When I was younger I believed the ones I loved would live for ever.. the thought of them or me getting old or dieing never entered my mind ..then grandparents.Daddy mama all started looking different ..they grew old ...they died. I learned death early ..then Ronnie..I knew no one could take him away !! But life is cruel .and God stepped in ..and took Ronnie.Steve.Cassie.and Dean .. I thought. Id die to then I thought the music would end ..but then the guys kept playing..kept singing..and the words " if I leave here tomorrow..would you still remember me " stayed in my heart.and so promised Ronnie and guys id never forget you ❤️❤️ I'm 78 and their all gone now ..soon I will be too..but the music will live on ..just like we promised.. love you guys the Vanzants are great and all you guys keep on ..play it loud and pretty 💗 💗
I remember the day I heard about the crash it blew our minds we had a barn band and jammed sweet home all week I'm an old man now and still get a wild feeling when I here them I will ask them some questions in person soon god I miss the 70,s and gold while hearing them play
Absolutely agree Ronnie is probably one of best singer song writers ever in Rock. Gone WAY too soon but he never thought he would make it to age 30. Gary Rossington RIP 🙏.
We can't forget Ed either. We lost him a couple of years ago and he co-wrote some of my favorite Skynyrd songs (Sweet Home, Saturday Night Special, Working for the MCA, Swamp Music, etc.) When Skynyrd got back together in 1987, Ed was writing half of the new songs and Gary was writing the other half. Too bad Allen wasn't there because Ed and Allen (with Ronnie) wrote the best songs. Unfortunately, Ed had to split due to congestive heart failure around 1994. Gary wouldn't let Ed and Artimus back in the band. Bad move.
With what Skynyrd had already accomplished, and the tour dates that lay ahead of them, and a future that seemed endless, why in the world couldn't they have had a jet plane with serious pilots to fly it! My favorite bands were Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Pink Floyd. With the addition of Steve Gaines, Lynyrd Skynyrd was a monsterous band with a huge future and nothing to do but climb upward. I can't agree more about Ronnie, as much as I applaud the living members to try and do what they could with their lives after the crash, but like the loss of John Bonham signaled the end for Zeppelin, the loss of Ronnie signaled the end for Skynyrd. My top 2 favorite bands cut down in their prime is something I've never got over. Thanks for the mini doc, and the work you put into it! Thank you Lynyrd Skynyrd for the joy you brought us!!
Thanks for this Great video here, Ronnie was a workin Man, he wrote songs about normal day life for the Blue Collar People, His Lyric's were from the Heart, That anybody could relate to, Just like Merle Haggard, he is Sorely missed by Me and the rest of the world He was one of a kind, R.I.P. Ronnie, i will see you when I get to Freebird Heaven, Cousin Figel
I don't believe there is a better way of saying it, those two of my idles especially Ronnie van Zant, my dad grew up with skynyrd as a kid and he shared that life with me while I was growing up, I was born in 94 and still feeling a part of Ronnie's talent, and to see how special he was as a musician
My brothers were playing Lynyrd Skynyrd on 8 track back in the 70s and I'll never forget the first time I heard em...all I can tell you is I turned out being the biggest Skynyrd fan out of all of my family including cousins and aunts and uncles and everyone of them. I'll never forget the day I heard about the plane crash and I think I was about 12 years old but that's still to this day the saddest day I've ever had concerning music and bands I listened to. Now all of the boys are Free birds .
Make no mistake, Ronnie Van Zant was a force of nature. The Southern wind blew through this man clean and true. In his time was Vietnam,the suits took over Rock n Roll and being Sons of the South. We were gonna need one hellava man to take the lead. Ronnie Van Zant did this. No debate.
@@traviscruise Many thanks! Jimi made being a Hendrix cool. Can't thank him enough. Being a Travis? Well you know! You rockin along pretty good yourself sir!!
Love Lynyrd Skynyrd ! Ronnie VanZant was a gifted song writer. Skynyrd is my favorite band and while I have seen the Tribute Band 60 Times, I was too young to the original lineup prior to the crash. I was at the 87 Tribute show at the Capital Center. The reason that Lynyrd Skynyrd is great is the songs the band wrote! Ronnie was a true Rebel and his lyrics are second to none. I have been lucky enough to meet and talk to Gary, Billy, and Artimus and each of them give the credit and success to the Band to Ronnie!
I was 17 when my clock radio (remember those) woke me up with the news that their plane had crashed, a terrible way to start the day and a loss we are all still feeling. IMO “Street Survivors” is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums ever made.
Well i told this story on a few channels but, at 6 years old in 1975 I remember hearin' FREEBIRD for the first time on the radio. I listened to the song and understood the lyrics! Thats how good Ronnie was, even a dumb dyslexic kid got it. Then the solo started and I shut my lights off, grabbed my mickey mouse flashlight, and jumped on my bed like I was rock star lol. As soon as I saved my money I bought the PRONOUNCED album and a couple 45's. They been my favorite band ever since. Ronnie was the BEST songwriter in rock and roll history! He had a wisdom in his lyrics and the way he sang the songs way beyond his years.
I grew up listening to and respecting Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although my favorite album is Gimmie Back My Bullets, I remember vividly in school when the Street Survivors album was released, and to this day every single musician individually as well as the band collectively is still number one in my book.
