Lynyrd Skynyrd to spend much of year on the road
Between their ever-growing tour itinerary and their upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Southern-rock vets Lynyrd Skynyrd are staying plenty busy in 2006.
The group has lined up a number of concert dates that are scattered from this month through mid-September, and are expected to continue filling the gaps in that loose-knit itinerary. Information on the currently confirmed shows is included below.
Among the group's upcoming tour stops is a March 12 performance in New York City. Billed as the "Special Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Celebration for the Fans," the concert takes place on the eve of the 2006 Rock Hall induction ceremony. The group will join the ranks of the Rock Hall during a March 13 ceremony, which is set at New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
"I'm glad those we've lost--[original bandleader] Ronnie [Van Zant], [guitarist] Allen [Collins], [bassist] Leon [Wilkeson], [guitarist] Steve [Gaines] and [backing vocalist] Cassie [Gaines]--will get the honor and recognition they deserve," Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington said in a statement. "I'm also thankful to Rickey Medlocke and Larry Junstrom, who were with us in the beginning and Rickey's even in the band with us now. Those two also deserve a piece of this honor. We're just all really thankful for this."
Formed in 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd rose to fame in the '70s thanks to a string of hits that included "Freebird" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Van Zant and Gaines were killed in October of 1977 when a chartered plane carrying the group crashed in Mississippi. Collins was paralyzed in a 1986 car accident that killed his girlfriend, and died of respiratory failure in 1990. Wilkeson, who reportedly suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, died in 2001.
Skynyrd's most recent studio set is 2003's "Vicious Cycle." The group followed that up with last year's "Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve," a double album and companion DVD that features the group's 2003 performance at the Nashville-area's Amsouth Amphitheatre.
Also in 2003, Skynyrd offered up a best-of set titled "Thyrty," which marked the group's 30th anniversary.
February 2006
9 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
18 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center (San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo)
March 2006
12 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre Times Square
15 - Austin, TX - Travis County Expo Center
17 - Kansas City, MO - Ameristar Casino
April 2006
13 - Hot Springs, AR - Convention Center
14 - Muscle Shoals, AL - Music Hall of Fame
15 - Ladson, SC - Heritage Motorcycle Rally
May 2006
17 - Alpine, CA - Viejas Casino
19 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
26, 27 - Cherokee, NC - Harrah's
28 - Virginia Beach, VA - 5th Street Stage
June 2006
1 - Vienna, VA - Filene Center
8 - Nashville, TN - CMA Music Festival (Fan Fair)
10 - Winsted, MN - Winstock Country Music Festival
24 - Aberdeen, MD - Proving Grounds
August 2006
10 - Sparta, WI - Fort McCoy Army Base
11 - Sedalia, MO - Missouri State Fair
19 - Reno, NV - Reno Hilton
20 - Jackpot, NV - Cactus Pete's
24 - West Sacramento, CA - Raley Field
25 - Kelseyville, CA - Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa
26 - Coarsegold, CA - Chukchansi Gold Resort
27 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Resort & Casino
29 - Lancaster, CA - Antelope Valley Fairgrounds
September 2006
7 - Blackfoot, ID - Eastern Idaho State Fair
8 - Grand Junction, CO - Rock Jam
10 - Hutchinson, KS - Kansas State Fair
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