Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars

Author: Mark Ribowsky
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1569761647
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 316

Book Description
"Mark Ribowsky has written one king hell of a book about one king hell of a band. Buy that man a drink!" —Mick Wall, author of When Giants Walked the Earth This book tells the intimate story of how a band of lost souls and self-destructive misfits clawed their way to the very top of the rock'n'roll peak, writing and performing as if beneficiaries of a deal with the devil—a deal fulfilled by a tragic fall from the sky. The rudderless genius behind their ascent was a man named Ronnie Van Zant, who guided their five-year run and evolved not just a new country/rock idiom but a new Confederacy. Whiskey Bottles and Brand-New Cars is based on interviews with surviving band members and others who watched them. It gives a new perspective to a history of stage fights, motel-room destructions, cunning business deals, and brilliant studio productions, offering a greater appreciation for a band that, in the aftermath of its last plane ride, has sadly descended into self-caricature as the sort of lowbrow guns-'n'-God cliché that Ronnie Van Zant wanted to chuck from around his neck. No other book on Southern rock has ever captured the "Free Bird"–like sweep and significance of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Mark Ribowsky has written twelve books, including widely praised biographies of Tom Landry, Howard Cosell, Phil Spector, and Satchel Paige. He has also contributed extensively to magazines including Playboy, Penthouse, and High Times. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Author: Lee Ballinger
Publisher: Quill
ISBN: 9780380801541
Category : Rock musicians
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The inside story of one of the greatest American rock bands, told in their own words, both before and after the horrific 1977 airplane crash that claimed three of the band members' lives.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, and Me ... Gene Odom

Author: Scott Coner
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1462006973
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 116

Book Description
During a time when toughskin blue jeans, button-down shirts, and flat-top haircuts were all the rage, Gene Odom and Ronnie Van Zant became best friends. Growing up on the same block, Ronnie and Gene fished, played football, and dreamed together. Years later, one of the boys would become famousand the other would stand by his side through thick and thin. This is the story of two young men from the same neighborhood, school, and world who together, discovered the meaning of true friendship. As Ronnies dreams of becoming a professional musician finally became a reality, Lynyrd Skynyrd began selling out arenas and became famous for not only their music, but also their substance abuse. After Ronnie offered Gene a job as a security officer for the band, he embarked on an unforgettable journey into a world like no other. But everything would change in October 1977 when the plane carrying the band plummeted from the sky. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie Van Zant, and Me Gene Odom provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it was like to be friends with one of the biggest rock stars of the 1970s and how a friendship between two childhood buddies stood the test of time.

Freebirds

Author: Marley Brant
Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media
ISBN: 9781626546097
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Book Description
Based on one-on-one interviews with members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, their families, friends, business associates, and fans, " Freebird: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Story "is the first narrative biography to fully examine the roots, evolution, and success of the most hard-rocking, hard-living band in rock 'n roll history. From "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" to "Saturday Night Special" and "What's Your Name," Lynyrd Skynyrd's driving, guitar-fueled, blues-inspired songs celebrate stoic independence and bar-hopping camaraderie. Evoking vivid images of Southern landscapes, raunchy good times, and reckless young romance, Skynyrd's classic catalog emphasizes the importance of home, family, and a spirit of fierce independence that defines American rock. Tenacious 'till the end, Lynyrd Skynyrd has kept on keepin' on--touring, recording, and producing hit records in the face of devastating tragedy and the ravages of life on the road. With this book, Marley Brant has given us a mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes chronicle of the group's history, struggles, and perseverance, with details about, Their formation and early days in Jacksonville, Florida Their ambitious climb to the peak of rock stardom The complexities of interband relationships and conflicts The truth behind stories of booze-fueled crime and broken contracts The origins of their songs And much, much, more "Freebirds" was culled from primary sources including interviews with past and present Skynyrd members Johnny Van Zandt, Ed King, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, Rickey Medlocke, Leon Wilkeson, and Hughie Thomasson, as well as family members, and fellow musicians like Warren Haynes, and producer Al Kooper. Also included are over 50 photographs from the personal collections of the band, and their friends and family. Marley Brant has been a Skynyrd fan since the beginning of their recording career, loving their raw and charismatic catalogue of insightful ballads and their pure, rock-ensemble attack. She has enjoyed friendships with various members of the band, the crew and their families, and is the author of nine books, which have been featured by "People" magazine, "The New York Times," VH1, A&E, The History Channel, TBS, CMT, The Biography Channel, and PBS. She has also produced a number of music-related programs for a variety of television networks.