Always loved Skynyrd. Was lucky enough to see them in 77 before the crash. Loved Ronnie’s lyrics and style as a front man. Loved his toughness too. I read somewhere he was in talks before the crash to collaborate with Merle and Waylon to do either songs or albums. That would’ve been awesome as I am a huge fan of those two and Outlaw Country in general. I agree with you. The band Skynyrd died with Ronnie. I’ve never been able to get myself to even go see the tribute bands. RIP Ronnie!!!
I was in ST.Louis at the C.D. BAND concert when we first heard about the crash...id never cried about anything ....but later that night..i did...miss ya brotherman...and Charlie as well...cant wait to see y'all playing together sometime soon.....GODS SPEED...R.I.P.💗👍
Ronny was one of the greatest of all times....forever will be missed...but atleast johnny is doing a great job...Noone else could of pulled off taking Ronnie's place ..singing Ronnie's songs....it takes a brother..
He was no saint nor angel, but he deserves all the credit (and more) that he gets as a lyrical genius. But the most amazing thing is he NEVER wrote down on paper a single line
I came stumbling out of the bathroom (saying hello to Ralph aka puking my guts out) during the beginning of Free Bird. This was in Georgia back in 1977, and I have never stopped kicking myself in the butt for missing even part of the song. The next time I attended a Skynyrd concert, his brother Johnny hung Ronnie's hat on the microphone while the band played only the instrumental portion of Free Bird. The ringtone on my phone is Simple Man! Such a great loss!
Toutes ces vidéos sur l'histoire du rock'n'roll sont superbes. C'est bien fait et très bien raconté. J'adore Lynyrd et surtout les albums avec Ronnie. Un grand Merci de France 😉👍🇫🇷🎸🙏
All time greatest band ever...IMHO.. I can see ronnie singing barefoot on stage, l still remember were l was, that day in oct. 77, gimme 3 steps was playing on the juke box, believe it or not. Such a tremendous loss for rockabilly rock and roll. Y,all rest in peace, play on my brothers. ✌️❤️😊
I had a dear life long friend who was a singer in a few bands we were in together in the early 70s. We had an old shack out in the sticks we ran about 200 feet of heavy extention cords from a good ole' farmers house who liked hearing us practice and play. After that tragic plane crash I began learning more and more of Skynyrd, how they came to be, how they wrote their songs and more. It kinda shocked me how much my friend had in common with Ronnie VanZant. I would begin playing some riffs and if my friend liked them he would motion to keep going. He would make up awesome words to what I was playing. Like Ronnie, my friend "Tony" never wrote anything down. One reason is, he quit school in the 9th grade and couldn't spell worth a shit. How he remembered those words everytime we played one of our orginals, I will never know. One of the best songs I love dearly is one Ronnie wrote called "All I can do is write about it". (Link Below)... th-cam.com/video/rmWhq4cXhcc/w-d-xo.html Tony would put together words such as this right off the top of his head. God Bless Ronnie and may he always rest in Heavenly Peace!!!
True True But when they had .... -JVZ on vocals 🎤(1986-P) -Gary Rossington 🎸(OG-2023🪦) -R.Medlocke (🥁1971-72🎸1996-P) -Billy Powell 🎹 (1972-2009🪦) -Leon Wilkeson (1972-2001🪦) -Ed King (🎸1972-75,86-97 2018🪦) -Artimus Pyle(🥁1974-77,1987-91) They were the greatest cover band ever assembled
I agree. The band died in the plane crash. Besides that, if there's only 2 original members, according to their rule of 3, that's it, it's over. Skynyrd is my favorite band ever. They had something no other band had, Ronny.
Doc my wife and I drove down to the swamps of Mississippi to see the crash site the pillars there was one thing that stuck in my head " they were all under the age of 30 they must have felt invincible" I get chills every time I think about it they were about to play the Garden the ultimate gig for any Rock star but the good news is Ed King came back and there they were I saw them in Shreveport Louisiana one of the best shows I have ever seen.
You're right C Scott at that age I remember feeling invincible myself. Love Ed King's guitar playing. I use to follow his facebook page until he passed away a few years ago. Thanks for watching and your comment. Appreciate it!
@@RiverDocs Ed was the best musician in the band. Ed and Allen co-wrote the best Skynyrd tunes. (Gary was a decent guitarist, but I wasn't as fond of the songs he wrote.) This is why Gimme Back My Bullets was their worst album (Ed left and this hurt the songwriting not to mention they only had 2 guitars). Steve Gaine's wrote some great tunes on Street Survivors. Too bad he only has one studio album to his name. He showed a lot of promise.
I never met Ronnie but I have two stories about him. My friend and I went to Florida to bring in the 1977 new year in we were eating in Daytona and our waitress told us that she was by her self you night and had a flat tire and a car pulled up to help her and it was Ronnie. He change her tire for her she was so grate full. I grew up near Graceland and Elvis stepbrother Billy Stanley was a good friend of mine their was a big park close to Graceland that all us hippies hung out at one summer night on a weekend in 1977 a couple of our teen girl friends came running up to us all excited saying that Ronnie had rode through there and they got to talk to him he ask them if they would ride to the store with him in front of the park to buy him a pack of smokes he did not wont to go in to the store it was full of people from the park he gave them a twenty when they got back in the car he told them to keep the change we took them and the money he gave them and bought beer and went back to the park and had a good time. I saw them many times in concert once two times in one week in Memphis and at the Ozark music festable. Ronnie was so cool he brought so much happiness and smiles to people rest in peace you are a true FREE BIRD NOW.
