FLASHBACK: Lynyrd Skynyrd In Studio at WMMR
Gary Rossington, founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, has passed away at age of 71. Pierre Robert played a Work Force Block in tribute to the guitarist on Monday afternoon, and it included a couple of rare live cuts that you’ll only hear in the MMaRchives. One of them was a rendition of the 1974 hit “Sweet Home Alabama”.
This particular version of the song was recorded live nearly 20 years after its initial release, when our studios were located at 5th and Market Streets in Philadelphia. WMMR had just relocated, and the facilities were a significant upgrade from the previous studios. Pierre tells the story of the band’s arrival:
“I’d like to take you back to March 22nd, 1993. I’ve told this story many times before, but it’s a fun one, because the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Ed King on guitar, Johnny Van Zant, the late Ronnie’s brother, and Gary Rossington… each with an acoustic guitar… they came into that building. Now that building was a No Smoking building, and they started taking their cigarettes out. I go “Excuse me, lads, this is a No Smoking building,” and they all looked at me like I was out of my mind. They said, “If we can’t smoke, we’re not gonna play”… Light ’em up, fellas, says I! …Then, (they said) “Where’s the Jack? Not gonna play until you get the Jack.” …We got the Jack, they lit up their cigarettes, and they played.”
The interview covered a lot of ground, and they wrapped by performing “Sweet Home Alabama”, which you can stream here:
Note: The podcast episode above was originally published in 2018.
Gary Rossington: Rockers & More Honor Late Lynyrd Skynyrd Guitarist
