Showtime is running a documentary about Lynyrd Skynyrd. I'm a big fan, Skynyrd is my favorite band. Growing up I started playing guitar around the age of 8, and Skynyrd was one of my earliest inspirations. The way they wove three guitars together was sublime, and even today stands unmatched in my view.

I would spend hours and hours with a Skynyrd record on the turntable trying to learn the songs by ear. These days, the kids have it easy, digital format means you can easily go back to any point in a recording, or select certain loops to replay over and over. But in my day you had to pick the needle up and try to drop it back down in just the right groove lol. Needless to say, this was a more challenging way of learning licks than it is today. Uphill, both ways, of course.

Songs like Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird of course, those were mainstream. But the catalog is deep and tunes like On the Hunt, Preacher's Daughter, Ballad of Curtis Loew, Needle and the Spoon, and Poison Whiskey were songs that I spent hours playing along to.

After Ed King left (more on him in a moment, and sadly), Steve Gaines came on board. The Skynyrd guitarists, King, Rossington and Collins, were fantastic, and you don't need me to tell you that. But Gaines was probably the best of them all. How do I know? because the songs he wrote were the hardest for me to learn. The song 'I Know a Little' off Street Survivors blew me away. I still don't think I play it well haha.

The documentary covers the band from Jacksonville to the plane crash. It features lots of archival footage and interview material, especially from Gary Rossington, but also Artimus Pyle, Leon Wilkeson and Ed King among others. Sadly Ed King died yesterday. This hits home not only because I'm a huge fan and his music formed the soundtrack for my youth, but also because I knew him. After leaving the band, he settled in south Jersey, a town called Woodbine, near my home. He became a member of the church a few blocks from my house, and the same church that my grandmother went to.

One day, after cutting her grass, the same grass that earned me enough money over the course of three summers to buy a Fender Stratocaster, I went in to see her as I always did, for a glass of milk and gingerbread cookies, like she always kept on hand for me and my bother and sister. There was an unfamiliar car in the driveway, so I knew she had company. I could hear the piano and her singing church songs. When she saw me she stopped playing and said

"Mr King, this is my grandson Derek, say hello to Mr King"

"Hi Mr King"

"Mr King used to play in a rock and roll band, maybe you've heard of them"

Ed King looked at me and said "Lynyrd Skynyrd"

I stammered something out, and managed to tell him that I was a big fan, I had all his records, that now I recognized him from the cover of Pronounced and I played guitar.

"Where do you live young man?"

"Right next door"

"Is your guitar there? Do you think you could go get it?"

I'm not sure my feet touched the grass all the way home and back.

Over the next hour I sat and learned Skynyrd licks from freakin' Ed King. He showed me Sweet Home Alabama. Needle and the Spoon, Don't Ask Me no Questions, Swamp Music and more. He was as patient and down to earth as you can be. He seemed to really enjoy it, laughing and smiling, and it left a life-long impression on me. I was sad to hear he passed yesterday, but to me he and his bandmates left an amazing legacy that will live on for a very long time.

RIP Mr King.

I'm sorry to hear that DBond, and you have such a cool story.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_King

"King's guitar playing has influenced many subsequent musicians, including Metallica bassist Cliff Burton."
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/story/lynyrd-skynyrd-guitarist-ed-king-dead-at-68/ar-BBMlo86

"King played on the band’s first three albums: 1973’s (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd), 1974’s Second Helping and 1975’s Nuthin’ Fancy. He most famously co-wrote Second Helping‘s “Sweet Home Alabama” – that’s him counting off “1, 2, 3” in the song’s intro – which, along with “Free Bird,” has become synonymous with the group.
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RIP Ed King.

Phukin'A...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDz2rVgv0uM

Wow, thanks for sharing that story DBond!

I just heard "Simple Man" on my local classic rock station a few days ago.

I had no idea that King was one of the founding members of "Strawberry Alarm Clock". His Wiki article also explains why he left the band.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_King

Glad you guys liked it, it's one of my favorite stories to tell of course. It meant so much to me as a kid, what, 10 years old or so. I realize now that this happened very close to the time of the plane crash, not sure if it had happened yet. It was a long time ago.

I was already a big fan, and meeting Ed King, and having him take the time to hang out with me was an amazing experience. It also made me think my grandmom was alot more hip and with it than I had thought grandmoms could be. I mean, whose grandmother is hanging out with famous rock guitarists?

I believe the reason he was there is that he was becoming involved in the music program at church, to play along with the choir, and my grandmother was in charge of that and played piano and organ there. I think they were just working through their "set" lol.

Awesome story DBond.


Wheels