I don't care for fancy music if your shoes can't shuffle around.

That is a lyric from “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller” and it embodies Ronnie Van Zant and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s approach to music. Southern rock be damned, Skynyrd is a rock and roll band, period. While Van Zant’s lyrics might have trended toward stereotypically Southern themes, you write what you know and Van Zant was a Southern boy.

Born in Jacksonville, Florida today in 1948, Van Zant was the lead singer and primary lyricist for Skynyrd from its inception through his death in 1977. He died in a plane crash in Louisiana that also claimed the lives of bandmates Steve and Cassie Gaines.

Thank you to Fatpants and Whoa Nellie for handling things in my stead. You gentlemen did an outstanding job and I appreciate your efforts.

(My home computer issues have not been resolved. The cable company brought out a new modem/wifi combo that didn’t fix the issue. I’m hopeful it will be fixed soon. Thanks for bearing with me.)

“I Ain’t the One” track one, side one off the album “Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd” 1973, live 1975:

“The Ballad of Curtis Loew” off the album “Second Helping” 1974:

“Whiskey Rock-a-Roller” off the album “Nuthin’ Fancy” 1975, live 1976:

“Cry for the Bad Man” off the album “Gimme Back My Bullets” 1976:

“You Got That Right” (Ronnie and Steve Gaines alternating vocals) off the album “Street Survivors” 1977: