Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd Drummer Artimus Pyle Makes Grand Old Opry Debut

Former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle made his debut with his latter-day group at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on Friday (20). The Artimus Pyle Band performed their own version of Skynyrd’s anthem “Sweet Home Alabama.”

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The band, featuring Brad Durden, Jerry Lyda, Dave Fowler, and Scott Raines, were part of an Opry line-up that also included Vince Gill, Connie Smith, the Isaacs, Sons Of The Pioneers, and Sophia Scott. The appearance by Pyle and his band came on the 46th anniversary of the infamous aeroplane crash that took the lives of the band’s lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, and three other members of the party.

Since the death of co-founding guitarist Gary Rossington in March, Pyle, who joined the group in 1975, is the only surviving member who was on the plane. He managed to escape the wreckage to get help, helping to save the lives of others. He was part of the group reunion in the 1980s, but left permanently in 1991, subsequently forming the band he tours with today.

After the Opry show, he told announcer Charlie Mattos: “We all live, we all die, it’s how you live your life. Gary passed away, and that makes me the last living member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. I’m not bragging. It’s not a good feeling. As a matter of fact, it’s a bad feeling.”

The Artimus Pyle Band have just released a new version of “Sweet Home Alabama” with lead vocals by Brooks & Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn, and the career-spanning 50th anniversary boxed set Fyfty is also just via Geffen/UMe. It’s accompanied by a new, official lyric video for “Alabama” and the set includes the previously unissued live recording of “Gimme Three Steps,” from the band’s last show with Rossington in November last year.

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