving Rossington, Powell, and Medlocke to play the rest of the song that remains the cornerstone of their musical legacy. Perhaps fitting to the song's importance to Skynyrd, their fifteen minute rendition of "Free Bird" constituted 1/6 of the entire show.

Labels: Lynyrd Skynyrd