👍👍HIS WORDS WILL LIVE FOREVER!!! a long time ago after his death Rolling Stone was talking to some of the band members they referred to Ronnie as a ol" mother hen! he kept them in line wanted nothing but the best for them and wanting the best out of them! all righty then---River Docs as always thanks!!!
I sing RVZ lyrics Every Day ! The one that I will always sing is! Its like walking through the swamps without no shoes step on a snake that's deadly! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah ! RVZ lyrics tell a story and the truth
Another winner RD! Congrats on reaching 20K! For sure Ronnie was one of my favorite songwriters. My personal favorite is Gimme Three Steps. Kind of a "been there, done that" experience! 🤣 Keep rockin' brother!
Love these videos they really bring it home an personal,,,,, always a fan an so much to learn from Skynyrd boys,,,,,,, thanks for digging deeper an showing us more about our rock heroes an since growing up listening an playing along,,,I call them friends,,,,🤟😎🤟
Excellent. Always a great memories to be had on your videos Doc! Growing up in Florida and Texas I can't recall a time I DIDN'T hear a Skynyrd tune on the radio. With the recent passing of Gary Rossington I have been jamming on some of my favorite tunes like "On the Hunt' or "Call me the Breeze' All those tunes are well written musically and I am amazed how many lyrics I remember LOL. Ronnie's vocal style and delivery was unique as they come.
Thanks man...Yeah Skynyrd was my go to band in the 70's for blues rock. The older I get the more I really appreciate the songwriting of Ronnie. Cheers!
I know its an odd comparison, but Ronnie had the same gift that rappers have---the ability to improvise and make up lyrics on the spot. They say he never wrote anything down--it was all in his head! On many occasions, he was said that he could hear his boys play a riff, and he could conjure up a lyric to go with that riff. "Saturday Night Special" is one such example
I was 9 years old when Lynyrd Skynyrd ' s plane crashed. But over the years since then I've become a big fan of the music they have out. I'm not sure how I acquired it, but I have the album with the fire in the background behind the members of the band after the crash. I've had a chance to see different lineups over the years of the band in 92,99 & again in 06 which was the last time but I'm hoping to see them this year in September in Maryland.
I was in 8th grade when the plane crashed. My dumbass cousin was the first one to tell me about the crash when I arrived at school the next morning.. He also told everybody that Leonard survived the crash. (Unfortunately, he thought Ronnie's name was Leonard Skinner.)
Great ! First i ever heard was Simple Man in '73. Loved the story years later. Winterland for Second Helping (CDB and MTB sandwich) then '77, DOG with Peter Frampton... These were all great.
when y can write a song that bands in other countries do bad covers of in g, and dont know what the words mean,but STILL get the whole room singin along anyhow...now thats a great songwriter.
Lets be honest. Ronnie was always a redneck even in the early days. Here's how the band got started. Ronnie and Gary were talking one day and they decided to form a band. So they started rounding up the guys that would soon be Skynyrd. The first person they recruited was Allen Collins because he had a guitar and an amp. lol When Allen saw Ronnie coming his way, he immediately took off running and shimmied up a tree. You see Ronnie had a bad reputation and Allen thought Ronnie had come to kick his ass!. Next, they went to soon-to-be-drummer Bob Burns home. Unbeknownst to Bob, he was to be there next recruit. Ronnie knocked on his front door. Bob said as soon as he saw Ronnie at his front door, he was overcome with fear and refused to open the door because he thought Ronnie was there to beat him up! (I'm unsure about what happened when they approached bassist Leon, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had a moment of panic also.) As for keyboard player Billy, he started out as a roadie for the band. He was asked to join the band sometime later when they were in the process of recording their first album. However, Billy did recall a time when Ronnie got mad at him, threw a punch, and hit him right in the mouth. He said Ronnie's punch knocked out four of his front (upper) teeth. Billy said he had to get a bridge made to fill the rather large gap. lol It seems like Ronnie never visited anyone unless he planned to kick ass. I would definitely call that a redneck! Despite the color of his neck, Ronnie was a great singer, a wonderful front man, and an outstanding lyricist. The fact that everybody in the band both feared and respected him made Ronnie a great band leader. Had it not been for Ronnie's iron will (and iron fist), I doubt they ever would have made the big time.
I feel an emptiness everytime I listen to anything about this man. Some videos describe them as hell raisers and others say the opposite. Either way, they were top self.
October 20th, 1977 the day Lynyrd Skynyrd ended. PERIOD! With the death of Ronnie, Steve, Cassie & their road manager, the band was NEVER the same. Even though they sort of reformed, and tried to go on(changing their name)it still wasn't the same! In my opinion, they've never quite recovered! It doesn't matter that they have Johnny(Ronnie's younger brother) singing with them? And it doesn't matter that they have had multiple changing members since the crash, uh-uh! It ain't the same without Ronnie! He had such an impact on their music, style, & sound. Lightening in a bottle, a force to be reckoned with, the mold was broken, and nobody could, can or will EVER fix it! Rest in peace Ronnie, the fans REALLY miss you...
