The confederate flag was the record company, MCA’s idea. They wanted it to exemplify that the band was from the South. Also, the confederate flag was not seen then, the way it is today. It was accepted more as a southern pride symbol. Ronnie Van Zant was an outspoken supporter of Jimmy Carter’s campaign for POTUS in 1976. Carter, also a southerner. The Clinton/Gore campaign used the confederate flag on one of their campaign flyers in 1992. As times and views changed, the band stopped using the flag. You can find several interviews they’ve given on the subject. There’s ZERO evidence of racism when it comes to this band.

Back then the Confederate flag was just a symbol of the south. And they are a southern rock band. The Dukes Of Hazard had one on the roof of their car. It was no more than signifying their southern heritage. Today it has become politicized but those were simpler times. Don't read too much into it.

The 70's was the most magical decade of music there's ever been in human history! 60's and 80's didn't suck either.

RIP Gary Rossington. He’s the one playing slide and standing next to Ronnie Van Zant (RIP) in the slow part of the song. He was the last original surviving member. The only person on that stage still with us is the drummer, Artimus Pyle, who took over for Bob Burns (RIP) in 1975. In this particular concert, Peter Frampton was the headliner (hence the large amount of pretty girls in the audience) and unfortunately for him, he had to follow this act. The lead guitarist in this song was Allen Collins. The other lead guitarist is Steve Gaines and the rhythm/slide, the aforementioned, Gary Rossington. Leon Wilkeson on bass, Artimus Pyle on drums, the great Billy Powell on piano and Ronnie Van Zant, vocals.

Artimus Pyle ( Drummer ) never got the credit he deserved for keeping the beat and giving the guitars and piano a Tempo to play off of while 90,000 mostly girls are screaming at them. They couldn't hear themselves think but never missed a beat. That by itself was incredible. Artimus was not one of the originals but he is the only one left who is still with us. The others are all Free Birds now ---------

Lynyrd Skynyrd's most iconic song. This was a great live performance. If you don't know this song and you're over 40 you lived in a cave. They were never the the same after Ronnie Van Zant's death.

Lynyrd Skynyrd is the greatest Southern Rock band in history.

Most don’t realize how hard it is to play the drums that fast for that long. Tremendous arm strength. Yes two leads and a rhythm plus bass (4)

This performance is timeless, it NEVER gets old, dunno how many times i have seen it. ONe of those "I wish I was there" moments.

You have just saw one of the most phenominal live performances in rock history. I had the honor of seeing this same lineup a few months prior to this. J. Geils band opened for them. It was the best concert I saw in my lifetime. The three guitar army simple can't be beat. Leon on bass was going crazy too as well as the other members of LS. So glad you and your dad got to experience this iconic performance. Great job guys!

1977 - I was 15 and had a similar head of hair. I was thrown out of the house because of it. Today to see father and son together celebrating Lynyrd Skynyrd is just great! Btw: The guitar solo is fantastic! Greetings from Berlin

Still one of the greatest, and somehow still underrated, guitar solos of all time.

The guitar army at it's finest ! They could hand the lead to one another seamlessly. I was a teenager in the 70's. We had the greatest music, hottest cars and prettiest gals. All those girls in the crowd are grandmas now.

I knew you would love that video! The 3 guitar attack of Lynyrd Skynyrd is incredible.

Silas, every time you do a Skynyrd reaction, it always occurs to me that you would absolutely dig this band, given your love of guitar work. And a lot of their songs have piano or organ in them as well. I could easily see them becoming one of your favorite bands. And even though they were only around for about a decade, they gave us so many albums of solid material and a rich discography. These guys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the Beatles are some of the very few bands where I can honestly say that I like every single song that they ever did. I mean literally, every single song. I can't even say that about Led Zeppelin, although I like most of them. To me, every Lynyrd Skynyrd song is amazing in its own way.

