Slash, Billy Gibbons, and Warren Haynes lead an all-star tribute medley of Lynyrd Skynyrd classics to honor the late guitarist Gary Rossington at the CMT Music Awards show. Alongside guest vocalists Cody Johnson, LeAnn Rimes, Paul Rodgers, and Wynonna Judd, the trio performed a selection of the band’s biggest hits, with Chuck Leavell on keys.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album, the ensemble kicked off with “Simple Man,” where Johnson and Rodgers shared lead vocal duties. Slash and Haynes added emotive progressions to the verses and embellished vocal lines with pentatonic licks, while Gibbons contributed with turnarounds on his Red Devil Fender Stratocaster.
For the second Skynyrd track, “Sweet Home Alabama,” Haynes switched to a red Fender Stratocaster, and the trio each took turns with eight bars of quick-fire guitar solos. Slash’s humbuckers added a beefy twang to the track, and Gibbons and Haynes delivered their signature single-coil sounds.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd family, including Rossington’s wife, Dale Krantz Rossington, and members of Skynyrd’s touring operation, were present during the show. Rossington’s passing last month on 5th March, at the age of 71 prompted an outpouring of tributes from musicians and guitarists worldwide.
In their first performance following Rossington’s passing, the band delivered a touching rendition of “Tuesday’s Gone” as their tribute to Skynyrd’s founding guitarist. Watch the video below.
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