Street Survivor

Author: Artimus Pyle
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781617136542
Category : Drummers (Musicians)
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
(Book). Artimus Pyle, a Marine, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and the "Wild Man" of southern rock, is one of the last surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He played drums with the band during its seventies heyday. He is the first bandmate to write about the tortuous rise and tragic fall of the Jacksonville hell raisers, offering detailed insights into the band's complex personalities and anthemic music. Packed with anecdotes of booze-fueled violence and destruction, he also lays out the exquisite musicianship and sheer hard work that transformed Lynyrd Skynyrd into one of America's greatest rock 'n' roll bands. It all came to an end on October 20, 1977, when four shows into a world tour to promote its new album, Street Survivors , the band's rickety private plane ran out of gas just minutes from its destination, and crashed into a Mississippi swamp. Artimus survived, but three of his bandmates including leader Ronnie Van Zant did not. Artimus recounts every moment of that flight, as well as the days leading up to the crash, and the years of painful recovery. Remarkably, he would encounter even greater challenges when he was falsely accused of horrific crimes. But Artimus is a survivor with a keen sense of humor, and he continues to perform Lynyrd Skynyrd music with just as much energy and precision as in his youth.

The Unsolved Murder of Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Leon Wilkeson

Author: Dale Bowman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780976987918
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
In 2001, Leon Russell Wilkeson, also known as ?The Mad Hatter of Southern Rock?, and the bass guitarist of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd, was found dead in Ponte Verde Beach, Florida. While declared an accidental death, many friends who knew Leon personally, including his personal manager, Dale Bowman, question many of the strange unexplained events surrounding the mystery of his death. This book is the true story of Dale Bowman?s relationship with Leon Wilkeson as his manager and friend, and gives a behind the scenes glimpse of life on tour with the band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Experience the truth of a normal man swept into the whirlwind of Southern rock and roll, as he travels along with the group in the tour bus, at the concerts, and in the many hotels and locations. Meet the true Leon Wilkeson, a supremely talented man with a unique sense of humor, and a kind soul. Discover the depth of their friendship, as Dale and Leon work their way through the many twists, turns, dips, and high points of a rock star?s life, and still come out smiling. Then learn the starting details surrounding the tragedy of his demise.When the facts of Leon Wilkeson? s death become apparent, there are many reasons to question what really happened to the popular bass guitarist. This book lays out the strange facts about the death, Leon?s strange behavior before that day, and the puzzling notes left by Leon predicting his own demise. Consider the facts, the history, and the life of Leon Wilkeson as experienced thorough one of his closest friends, Dale Bowman. Draw your own conclusions from the facts, and the truth may shock you.

History of Rock and Roll

Author: Tom Larson
Publisher: Kendall Hunt
ISBN: 9780787299699
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 336

Book Description
History of rock and roll includes: biographical information on past and present musicians, composers, bands, producers, and record executives; analyses of evolutionary rock styles from before the 1950s to the present, including a list of the most seminal recordings from each style; an album-by-album review of ... the Beatles and Bob Dylan; an audio CD containing twenty notable recordings in rock, with a synopsis of each.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Mad Libs

Author: Jay Perrone
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0399541357
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
A Mad Libs with 21 original stories all about Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd! Free bird! Lynyrd Skynyrd Mad Libs includes 48 pages of interactive stories all about the classic Southern rock band.

The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars

Author: Jeremy Simmonds
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 161374532X
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 850

Book Description
The bible of music's deceased idols—Jeff Buckley, Sid Vicious, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac, Elvis—this is the ultimate record of all those who arrived, rocked, and checked out over the last 40-odd years of fast cars, private jets, hard drugs, and reckless living. The truths behind thousands of fascinating stories—such as how Buddy Holly only decided to fly so he'd have time to finish his laundry—are coupled with perennial questions, including Which band boasts the most dead members? and Who had the bright idea of changing a light bulb while standing in the shower?, as well as a few tales of lesser-known rock tragedies. Updated to include all the rock deaths since the previous edition—including Ike Turner, Dan Fogelberg, Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes, Eartha Kitt, Michael Jackson, Clarence Clemons, Amy Winehouse, and many, many more—this new edition has been comprehensively revised throughout. An indispensable reference full of useful and useless information, with hundreds of photos of the good, the bad, and the silly, this collection is guaranteed to rock the world of trivia buffs and diehards alike.

America Under Construction

Author: Kristi S. Long
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315511886
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216

Book Description
A variety of theoretical approaches to the study of culture have emphasised the significance of the creation, maintenance, and the transgression of boundaries to identities – be they social, cultural, national or personal. The essays collected in this book, first published in 1997, explore the creation of identities in American culture through analysis of the boundaries within and across which American identity is negotiated. The dissemination of cultural identity and the creation of national identity through this process has had a crucial impact on the shape of social life in post-war American culture. The contributors to this volume offer a variety of perspectives on this richly complicated process.