I'm a Jersey girl through and through,but may I just say that these Southern boys know how to jam...🎛🎸🥁🎹🎶🤘

8:00 Watching Billy Powell play the piano solo while Gary Rossington makes those bird chirping sounds on his slide guitar from the other end of the stage, and I remember Silas that you took piano for several years. Man you should check out some of the Lynyrd Skynyrd stuff that features him, he was incredible, definitely a very capable classical pianist but he knew the honky tonk and the rock stuff inside out. He does some really technically advanced stuff, not so much here, which is so perfect for this song, so beautiful and free and yearning.

I'm 62 now but I was 16 and at this show. Probably old enough to be your grandad. Classic band and classic song of our generation! I played drums throughout the 70s and up until about ten years ago and I got a number of chances to lay this song. But these were great times to be young! Fantastic even! Thanks for the reaction! Brings back memories of a vanished and better time!

Can’t believe all the original band are gone now

back in the 70's the confederate flag did not have the stigma that it does today. I was a 70's teen and I had no clue. I wouldn't make anything of it at all due to the times.

My favorite teen. The piano was so awesome. So glad Ronnie let's rhem all shine. Back then, every member was so important.

That was probably the most joyful reaction to one of the greatest songs in rock. The flag thing was of its time and very common for the day.

Gary Rossington (slide guitar throughout the first half of the song) just recently passed away (within the past few weeks.) The solo at the end is every permutation and combination of notes in the G major pentatonic scale.

It always amazes me that people think the 70s was in the Stone Age. High fidelity audio recording has been around for longer than you might think.

Billy Powell, was on keyboards, who was a concert pianist 😎😎👍👍

Yes that was what the 70's was all about musically. The 60's was also amazing. I sure do miss those days. Peace!

LOVE me some Skynyrd. Skynyrd toured 250 + days a year best live band ever🎉. I was a teen in the 70s n saw about 1000 concerts.

It was a different time. The flag was not as offensive...or there was not, a recently developed, social media magnet behind the symbolism. This was Southern Rock. The South had few symbols to say, this is our style of music. It's about the music in this context. Southern Rock is a real style.

Probably the best live performance recording of Skynyrd, just phenomenal. Never got to see them, but always had their music in the car crusin on Friday & Saturday night! (alongside other great Southern Rock bands; Molly Hatchet,.38 Special, Alman Bros., Marshall Tucker etc) We didn't give a racist thought to the Confederate Battle Flag back then or now. [Sadly many used it for ugly which most focus on especially today. To Southerners it's a cultural heritage standard, not at all associated with racist intent.]

Billy Powell, the piano player, used to be their roadie.

I could be wrong but I think the guitar slide intro is supposed to sound like a bird

This is the best version of the song.

Love when Gary Rossington does the bird chirp on the slide guitar at the beginning. R.I.P. Gary.

They had three fantastic guitarists and they all played lead and they all played rhythm, and in some songs and especially in Freebird, usually during the solo sections, you are hearing two lead guitars at the same time playing complimentary parts and then sometimes playing in unison with each other, and then the third will be playing rhythm but even then will sometimes be playing melodic lines that might sound like a lead on their own but are usually in this amazing jigsaw counterpoint to the other two parts, very much like a Bach fugue. These guys were on fire and part of the genius of Lynyrd Skynyrd was their ability to do mind-blowing and complex arrangements that sounded simple but really worked. This is why sometimes you will hear bar bands covering Lynyrd Skynyrd songs and it doesn't sound as good, because they're just playing the chords and they figure out a lead guitar part that kind of is in the neighborhood and call it good, but they're forgetting that the bass line and two and sometimes three guitar parts are completely interwoven, and then of course there's the piano (and sometimes organ) as well in that melodic mix. Near the end on that final hard burn to the climax, they finally gave you some good footage of their beast of a bass player, Leon wilkeson, with the funny Viking hat and over on the right side of the stage, and just playing almost like he's possessed but making it look easy. That guy had so much stamina it's incredible. Billy Powell on the piano and let's not forget Artimus Pyle on the drums, he was perfect for that band. In total, Ronnie Van Zant is the lead singer, Alan Rossington with long, curly dark hair is one of the three guitar players and playing slide guitar on this one, over just to the right of Ronnie Van Zant. And then hen Allen Collins is the tall skinny guy with the long hair in the white suit, and then Steven Gaines, a virtuoso guitar player, is over on the left, closer to Billy Powell and his black grand piano, although sometimes he played a white grand piano, and they flew these grand pianos around and they had to tune them before every show. And of course Artimus Pyle on drums. Not participating in this song were their trio of women backing singers who were so critical to their sound in a lot of songs. They went by the name The Honkettes, and one of them was Cassie Gaines, who is Steven Gaines' sister. The other thing to know about this concert is that this was not long at all before the plane crash in late 1977 that ended it all. Brother and sister Steve and Cassie Gaines, along with Ronnie Van Zant and some of the crew members, died in the plane crash, and the others were pretty badly injured and messed up in various ways for the rest of their lives.