Stood next to a bunch of teens..best comment I heard was these guys sound like the download...and who else we going to see live- pop lip synch crap or auto tune rap....made me think as I looked around a 20k+ that broke the Syracuse att record that night....just to hear a diff side made me proud to still follow these guys
I'm a big RVZ fan and you did a nice job with this... you even have a couple of pictures I've never seen and I had never heard the (tongue in cheek) story 'I slept with your wife' regarding Neil Young. LOL, that Ronnie!
Agree 100% with what was said here . Johnny seems like a cool dude , but he is not a songwriter . None of them are . Now that Gary is gone , the only one with any business tributing is Artimus . He is the last of the OG Skynyrd crew . His drumming made the original band sound so much more advanced . Artimus deserves some more respect than he gets . Even if he does embellish history here & there .
Listening to the early Song "Michelle" they recorded in 69 i think, his voice struck me as a cross between late 60's Jack Bruce and mid 70's Steve Winwood.
Loved and love Skynyrd , I guess one of my beast was and still is ,I love many Bands of different genres then and now. Told folks before I like anything from Emmylou Harris..Alison Krauss to Alice Cooper,,, Alice and Chains. Just not too big on Opera or Rap.Thanks R/D .
He had to be joking about wanting to be a dancer earlier in his life. He NEVER showed or spoke about ANY desire to dance. That's just crazy talk! He never did any dance moves off stage that I've seen on any home movies or heard him talk about. Nobody else ever mentioned it about him. NOTHING! Zip, zero, zilch, NADA!!! He WAS a jokester tho. He had to be pulling our leg when he said that! Or pulling SOMEBODY'S leg! (Probably his own!)
@@NJDEVILz86 true, and Arty's presence was immediately felt as soon as he joined the band. He was a kick-ass drummer who made the band much better. Sat Night Special (written by Ronnie and Ed) is one of my favorite Skynyrd songs. I especially like the vibe that the erie Minimoog part brings to the song (listen to the middle of the song right before the guitar solo). That song (thanks to the Minimoog and Ed's guitar) has this unusual vibe that fits the words to the song so well.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 85 | คู่เอก "ยอดเหล็กเพชร vs ผึ้งหลวง"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qq_19bnnxEo/mqdefault.jpg)
When I was younger I believed the ones I loved would live for ever.. the thought of them or me getting old or dieing never entered my mind ..then grandparents.Daddy mama all started looking different ..they grew old ...they died. I learned death early ..then Ronnie..I knew no one could take him away !! But life is cruel .and God stepped in ..and took Ronnie.Steve.Cassie.and Dean ..
I thought. Id die to then I thought the music would end ..but then the guys kept playing..kept singing..and the words " if I leave here tomorrow..would you still remember me " stayed in my heart.and so promised Ronnie and guys id never forget you ❤️❤️ I'm 78 and their all gone now ..soon I will be too..but the music will live on ..just like we promised.. love you guys the Vanzants are great and all you guys keep on ..play it loud and pretty 💗 💗
Follow your heart , and nothing else
Ronnie had his faults, like we all do, but he was one of the coolest and most soulful cats in the history of rock. A real hero to me.
Great vid…brought me back to my youth..saw skynyrd several times in 70’s..got to admit.. i had to wipe away tears..we were all robbed of his genius..
Thanks and well said!
I remember the day I heard about the crash it blew our minds we had a barn band and jammed sweet home all week I'm an old man now and still get a wild feeling when I here them I will ask them some questions in person soon god I miss the 70,s and gold while hearing them play
Ronnie Van Zant was my all time favorite song writer and vocalist. Love Skynyrd #1 all time.
Absolutely agree Ronnie is probably one of best singer song writers ever in Rock. Gone WAY too soon but he never thought he would make it to age 30. Gary Rossington RIP 🙏.
Gary going has stung the heart!....what a life wanted a book from him
We can't forget Ed either. We lost him a couple of years ago and he co-wrote some of my favorite Skynyrd songs (Sweet Home, Saturday Night Special, Working for the MCA, Swamp Music, etc.) When Skynyrd got back together in 1987, Ed was writing half of the new songs and Gary was writing the other half. Too bad Allen wasn't there because Ed and Allen (with Ronnie) wrote the best songs. Unfortunately, Ed had to split due to congestive heart failure around 1994. Gary wouldn't let Ed and Artimus back in the band. Bad move.
With what Skynyrd had already accomplished, and the tour dates that lay ahead of them, and a future that seemed endless, why in the world couldn't they have had a jet plane with serious pilots to fly it! My favorite bands were Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Pink Floyd. With the addition of Steve Gaines, Lynyrd Skynyrd was a monsterous band with a huge future and nothing to do but climb upward. I can't agree more about Ronnie, as much as I applaud the living members to try and do what they could with their lives after the crash, but like the loss of John Bonham signaled the end for Zeppelin, the loss of Ronnie signaled the end for Skynyrd. My top 2 favorite bands cut down in their prime is something I've never got over. Thanks for the mini doc, and the work you put into it! Thank you Lynyrd Skynyrd for the joy you brought us!!
That is 100% Peter Rudge.....funny the who didn't have a 40 yr old pos
Fantastic ZZ best Ronnie rest in peace
Ronnie music will be here for generations to come
All of Ronnie's songs told a story. Unlike the shit you hear nowadays...He should be in the songwriters hall of fame.
