Same

He was absolutely on fire here, like a cat waiting to tear out of a cage!

Also one of the very rare times you will see Gary use his les Paul instead of his sg on freebird . This is a very special tapeing of one of the greatest songs of rock & roll time written by Allen and the very best songwriter that ever never wrote anything on paper Mr. RONNIE VAN ZANT !

He was never the same after the crash. Ever.

@@michaelchmiel166 I'm convinced that Allen never got over the death of his wife Kathy in 1980. When that happened it sent him into a downward spiral from which he never recovered. Very sad.

I don't look at Skynyrd being a sad story. Just watch the Oakland or Knebworth concert videos. They were the greatest rock band that ever lived and they gave us there best everytime

Thank You for sharing!

I saw that in Gary’s face..

Agreed. Want to leave like but can't be the number that comes after 65.

That's sad 😔

I didn't know that but Thank you very much for pointing that out ! My favorite band all the way around .

Guitars went down in the crash.

@@smedleybutler8787 ik that but is their a resin that you said that just curious

@@smedleybutler8787 so you don’t think they could have gotten new ones ????? It had already been 2 years since the crash

Me, too.

Yo man! Epic song.

hope you got to see them live.

@@billwalker7556 I didn't unfortunately closest I got was RCB. I was supposed to go in Nov 77, . It is big regret of mine & my husband that neither of us got to see them live! I got to see them do instrumental Freebird & there was not a dry eye in the place! Men & women with tears rolling down their faces. I hope they have concerts in heaven & I will finally get to see them all together, whole & happy rocking it out!

I agree. Skynyrd was the best.

@@kathyrais574 They put one of Ronnie's hats center stage on a Mic stand when I saw them do that. very emotional.

@@kathyrais574 the originals in the 70's did awesome shows. I saw them all 3 nights at the Fox Theatre in ATL when they recorded thier live album "One more from the road" best 3 shows I ever saw them do. The Outlaws opened for them all 3 nights.

And now Gary is gone. He passed away yesterday

1 of Ronnie's Texas Hatters hat was on top of the mic 🤘

racefan32 totally improvised.The band didn't request it. At the last moment one of the lighting guys just did it. The band said afterwards it was very emotional and perfect

You know Ronnie's gohst was singing his heart out for sure it was cool that the lighting director did that on the fly. Least the spirits in the audience could hear and see ronnie they were lucky ronnie and steve put on a good show for them and us we just cant see them

Totally agree, this should of been it.

Easy for y'all to say. This is all these guys knew how to do. Think of all they did to get to the point they did on upswing wjen Steve joined. They quit school, practiced 8,10,12 hrs a day to get to be so tight. They formed Rossington Collins which I loved, Dale has incredible voice, I saw them live. People were supported them but interest fizzled, once they did the Tribute tour, they realized this is what we love to do, I guess they could have worked construction or McDonalds. The guys with this caliber of talent had to have an outlet for their creativity & to live. Judy Van Zant tried to stop them but when you make agreement to bot use the name in their 20's, they didn't expect for everything to fall apart a few years later. I believe Ronnie & Steve were proud & would have wanted to carry on too. If Ronnie had lived not sure how long he could have kept up the vocals, he had throat issues to where they had to cancel shows, he told Ed King, if I can't sing I want my lil brother to take over, me & him will write songs & I will be your manager That's gow freebirf originally became longer, they did it 2 times a night (way back in the day playing dances & bars, they recorderd 1st & played it 2nd time to give Ronnie's vocal chords a rest & he told Allen to add a guitar solo in it as well. He was hopin he could have continued, maybe surgery but this band was Ronnie's life too. Listen to majority of his songs, travelin man, whiskey rock a roller, Freebird isn't abt sayin goodbye forever, it is abt the time he spent on the,road away from his family touring, it was who he was & he was sayin it has been great but gotta go, I know I am to blame but this is what I love to do etc. I know he is proud to see his baby brother out there still honoring his songs, the newer band is Ronnie's legacy that 40-50 yrs people still listen to Skynyrd, they introduce their kids to the music, my daughter huge Skynyrd fan. It speaks to Ronnie's ability to reach people & to write songs people related to. Yea he did a lit of rowdy songa but he also wrote beautiful, meaningful songs like Comin Home & Am I losin, Simple Man etc. It is your right to have your own opinion, I just think all people thinkin abt is Ronnie, Allen & Leon, Ed, Billy, Gary were all essential parts of the whole band that was Lynyrd Skynyrd & to ask them to give that up seems wrong. I hope when I get to heaven there are concerts all day & there are so many people I want to see but once Gary is gone, in Heaven, Skynyrd will be complete once again