🎸💯 Lynyrd Skynyrd DID NOT disappoint‼🔥 🤯 I'm so glad you checked out this live version‼ ☮ ❤ 🎶

So awesome and so sad only 3 months before the plane crash 😢

Legend says this guitar solo is still playing…

It’s just a masterpiece. The anthem for southern rock and roll. The energy they created with the crowd was epic. That many people jumping in rhythm probably set off a small earthquake.

I was 17 when this album dropped, a couple years later I was in the Army, and this song was a huge part of our times overseas, "Freebird" was the plane that took us back to the "world" and so whenever I hear this I have a multitude of memories of this band and this particular tune...Rock ON!!! I really enjoy your channel, especially when your dad joins in...

There ain't nothin' wrong with DIXIE! I ❤️ that flag and I ain't gonna take it down. I was there I followed that band all over hell's half acre. That's my band. I'm from Alabama. Roll Tide Roll Ya'll!

I remember when this came out. I’ve heard it a bazillion times. Rest in peace Momma.

Silas you definitely have an old soul! You could really see how the music penetrates your soul!!! So awesome 😎

I was there sitting way up in the nose bleed seats. It was my 3rd Day on the Green concerts and one of the best.

THE OUTLAWS --------- GREEN GRASS AND HIGH TIDES ----Case closed on awesome guitar playing.

Gary Rossington played the beginning slide, then rhythm. Allen Collins played the solo for the first half, then Steve Gaines joined in with a dual guitar second half. Leon Wilkeson played bass. 90,000 at stadium. The 4 bands there were The Outlaws, Santana, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Peter Frampton, headlining. Skynyrd won the day !

I love how your dad is totally nerd cool! He's aware and honestly into great music obviously. Stay close. You'll never be sorry for sharing these experiences with him. ❤️❤️✌️

Notice the Neil Young “Tonight’s the Night” T-shirt on Ronnie. They referenced him negatively in Sweet home Alabama twice. Kinda of a hat tip to Neil. Neil was asked about the song and just answered that he loves the guitars man.

Another great tune reaction. I have seen L.S. live twice in two different decades. Both amazing shows I’ll never forget. You are hitting some of the best classic Rock tunes ever created….. GOOD JOB.

This was filmed three months before the plane crash. I’m sixty years old and I still remember the day. It was a gut punch.

This brings back memories. I saw them in concert back in the day and they were amazing!

Silas, it's great to see you and your Dad rocking out to this classic song.

This is their best performance of "Free Bird". Some will argue that Knebworth in England was better due to them blowing the Rolling Stones out of the water and throwing them under the bus. But this is better for this song. It shows Billy Powell's classical training on piano, how the "3 Guitar Army" of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Steve Gaines can jam together and Leon Wilkerson on bass, and Artimus Pyle driving the beat on drums. They are all gone now except for Artimus who is still rockin' with his own band and going strong. As far as the Confederate Flag, it is heritage, not hate. I dare anyone to find a single racist remark from Skynyrd. I won't get into the particulars, but several members of my family died under that flag.