I take it that you aren't a fan of Justin Bieber and Lady CaCa! lol
Thanks for this Great video here, Ronnie was a workin Man, he wrote songs about normal day life for the Blue Collar People, His Lyric's were from the Heart, That anybody could relate to, Just like Merle Haggard, he is Sorely missed by Me and the rest of the world He was one of a kind, R.I.P. Ronnie, i will see you when I get to Freebird Heaven, Cousin Figel
You're welcome. Thank you for watching!
Cousin fegel? Ronnie Van Zant was a golden eagle...
I don't believe there is a better way of saying it, those two of my idles especially Ronnie van Zant, my dad grew up with skynyrd as a kid and he shared that life with me while I was growing up, I was born in 94 and still feeling a part of Ronnie's talent, and to see how special he was as a musician
Agreed...not a day goes by with out thinking of RVZ SKYNYRD....
My brothers were playing Lynyrd Skynyrd on 8 track back in the 70s and I'll never forget the first time I heard em...all I can tell you is I turned out being the biggest Skynyrd fan out of all of my family including cousins and aunts and uncles and everyone of them. I'll never forget the day I heard about the plane crash and I think I was about 12 years old but that's still to this day the saddest day I've ever had concerning music and bands I listened to. Now all of the boys are Free birds .
RIP one of my favorites Ronnie Van Zannt
Make no mistake, Ronnie Van Zant was a force of nature. The Southern wind blew through this man clean and true. In his time was Vietnam,the suits took over Rock n Roll and being Sons of the South. We were gonna need one hellava man to take the lead.
Ronnie Van Zant did this. No debate.
Well said Travis! Thanks for watching!
Yes sir! Cool name ya got!
@@traviscruise
Many thanks!
Jimi made being a Hendrix cool. Can't thank him enough.
Being a Travis? Well you know! You rockin along pretty good yourself sir!!
Ronnie is legend and his music has expanded.
Ronnie Van Zant forever my fave. So many songs floating around in his head. Would’ve been awesome to hear them. He was a lyrical Genius
That was interesting and totally agree that RVZ was a great songwriter.His songs will forever bring enjoyment to everyone who listen 🎶
👍👍Donnie and Johnnie are good but NEVER filled big brothers shoes!😎✌
@@tedgibson5960 you got that right because there's things going on that you don't know
@@wingnutt4200 thats because i'm a simple man!////////////////////live stream tonight! !its 420 somewhere in the world😎✌
I agree he was a helluva song writer from the heart and experience even Johnny VanZant says I could never write a song like him
Love Lynyrd Skynyrd ! Ronnie VanZant was a gifted song writer. Skynyrd is my favorite band and while I have seen the Tribute Band 60 Times, I was too young to the original lineup prior to the crash. I was at the 87 Tribute show at the Capital Center. The reason that Lynyrd Skynyrd is great is the songs the band wrote! Ronnie was a true Rebel and his lyrics are second to none. I have been lucky enough to meet and talk to Gary, Billy, and Artimus and each of them give the credit and success to the Band to Ronnie!
I agree, when Ronnie died, so did Lynyrd Skynyrd
I was 17 when my clock radio (remember those) woke me up with the news that their plane had crashed, a terrible way to start the day and a loss we are all still feeling. IMO “Street Survivors” is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums ever made.
Ronnie was an original. One of a kind
Well i told this story on a few channels but, at 6 years old in 1975 I remember hearin' FREEBIRD for the first time on the radio. I listened to the song and understood the lyrics! Thats how good Ronnie was, even a dumb dyslexic kid got it. Then the solo started and I shut my lights off, grabbed my mickey mouse flashlight, and jumped on my bed like I was rock star lol. As soon as I saved my money I bought the PRONOUNCED album and a couple 45's. They been my favorite band ever since. Ronnie was the BEST songwriter in rock and roll history! He had a wisdom in his lyrics and the way he sang the songs way beyond his years.
Thank you John for sharing your story on my channel. I appreciate it and enjoyed reading it!
@@RiverDocs your welcome my friend. I really dug your video on Joe Walsh also. Keep the videos comming! And GOD BLESS!
One of the best front men ever!! The perfect combination of raw talent and charisma!! Cheers!!
& work ethic
I grew up listening to and respecting Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although my favorite album is Gimmie Back My Bullets, I remember vividly in school when the Street Survivors album was released, and to this day every single musician individually as well as the band collectively is still number one in my book.
Always loved Skynyrd. Was lucky enough to see them in 77 before the crash. Loved Ronnie’s lyrics and style as a front man. Loved his toughness too. I read somewhere he was in talks before the crash to collaborate with Merle and Waylon to do either songs or albums. That would’ve been awesome as I am a huge fan of those two and Outlaw Country in general. I agree with you. The band Skynyrd died with Ronnie. I’ve never been able to get myself to even go see the tribute bands. RIP Ronnie!!!
As time passes by the words will stay firm… Thank you…🦅
I agree. Ronnie was Skynyrd.
I agree about ronnie. Had he lived we would have a vast library of classic music. Rock on.
Oh we do got that!
That freebird flys for those of us stuck on the ground yet still inspires us all.
Ty for great video. Ronnie is one of the greatest songwriters ever. He sang and wrote about real feelings. I love him so much. All of them❤❤❤
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it!