@@kathyrais574 some people just dont get it kathy. why should these guys have to give up something they worked so hard for their entire lives up to the crash have to stop because some people who dont know them think they shouldnt for their own selfish sentimental reasons. many bands carry on after a member or members pass or they quit or get fired.

@@kathyrais574 ACB was a great and don't like RCB all that much. Allen was trying to get a band together with everyone and Johnny as singer. He still got the band together even though he was paralized. He had to show up to gigs with band to avoid going to jail. He would have been there even if he didn't have to. He also wrote about 5 songs with Michael before the accident and there is a go fund me account for Michael to get those songs recorded.

@@joemamma416 You don't have to give it up, just call it something else. Without Ronnie, Skynyrd were a tribute band from this point on. They tried with Rossington Collins, but let's be honest: that band pretty much sucked. Dale is garbage. Sure, continue to play Skynyrd songs, but again, call it something else. Is Led Zeppelin still Led Zeppelin without John Bonham? No. Is Foreigner still Foreigner will no original members? Not in my opinion, and not in most peoples' opinions, the same with Skynyrd. It's like how Sabbath with Dio started being called Heaven and Hell, even though it was still "Black Sabbath" when Dio joined in late '79. Being called Heaven and Hell....fans still knew who the hell they were. So yes, IMO they should've dropped the Skynyrd name.

He was one of the best guitar players ever. When my daughter lived in Jacksonville we had a chance to visit his grave and he had a lot of fans leaving flowers and mementos for him. Dont drink and drive.

My hero

And to think after the plane crash, his right arm was so damaged that doctors considered amputation. Allen refused it and had his arm surgically fused in a position where he could still play guitar - and look what he could still do!! FYI: He was my second cousin. RIP Larkin Allen Collins Jr.

@@michaelbarnhart2593 *Left arm , get the facts right if that’s your cousin !

@@kevenrowe2958 I only met him once at a family gathering with his mom and my great aunt who was her sister-in-law. That was a few years before the plane crash. Apparently I was confused on the arm in question as I was told this by someone who knew Gene Odom. As far as your response, I hope you feel great pointing out the shortcomings of others to help your own ego.

Yes they did. They’ll tell you too, that Allen composed all of the guitar parts i mean they all had input and help Allen with some ideas. Its really hard work and time consuming to compose all this and every note is spot on even live

R I Power Larkin Allen Collins.

Rest In Paradise -Larkin Allen Collins. Hope that found peace my brother.

I wondered this as I stood at his grave a few years ago, in 2021, would he have realized in his time, that after 20-30 years after he was gone, that people would be paying respects to him and his guitar playing?

@@deaf19830 Ed King composed most of the guitar parts while he was with them. Gary composed some too. You'll see that if you look up their discography details.

Indeed 💜🥺

The Van Zant brothers grew up in an area of Jaxsonville known as Shanty Town. Allman Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker Band and 38 Special were also from Jaxsonville.