Hi Silas and Dad.Didn't realise you did this.Love it .Bittersweet.As a 70s babeAll I remember is Hot Summers and times like this.Simple things were precious. Huge gratitude for being born then Even if I drove my Parents nuts. I am sure their toes were tapping on the quiet.👋🙏 As 2 WW Vets they would have appreciated the concept of Freedom and spirit that embodies them.

Three guitarists and a bassist

The look on your faces when the three guitars solo begins says it all.

The young man’s reaction was classic and it fits the video well!

5:20 the 'almost electronic sound' is the glass slide on electrified steel strings Rossington is using.

Love that you checked out this live version and it's nice to see your dad! However, as awesome as this performance was, it does get even better. I always highly recommend all LS fans check out their Knebworth concert. I always thought the Oakland video was the pinnacle of live Free Bird, until I watched that. It's actually longer than this version, if you can believe (always look for the longer version of the song from Knebworth on YT, someone edited out Billy's piano on one version which is a crime, in my opinion). And it has the added element of the story behind that concert. LS opened for Rolling Stones that day. Ronnie was told that they could go anywhere on the stage-except for the "tongue" addition, which was for the Stones only. LS remained off that tongue-until Free Bird-watch what Ronnie does, it's epic.

Your dad is spot on 2 lead guitars one bass and another guy on slide guitar, Lynyrd Skynyd had the world at rhein feet at this time but just 2 months after this concert the lead singer was killed in a plane crash, the band tried to carry on with other vocalists they even had Ronnies brother Johnny on vocals, but they never really had their heart in their music without Ronnie Van Zant

Many people in the South, had ancestors that fought and died under that flag. Including myself. Back in those days, it was seen by most white Southerners, as a symbol of Southern pride. We didn't see it as having to do with racism or slavery. We saw it as part of our history and we weren't ashamed of it.

The record doesn't have the piano. Billy Powell was a roadie for the band , the band went to lunch and came back while he was playing this on the piano. Ronnie said you're in the band from now on. a few months after this show, we would lose Ronnie (singer) Steve ( in red pants), backup singer Cassie ( Steve's sister), road manager, and 2 pilots to a plane crash. 20 survived.

Y'all should check out the version of this song from Knebworth 1976, it's hard to believe there could be a more epic version of this song but that's when Skynyrd was at their peak (before their 1977 plane crash) the guitar solo is so phenomenal Ronnie actually has to stop Allen Collins after like 8+ minutes

You may have just witnessed the “greatest” live performance for a song in rock history… Now, you may want to indulge your ears to what many say (including me) what may be the greatest live album in rock history with UFO “Strangers in the Night.” Epic guitar solos throughout the entire concert!

I took a Greyhound bus nearly 18 hours with a friend to watch this concert. We were 16 years old. This concert blew my little small town mind to smithereens. Day on the Green, Oakland Coliseum..July 1977.

In 1976, a third guitarist was added in the live shows, Steve Gaines, so it was Gaines, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington.

So glad you got to this one! Awesome.