I was in ST.Louis at the C.D. BAND concert when we first heard about the crash...id never cried about anything ....but later that night..i did...miss ya brotherman...and Charlie as well...cant wait to see y'all playing together sometime soon.....GODS SPEED...R.I.P.💗👍
Mr RONNIE VAN ZANT GODFATHER OF SOUTHERN ROCK ✴️✴️✴️✴️✴️✴️✴️
Gary Rossington is right, the band after Ronnie died became a tribute band.
Ronny was one of the greatest of all times....forever will be missed...but atleast johnny is doing a great job...Noone else could of pulled off taking Ronnie's place ..singing Ronnie's songs....it takes a brother..
He was no saint nor angel, but he deserves all the credit (and more) that he gets as a lyrical genius. But the most amazing thing is he NEVER wrote down on paper a single line
Great story about Ronnie Vanzant.. Enjoyed it very much. Thanks
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it
I came stumbling out of the bathroom (saying hello to Ralph aka puking my guts out) during the beginning of Free Bird. This was in Georgia back in 1977, and I have never stopped kicking myself in the butt for missing even part of the song. The next time I attended a Skynyrd concert, his brother Johnny hung Ronnie's hat on the microphone while the band played only the instrumental portion of Free Bird. The ringtone on my phone is Simple Man! Such a great loss!
Toutes ces vidéos sur l'histoire du rock'n'roll sont superbes. C'est bien fait et très bien raconté. J'adore Lynyrd et surtout les albums avec Ronnie. Un grand Merci de France 😉👍🇫🇷🎸🙏
Thanks Ronnie! One of the best
Very nice video. I wish I could have met RVZ. One cool dude 🇺🇸🤠
Thanks. Appreciate it!
All time greatest band ever...IMHO..
I can see ronnie singing barefoot on stage, l still remember were l was, that day in oct. 77, gimme 3 steps was playing on the juke box, believe it or not. Such a tremendous loss for rockabilly rock and roll.
Y,all rest in peace, play on my brothers.
✌️❤️😊
keep em coming!!
Will do!!
Ronnie was a great lead singer for many reasons one main one is he didn't try to sound like anyone but himself and that takes integrity period
The whole band is absolutely amazing and awesome
Sad day in music We lost the other side of Ronnie today. Now they can be together in music heaven Long live lynyrd skynyrd.
I had a dear life long friend who was a singer in a few bands we were in together in the early 70s. We had an old shack out in the sticks we ran about 200 feet of heavy extention cords from a good ole' farmers house who liked hearing us practice and play. After that tragic plane crash I began learning more and more of Skynyrd, how they came to be, how they wrote their songs and more. It kinda shocked me how much my friend had in common with Ronnie VanZant. I would begin playing some riffs and if my friend liked them he would motion to keep going. He would make up awesome words to what I was playing. Like Ronnie, my friend "Tony" never wrote anything down. One reason is, he quit school in the 9th grade and couldn't spell worth a shit. How he remembered those words everytime we played one of our orginals, I will never know.
One of the best songs I love dearly is one Ronnie wrote called "All I can do is write about it".
(Link Below)...
th-cam.com/video/rmWhq4cXhcc/w-d-xo.html
Tony would put together words such as this right off the top of his head.
God Bless Ronnie and may he always rest in Heavenly Peace!!!
Lynyrd Skynyrd was NEVER Lynyrd Skynyrd again after Oct. 20, 1977.
They never claimed to be
True True
But when they had ....
-JVZ on vocals 🎤(1986-P)
-Gary Rossington 🎸(OG-2023🪦)
-R.Medlocke (🥁1971-72🎸1996-P)
-Billy Powell 🎹 (1972-2009🪦)
-Leon Wilkeson (1972-2001🪦)
-Ed King (🎸1972-75,86-97 2018🪦)
-Artimus Pyle(🥁1974-77,1987-91)
They were the greatest cover band ever assembled
When Mercury Morris left the Miami Dolphins, was it right to continue calling them the Miami Dolphins?
@@NJDEVILz86yes, they did.
I agree. The band died in the plane crash. Besides that, if there's only 2 original members, according to their rule of 3, that's it, it's over.
Skynyrd is my favorite band ever. They had something no other band had, Ronny.
Tuesdays Gone . I want you. Simple man . The slower ballad type songs really were as good as the faster rockers
One More Time. An excellent song that didn't get much air play but one of my favorite Skynyrd tunes.
Long live RVZ the goat
Doc my wife and I drove down to the swamps of Mississippi to see the crash site the pillars there was one thing that stuck in my head " they were all under the age of 30 they must have felt invincible" I get chills every time I think about it they were about to play the Garden the ultimate gig for any Rock star but the good news is Ed King came back and there they were I saw them in Shreveport Louisiana one of the best shows I have ever seen.
You're right C Scott at that age I remember feeling invincible myself. Love Ed King's guitar playing. I use to follow his facebook page until he passed away a few years ago. Thanks for watching and your comment. Appreciate it!
@@RiverDocs Ed was the best musician in the band. Ed and Allen co-wrote the best Skynyrd tunes. (Gary was a decent guitarist, but I wasn't as fond of the songs he wrote.) This is why Gimme Back My Bullets was their worst album (Ed left and this hurt the songwriting not to mention they only had 2 guitars). Steve Gaine's wrote some great tunes on Street Survivors. Too bad he only has one studio album to his name. He showed a lot of promise.