@@billwalker7556 Don't forget Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot! ;)

Dave Quigley JoJo and Leslie aswell

As Long As Gary Still Alive and Going I think everyone should Just be Quiet about All that So he can hear His Lil Nrother and Gary and Friends and Family Carry on His Legacy Gary dont need to hear or see this Bullshit still... Cmon Ronnie had to Write Songs about everyone talking Crap All the way back at beginni g If you dont like the new You have the Old Gary Is Last Man Standing Think about it and Enjoy the music Sad to see this also So many People Give The Band crap And They got to eat too Im Sure That Ronnie dont mind hearing His little brother. Stepping into his Footsteps Johnny been through some shit too himself Gary said in interviews if Wasnt Johnny It would be no one And Rickey Medlocke of Blackfoot and Skynyrd in Early Years. I know People dont like them Using The Name But Gary owns The Lynyrd Skynyrd name and Do You Really want to take that From Him Cmon Really? Ronnies lifelong brst friend and best man at his wedding and muse of the music cmon Really I think hes earned To Use It Also as Last Man Standing. Just Sayind Peace And Fly High Freebird and Train Roll On!!

That would have been short-lived before it got old and tired. They needed good songs after 1977. The only way the band could have worked is if JVZ= RVZ. JVZ can't write songs like his older brother so they are basically a tribute band with some very mediocre albums for the last 43 years

@Dave Quigley. I totally agree but I think if they added Donnie it would have been legit.

Hell yeah!

Israel R. Monroy that is the best solo I have ever heard

Plus Rickey Medlocke who is as much of an "original" as anyone else as he was there during the formative years of the band's existence.

@@JJ-oe9wc Not correct. Mr. Medlocke is the vocalist on several songs including "You Run Around", "Ain't Too Proud to Pray", and others. He also wrote songs for the band. He's as much of an original as Mr. Rossington and the others.

Sorry to ruin the moment but I’m pretty sure he was taking a drag off his dart

​@@colten3743Yeah, Gary always kept his dart pinched between his last couple of fingers when he was playing the slide part. Saw it in a few performances.

Leon had not recovered from his injuries enough to play yet...

Agreed!

Vic Marrotti other way around

@@kaidenmundy Actually Allen’s wife died due to pregnancy complications. Allen was driving impaired with his girlfriend and she died in the car accident.

Gary Rossington smashed his car up prior to the bands plane accident, the song "That Smell" came about because of the car crash, and the excesses of rock n roll lifestyle.

They were from Jacksonville, FL as were Marshall Tucker Band, Allman Brothers Band and 38 Special.

Gary is now flying among the free birds, the band form the 1970s is, sadly, no more.

It wasn't "right" after the crash. Regardless, it is sad!!!!

+RainNBlood however is a sad coincidence

+jorkanmx No it isn't fucktard. This was a tribute performance 2 years after the crash. No coincidence that they chose to play this song.

Wow. Did not know that. I knew Gary's father died when he was really young but didn't know the rest of the story. Thank you very much for sharing that with us. RIP LYNYRD SKYNYRD ❤️✝️🇺🇲 GOD BLESS SKYNYRD NATION

I'm just guessing but maybe "I can feel Ronnie here with us" When you're on stage like that everything is shouted

Or possibly "I hear Steve. Ronnie is here too"

“For ronnie”

I know right! I knew this was a very serious moment but I thought it was awesome when I first noticed that. Also Allen seemed like he hadn't changed a bit.

Mine, too. Gary Rossington has always been my favorite member of the band. When you heard Gary playing you knew it was Lynyrd Skynyrd. Gary was also one of the founders of the band. His passing has been extremely difficult to deal with. RIP GARY ROSSINGTON 🎸🎇🦅🌹🌹✝️🇺🇲

​@@peterbilt-bo1vyand what about Gary's Solo's in the past . I follow Lynyrd Skynyrd from the beginning for the plane crash and later and Gary was always my favorite Guitar player and member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Everybody has his own favorite the mine was the last Rebel Gary Rossington. RIP Gary now you again can play with all your friends and brothers again🦅

I'm sure they just showed up and played whatever Charlie had for them.

@@buddywilliams5650 nope they bought those guitar there. Allen primary guitar post crash was a Gibson les Paul jr and Gary just decided to play his 59 les Paul