Lynyrd Skynyrd Announce Tour

Lynyrd Skynyrd, who will soon be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, are going to close out this year on the road.

The Southern rockers kick off their December schedule with a three-night stand in Las Vegas that begins tomorrow (December 2), and will play a handful of subsequent shows in the Pacific Northwest before ushering out 2005 with a New Year's Eve show in Pikeville, KY. The group's 2006 itinerary so far features several January shows in the Northeast, and a February stop at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

As previously reported, on November 28 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced that Lynyrd Skynyrd will be among the acts inducted into the Rock Hall next year.

"I'm thankful to everyone involved," guitarist Gary Rossington said in a statement. "It's a great thing and a great day for all of us. I'm glad those we've lost -- [original bandleader] Ronnie [Van Zandt], [guitarist] Allen [Collins], [bassist] Leon [Wilkeson], [guitarist] Steve [Gaines] and [backing vocalist] Cassie [Van Zandt] -- will get the honor and recognition they deserve. I'm also thankful to Rickey Medlocke and Larry Junstrom, who were with us in the beginning and Rickey's even in the band with us now. Those two also deserve a piece of this honor. We're just all really thankful for this."

"Obviously this proves that the music is here to stay and I feel I made a contribution to the industry and it certainly completes a lifetime accomplishment for me," keyboardist Billy Powell added. "I'm more excited to receive this honor especially on behalf of our brothers who can't be here, but are watching from above."

Formed in 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd rose to fame in the '70s thanks to a string of hits that included "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Ronnie Van Zandt, Cassie Van Zandt and Gaines were killed in October of 1977 when a chartered plane carrying the group crashed in Mississippi. Collins was paralyzed in a 1986 car accident that killed his girlfriend, and died of respiratory failure in 1990. Wilkeson, who reportedly suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, died in 2001.

Skynyrd's most recent studio set is 2003's "Vicious Cycle." The group followed that up with last year's "Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve," a double album and companion DVD that features the group's 2003 performance at the Nashville-area's Amsouth Amphitheatre.

Earlier this year, the band's 2003 best-of set, "Thyrty" -- which marked the group's 30th anniversary -- went platinum, signifying U.S. shipment of 1 million copies.

Thanks for the info to Jon Zahlaway's article at liveDaily.com. The tour dates are as follows:

12/02-04 - Las Vegas, NV - Las Vegas Hilton
12/15 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
12/16 - Everett, WA - Everett Events Center
12/17 - Portland, OR - Memorial Auditorium
12/31 - Pikeville, KY - Eastern Kentucky Expo
01/12 - Reading, PA - Sovereign PAC
01/13-14 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel / Casino
01/15 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center
02/18 - San Antonio, TX - SBC Center (San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo)

Comments

[rockontilludie]

kick ass

[Alex101]

Holy shit!

[Croat]

couldnt they do a euro tour?

[SlashHammett]

skynyrd rule

[Still Life]

come to Canada fools

[Andras5soul]

no NY? WTF

[YarlA]

Bah, i wish they had old group. This is just like Purple these days. Or hellween? It has no original menbers xD

[boots88]

amazing

[SlashNX]

cool, but its not reeallly lynyrd skynyrd if most of the "famous" band members have died!

[CKYmark83]

It's still Lynrd, and they need to come to the south land, especially near the Carolina, and maybe somewhere close to Charleston. I'd love to see them. Isn't Ronnie's brother the lead singer now?

[KIMB]

ha two shows in washington, awesome.

[patduganz]

WOW, a Skynard tribute band calling itself Lynard Skynard. Cool. Wait. They think they're the band? Oh, shitty.

[Jezabel]

all u tools who talk about Skynyrd not really being Skynyrd are wrong and disrespectful. theyve got the original guitarist Gary Rossington, original keyboardist Billy Powell, and the present frontman is Ronnie's younger brother Johnny. and "patduganz", at least learn how to spell the band's name before u go running ur mouth.

[No Seatbelt]

Aww shit , son!

[ACZeppelinSmith]

Lets see here... i never liked the band to begin with, but what would make me want to come see "them" when 5 of the original members are dead?