Well done. Rock on River Docs
I never met Ronnie but I have two stories about him. My friend and I went to Florida to bring in the 1977 new year in we were eating in Daytona and our waitress told us that she was by her self you night and had a flat tire and a car pulled up to help her and it was Ronnie. He change her tire for her she was so grate full. I grew up near Graceland and Elvis stepbrother Billy Stanley was a good friend of mine their was a big park close to Graceland that all us hippies hung out at one summer night on a weekend in 1977 a couple of our teen girl friends came running up to us all excited saying that Ronnie had rode through there and they got to talk to him he ask them if they would ride to the store with him in front of the park to buy him a pack of smokes he did not wont to go in to the store it was full of people from the park he gave them a twenty when they got back in the car he told them to keep the change we took them and the money he gave them and bought beer and went back to the park and had a good time. I saw them many times in concert once two times in one week in Memphis and at the Ozark music festable. Ronnie was so cool he brought so much happiness and smiles to people rest in peace you are a true FREE BIRD NOW.
Thank you for sharing your story!! Appreciate it!
Even Today 47 years later today Ronnie van Zant spirit still lives on. Roll Gypsy Roll 🤙
A FUCKIN LEGEND MR. RVZ
Simply the best ever !
I believe Lynyrd Skynyrd died that day in October 20 1977! Ronnie was like No Other!
incredible singer. he was about the music.
👍👍HIS WORDS WILL LIVE FOREVER!!! a long time ago after his death Rolling Stone was talking to some of the band members they referred to Ronnie as a ol" mother hen! he kept them in line wanted nothing but the best for them and wanting the best out of them! all righty then---River Docs as always thanks!!!
Well said Ted. Thank you for watching!
Yep.....👍
I sing RVZ lyrics Every Day ! The one that I will always sing is! Its like walking through the swamps without no shoes step on a snake that's deadly! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah ! RVZ lyrics tell a story and the truth
Ronnie wrote some great lyrics. I don't think he gets enough credit for it!
@@RiverDocs He does in my house! But yeah I could agree with you
I saw skyward and Daniels in early 70's they were awesome
Another winner RD! Congrats on reaching 20K! For sure Ronnie was one of my favorite songwriters. My personal favorite is Gimme Three Steps. Kind of a "been there, done that" experience! 🤣 Keep rockin' brother!
Thanks Ferd. Appreciate it!
Love these videos they really bring it home an personal,,,,, always a fan an so much to learn from Skynyrd boys,,,,,,, thanks for digging deeper an showing us more about our rock heroes an since growing up listening an playing along,,,I call them friends,,,,🤟😎🤟
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Excellent. Always a great memories to be had on your videos Doc! Growing up in Florida and Texas I can't recall a time I DIDN'T hear a Skynyrd tune on the radio. With the recent passing of Gary Rossington I have been jamming on some of my favorite tunes like "On the Hunt' or "Call me the Breeze' All those tunes are well written musically and I am amazed how many lyrics I remember LOL. Ronnie's vocal style and delivery was unique as they come.
Thanks man...Yeah Skynyrd was my go to band in the 70's for blues rock. The older I get the more I really appreciate the songwriting of Ronnie. Cheers!
@@RiverDocs 100%
As long as I live, Ronnie will never die.
You got that right .
Ronnie van zant was the greatest ..period ..i could amd do somedays listen to every song ronnie ever wrote
Same here. He had a way with words that's for sure.
This string of Skynyrd docs is fabulous
Thank you. Appreciate you checking them out.
I know its an odd comparison, but Ronnie had the same gift that rappers have---the ability to improvise and make up lyrics on the spot. They say he never wrote anything down--it was all in his head! On many occasions, he was said that he could hear his boys play a riff, and he could conjure up a lyric to go with that riff. "Saturday Night Special" is one such example
That is odd but I can't say I disagree with you. It makes sense. Thanks for your comment!
Like rolling down the road sippin on gin and juice
🥳WUP WUP🎊 20.1k subscribers!💯💯💯 time to break out the GOOD stuff‼keep on ROLLING River Docs‼😎✌
I'm trying. Took off for a while today and celebrated with a few cold ones ;-) Thanks for the support Ted!
I was 9 years old when Lynyrd Skynyrd ' s plane crashed. But over the years since then I've become a big fan of the music they have out. I'm not sure how I acquired it, but I have the album with the fire in the background behind the members of the band after the crash. I've had a chance to see different lineups over the years of the band in 92,99 & again in 06 which was the last time but I'm hoping to see them this year in September in Maryland.
I was in 8th grade when the plane crashed. My dumbass cousin was the first one to tell me about the crash when I arrived at school the next morning.. He also told everybody that Leonard survived the crash. (Unfortunately, he thought Ronnie's name was Leonard Skinner.)
Great !
First i ever heard was Simple Man in '73.
Loved the story years later.
Winterland for Second Helping (CDB and MTB sandwich) then '77, DOG with Peter Frampton...
These were all great.
RIP Gary Rossington.
when y can write a song that bands in other countries do bad covers of in g, and dont know what the words mean,but STILL get the whole room singin along anyhow...now thats a great songwriter.
Brought back alot of memories. Thanks for sharing 🇺🇸
Glad you enjoyed it
Lets be honest. Ronnie was always a redneck even in the early days. Here's how the band got started. Ronnie and Gary were talking one day and they decided to form a band. So they started rounding up the guys that would soon be Skynyrd. The first person they recruited was Allen Collins because he had a guitar and an amp. lol When Allen saw Ronnie coming his way, he immediately took off running and shimmied up a tree. You see Ronnie had a bad reputation and Allen thought Ronnie had come to kick his ass!.