Great performance! 🔥

Hey Silas, just found your channel and love it. It was great seeing your dad chiming in on this one. It is quite compelling to see teens today discover and react to music and bands that folks of my era came of age with. Lynyrd Skynyrd was from Jacksonville, Florida, but like the Allman Brothers band, they really broke in Atlanta, my home town. I saw them a couple of times before they broke large and we all knew they were going to be big. Their founding drummer became a buddy. 100%, the band was never about hate. At that time, that Stars and Bars flag was more about heritage. It was certainly co-opted by extremist groups to become a symbol of hate, but it did not mean hate at that time; it meant Southern heritage, and as others have pointed out, it was MCA's idea to use it. This band came of age in the hippie, post hippie era of the early 1970's when it was all about love your brother and sister. As mentioned, I knew the first drummer personally. The band started in his basement. He was a great guy, loved in our community, and certainly not about hate or racism. Believe it or not, boomers of this era were about ending the war in Vietnam and ending racism and social inequality. The antiwar movement of the late 1960's and early 1970's coalesced with the Civil Rights movement ultimately ending the war and starting the movement towards real equality. Skynrd and the Allman Brothers Band were all about those causes. My friend, a founding band member, told me that when the band first started playing in honky tonks around the South, the rednecks were often trying to pick fights with them for having long hair and liberal ideas. He also said that Ronnie Van Zant, the LS lead singer, was actually a fan and friend of singer Neil Young, (criticized in Sweet Home Alabama) and that the back and forth between the artists was a promotional joke that worked! If you want to know what the band thought about politics listen again to "Working for MCA". In fact, listen to words from Sweet Home Alabama, "In Birmingham they loved the governor," (George Wallace widely considered a racist) "Boo, hoo, hoo. Now, we all did what we could do. Now Watergate does not bother me. Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth." Sadly, three of the band members perished in a tragic plane crash in October of 1977 shortly after this performance . Perishing in the crash were lead singer and front man Ronnie Van Zant, Guitarist Steve Gaines, and his sister backup vocalist Cassie Gaines. (You and dad were correct in trying to sort out the guitars. Skynrd was famous for their three guitar attack.) Others in the crash were very seriously injured. My friend, Bob Burns, left the band after the second album and before the crash in 1974. He sadly passed away in a car accident in 2015. The last Surviving founding member of the band, Garry Rossington, who played the slide guitar in Free Bird, passed away recently in March of 2023 at age 71. After the crash and long recoveries, the band decided to soldier on as best they could to honor the lost souls and make a living for their families. Ronnie's brother Donnie took over for his brother as front man and vocalist carrying on the legend. Many agree, including me, that he did a great job . Donnie looked and sounded very much like his brother. As a tribute to his brother, when Donnie sang Free Bird, after the words, "will you still remember me", he always said, "Yessir I will. looking up to heaven." Those of us that came of age with the band cannot help but shed a tear when we hear it. Now, they are all "Free as a Bird". RIP Lynyrd Skynrd, we love you always. Fly Free Bird.

Haha yeah... ''So this is what the 70's were all about'' ~ Great quote Silas... This jam lives on and always will... 1977 was the greatest year ever and Skynyrd was on top of the world. I saw so many great bands that year, (including Led Zeppelin for 4 shows in May while Bonzo was still alive) Stay cool everybody & keep rockin'... ✌

y'all too cool,, ya made me smile through out the reaction😊

My friends were there - I couldn’t go. My parents were strict and wouldn’t let me go to concerts. (BTW, all those pretty girls in the crowd are now grandmothers!.) I started college about 6 weeks after this was filmed and was looking forward to finally having the freedom to attend concerts but one night in October in my dorm room the sad news came over the radio and our hearts broke. RIP Lynyrd Skynyrd - you guys were the GOAT.

The flag in the background was the idea of the record company because they was a Southern Rock band of course they was from the south that is why the record company did it to show where they was from . Back then it was not as offensive to people as it they make it now

Great response the young man comming unglued to his first Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Bird experience wasnt unlike mine all those years ago.

Good Reaction from London Guys. The original lead opened up the fast section and dueted with the major lead plus The Rhythm and Bass Guitarists. No mobiles.Just everyone having a great time though you cut the interview at the end with some hippies off. before we could see it.:)