[sandyscooter]

man anytime i am having problems freebird has allways been some sort of spiritual awakening for me. Lynard Skynard dang man dang

[cefasnacht]

hell, in reading, pa, where i saw 'em 2 years ago, nice, think i'll go back

[gunsn'pjs]

damn nothing in IL

[Diceman42]

YarlA wrote:

Bah, i wish they had old group. This is just like Purple these days. Or hellween? It has no original menbers xD

purp's never had solid lineup! and props for mentioning helloween.

anyways, skynyrd wyll styll by gryt!
..that was lame, im aware.

[powerstroke]

Better come to Los Angeles...

[^(^.^<)(>^.^)^]

COME TO HOUSTON!!!

Gosh I want to see them

[GreenXX]

ironic how they are not going to alabama

[ConManWithGun]

damn only 9 dates and none in the upper midwest
that sucks
they should come to milwaukee

[Kornbizkit5190]

wait i thought the every single member in that band died

[TUMFP]

dang...no colorado dates either...well doesnt that suck

[BassyGuitarist]

I've seen Lynyrd Skynyrd three times and they never cease to amaze and delight me every time I see there. Let's kill off a few rumors shall we?

Sweet Home Alabama was NOT written because the band is from there. They're from Jacksonville in the swampy part of northern Florida.

The three most popular members of the band were listed as Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar) and Billy Powell (keys). So if you say all the popular ones are dead, then you're dead wrong ;

Skynyrd is still "Skynyrd" because, well...I feel that they'll always be around as long as the fans stay true.

[jimmcs2000]

come on, man
I saw them last year and they were great. The van Zandt dude who sings now is amazing.
Saying it's not "real" is bullshit. That's like saying **** the allman bros. because gregg allman died. Respect the grandma

[tHewHiteHendrix]

yea they are awesome, not quite the original but still awesome. and as for allman bros how about derek trucks..? that kid is amazing.

[EntropyDriven]

Andras5soul:
no NY? WTF

I agree.

[StratusX]

Aww man I'd love to see that. just moved to indiana and there's no dates listed for here.

[theboss]

long live good old AMERICAN rock n roll baby!!!!

[Rockin_devil]

theboss wrote:

long live good old AMERICAN rock n roll baby!!!!

Amen to that!

i hope they live the moment and sound the same as before!

[D_Martin]

Okay, just to correct to dumbass mistakes.....It's Cassie GAINES that dies, Steve Gaines brother who was a one of the female backup vocalists.....also, you obviously don't know your Allman Brothers, as Gregg Allman is still alive and touring with the band, playing organ and singing. Duane Allman, the lead guitarist who played mostly slide, died in a motorcycle wreck as "Eat A Peach" was being completed. Sorry, I'm just kind of neurotic about that kind of shit

[D_Martin]

haha wait....that's all wrong....haha.....i cant type....here's what I meant:

Okay, just to correct to dumbass mistakes.....It's Cassie GAINES that died, Steve Gaines sister who was a one of the female backup vocalists.....also, you obviously don't know your Allman Brothers, as Gregg Allman is still alive and touring with the band, playing organ and singing. Duane Allman, the lead guitarist who played mostly slide, died in a motorcycle wreck as "Eat A Peach" was being completed. Sorry, I'm just kind of neurotic about that kind of shit

[MAYNARD]

I am glad somebody finally caught that shit. That is the one complaint I have of this site. It's always got the latest news and tabs, but there are alot of little bits of info that they get wrong.

[MAYNARD]

It's Van Zant, not Van Zandt. Ronnie, Johnny, Donnie are all brothers. Ronnie and Johnny have sang for Skynyrd, and Donnie for 38. Special. Now Johnny and Donnie are a country duo.

[harley10_5]

ACZeppelinSmith
wrote:

Lets see here... i never liked the band to begin with, but what would make me want to come see "them" when 5 of the original members are dead?

if you didnt like the damn band why are you reading a article about them in the first place you either love em or you hate em so if you hate em phuck off and dont read about them in the first place!!!!!

[Doug I.101]

If anybody who likes SKYNYRD reads this please check out the Lynyrd Skynyrd group i just started THANKS!!!!