Next, they went to soon-to-be-drummer Bob Burns home. Unbeknownst to Bob, he was to be there next recruit. Ronnie knocked on his front door. Bob said as soon as he saw Ronnie at his front door, he was overcome with fear and refused to open the door because he thought Ronnie was there to beat him up! (I'm unsure about what happened when they approached bassist Leon, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had a moment of panic also.)
As for keyboard player Billy, he started out as a roadie for the band. He was asked to join the band sometime later when they were in the process of recording their first album. However, Billy did recall a time when Ronnie got mad at him, threw a punch, and hit him right in the mouth. He said Ronnie's punch knocked out four of his front (upper) teeth. Billy said he had to get a bridge made to fill the rather large gap. lol
It seems like Ronnie never visited anyone unless he planned to kick ass. I would definitely call that a redneck! Despite the color of his neck, Ronnie was a great singer, a wonderful front man, and an outstanding lyricist. The fact that everybody in the band both feared and respected him made Ronnie a great band leader. Had it not been for Ronnie's iron will (and iron fist), I doubt they ever would have made the big time.
I feel an emptiness everytime I listen to anything about this man. Some videos describe them as hell raisers and others say the opposite. Either way, they were top self.
I grew up with these guys and am still friends with Gary they were awesome musically and great pals
There's a couple people in Kentucky that are a spitting image of RVZ talks like em too
Absolutely right!
October 20th, 1977 the day Lynyrd Skynyrd ended. PERIOD! With the death of Ronnie, Steve, Cassie & their road manager,
the band was NEVER the same. Even though they sort of reformed, and tried to go on(changing their name)it still wasn't
the same! In my opinion, they've never quite recovered! It doesn't matter that they have Johnny(Ronnie's younger brother)
singing with them? And it doesn't matter that they have had multiple changing members since the crash, uh-uh! It ain't the
same without Ronnie! He had such an impact on their music, style, & sound. Lightening in a bottle, a force to be reckoned
with, the mold was broken, and nobody could, can or will EVER fix it! Rest in peace Ronnie, the fans REALLY miss you...
Stood next to a bunch of teens..best comment I heard was these guys sound like the download...and who else we going to see live- pop lip synch crap or auto tune rap....made me think as I looked around a 20k+ that broke the Syracuse att record that night....just to hear a diff side made me proud to still follow these guys
I'm a big RVZ fan and you did a nice job with this... you even have a couple of pictures I've never seen and I had never heard the (tongue in cheek) story 'I slept with your wife' regarding Neil Young. LOL, that Ronnie!
Ronnie is and always will be lynyrd skynyrd
Thank you for posting this.
You're welcome. Thank you for watching!
@@RiverDocs Yessir
He wrote great albums not just single songs
RIP Gary Rossington
Agree 100% with what was said here . Johnny seems like a cool dude , but he is not a songwriter . None of them are . Now that Gary is gone , the only one with any business tributing is Artimus . He is the last of the OG Skynyrd crew . His drumming made the original band sound so much more advanced . Artimus deserves some more respect than he gets . Even if he does embellish history here & there .
I miss you
Listening to the early Song "Michelle" they recorded in 69 i think, his voice struck me as a cross between late 60's Jack Bruce and mid 70's Steve Winwood.
Loved and love Skynyrd , I guess one of my beast was and still is ,I love many Bands of different genres then and now. Told folks before I like anything from Emmylou Harris..Alison Krauss to Alice Cooper,,, Alice and Chains. Just not too big on Opera or Rap.Thanks R/D .
Thanks Dennis. Appreciate your support...love me some Emmylou :-)
Hard to believe it's coming up to 50 years since that crash. I sound like an old fart but it seems like yesterday.
Really enjoyed this. Thank you.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Awesome videos!!!
Thanks! Glad you enjoy them!
I could not agree more !!! Subscibed !!!
Thanks for the sub!! Appreciate it!
Now Gary is gone. Unfortunately, as many here Skynyrd is our youth. Condolances to his family. He will be missed by many !!!
I miss him everyday
He had to be joking about wanting to be a dancer earlier in his life. He NEVER showed or spoke about ANY desire to dance. That's just crazy talk! He never did any dance moves off stage that I've seen on any home movies or heard him talk about. Nobody else ever mentioned it about him. NOTHING! Zip, zero, zilch, NADA!!! He WAS a jokester tho. He had to be pulling our leg when he said that! Or pulling SOMEBODY'S leg! (Probably his own!)
DA Best,RVZ❤
Ronnie was the greatest lyricist/poet the US of A has had
rest in peace gary rossington artimus is the only original surviving member lynyrd skynyrd will forever live on through their art
Arty didn't start till 75 1st song was sat night special for the movie the longest yard
@@NJDEVILz86 true, and Arty's presence was immediately felt as soon as he joined the band. He was a kick-ass drummer who made the band much better. Sat Night Special (written by Ronnie and Ed) is one of my favorite Skynyrd songs. I especially like the vibe that the erie Minimoog part brings to the song (listen to the middle of the song right before the guitar solo). That song (thanks to the Minimoog and Ed's guitar) has this unusual vibe that fits the words to the song so well.