Whenever I watch this fantastic performance video, I have to pinch myself to remember this was almost 46 years ago! Those lovely lasses are now grandmas -- but just as lovely as they were way back when. My favorite players in the band are the pianist -- Billy Powell -- and bassist -- Leon Wilkeson. Billy's piano is heard even in the loudest sections of the song, especially nearing the finale. And Leon's bass is crisp and loud nearing the finale as well; his fingers are flashing as fast as the lead guitarists' are, but Leon's got to move those heavier, thicker "cables" on the neck of his axe, not missing a beat. Of course the best performer that day, in this video, is/was the crowd! Oakland should have figured out a way to store the horsepower, the vibrancy, of the attendees in some sort of battery -- Oakland could still be running their street lamps on the good vibes produced that day! Another great band from the State of Florida!

this is still considered by people in the industry the best Rock performance ever

I was fortunate to see the survivors band Rossington Collin’s Band after the survivors recover and made a couple albums. I got to meet Allan Collin’s , Gary Rossington and Artimus Pyle

I saw them in Portland Oregon in 76 and oh my God am I so glad I did. We never know what the Lord has as our end . But I'm sure glad he let me see Ronnie and the boys and girls before he took them with him. I'm so glad there music won't die any time soon. Than😮 😮k you Rockers for always being there. there. God knows it will never die. Man thanx for introducing your son to the best of music of all time

True what an epic song and group!! Love these guys!!!

Notice how NO CELL PHONES and just when people were real and just listening to great music and having a great time ! 😊

My sister was taking me to the LSU Assembly Center show on this tour when I was five, as it was only 3 miles from my parents house. That shitty plane had other ideas, tho. They were never criticized for the flag back then. The battle flag wasn't considered racist until the early 1990s.

They knew how to have a good time!

Another great song from the same concert is "Sweet Home Alabama" (another one of their top hits) is also fun to watch. I never get tired of watching this!

Lynyrd Skynyrd "On The Hunt"...Nuff Said.

I was at the concert in Portland Oregon right before there crash. I remember we were all devastated. We just heard them jam it was great. I'm 66, see you soon Ronnie save me a shot.😘

Yep GREAT,GREAT, R&R BAND!!! TOP 5 BANDS OF ALL TIME. THIS SONG WAS THE BEST SONG OF ALL TIME FOR YEARS.

If you actually know the history of the Confederate flag you will never ever have a problem with it. Claiming the Confederate flag is about racism is just being ignorant.

I was Silas' age when this song came out and they were from my hometown! Sadly, just a few months later half the band (including the lead singer) would be killed in a plane crash. Should you be so lucky to go to a concert with 100,000 of your closest friends!

They had the slide guitar, lead guitar and rhythm guitar.

“How ‘bout you?!”

Lynyrd Skynyrd approached live performances different than most bands. Ronnie Van Zant the singer and leader of the band had the band develop a live version of each song and they would practice until it was perfect and would play it the same way at every show.

Yes 3 guitars. Leads were traded between Steve Gaines (Les Paul), Allen Collins (Firebird) and Gary Rossington (Les Paul). Each had a unique. They normally each had lead solo's in each song. Allen Collins actually had more of the lead in Free Bird on the firebird. I saw them prior to the crash and IMO if you wanted to see virtuoso guitars Skynyrd, Ted Nugent, The Allman Bros, and Eric Clapton were as good as you ever could find on earth. These guys toured nearly 340 days a year.

The confederate flag is a symbol of southern pride. It being labeled as racist or in support of the idea of slavery is simply untrue.

It's a shame that festivals now are nothing more then commercial enterprises for selling merchandise. Not only Skynyrd, but also The Outlaws,Santana and Peter Frampton. Tickets cost 10 dollars. One hundred thousand people there for the music. What a time to be young.

The Confederate Flag was used in the 1970's to show they were a southern Rock Band!

Allen Collins co-lead. Steve Gaines co-lead Gary Rossington slide .. If you didn't know .. now you do ...The greatest American band in history

Ed King had left the band and played with The Strawberry Alarm Clock......Incense and Peppermints was a popular song.

The Confederate flag was actually pushed by the record label to add Southern mystique and allure to the band's image.

By the way, I was at this concert. I’m in that crowd somewhere!

I loved loved loved this reaction❤😂