Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock

Outstanding insight into the early, middle, and later years of the best southern rock bands ever!

Anyone who loves Lynyrd Skynyrd and their music, you must read this book!! If I had Gene Odom's address, I would personally write him and thank him for sharing this part of his life he spent with Ronnie VanZant and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Not only was I able to get to "know" Ronnie VanZant and each member of the band, but I learned the messages/meanings/stories to/behind so many of their songs. Ronnie VanZant was an amazing artist; the music industry lost a great one back in October 1977. The musical talent he had for back-up was unbelievable. To have seen them in concert must have been an experience to never forget.Even though I knew the ending of the book would consist of telling the story of the fatal crash and the band losing Ronnie, Steve and Cassie Gaines and Dean Kilpatrick, I cried uncontrollably for at least an hour.People are often asked, if there was one person who has since deceased and you could spend a day with, well, I would want to spend a day with Ronnie VanZant, bass fishing and him hopefully sharing a few stories and maybe even talking a little music.Thank you again, Gene Odom, for sharing with us.Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird, forever!!!!!

Thanks!

I was only 9 years old when the Lynryd Skynryd plane crash happened so it's not as if I was a big LS fan all along. Like most everyone I love many of their songs and was aware of the tragedy that they had endured but I can say that reading this book and really getting to understand where these guys came from has made me a true fan. Having known Ronnie Van Zant since boyhood, Gene Odom is able to really describe where and how these guys came about. It's pretty amazing that a few boyhood friends managed to teach themselves everything they would need to know to become musical superstars. There is so much, beyond the plane crash even, that these guys have been through that you can only appreciate them that much more after having read this. I'm very glad the author wrote this book because there has been surprisingly little written in book form about the band and it's hard to say any group of people could have packed much more into what have been mostly relatively short lives. A great read for sure!

It's a great book but he does tend to drone on on certain subjects. If you're a Skinner fan I think you'd like it.

As an avid Skynyrd fan, I found this book compelling reading. The detail on the band's formative years was outstanding. I was also fascinated to read about Ronnie Van Zant's evolution from schoolyard rebel to rock star. He was certainly a character.I read an interview with the late Billy Powell somewhere recently where he expressed a degree of relief after Ronnie's untimely end due to the fact that the bashings he used to receive at the hands of Ronnie were over. I was a little surprised that the band allowed themselves to descend so deeply into alcohol and drugs; however it seems that this was par for the course in the 70's.One thing that surprised me was there is no reference to the author on any of the album sleeves. Plenty of gratitude to the likes of Craig Reed and Dean Kilpatrick, but no mention of Gene Odom. I would imagine the author may have embellished some aspects of the book; however it is a must read for any Skynyrd fan.

The author is very knowledgeable of the group!

This is the best book I've read on Lynyrd Skynyrd. I've read reviews of the band and short articles in magazines etc but nothing comes close to reading the history from someone who was actually there and survived the plane crash. Ronnie Van Zant was a genius when it came to (not) writing songs down. This is one band who's music will live forever. I've added this book to my collection of Biographies and Auto-biographies. It's right up there with Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, The Allman Brothers, Suzi Quatro ,U2 and Charlie Daniels This is an awesome read and I highly recommend it to any Skynyrd fan.

A book with real & very personal insights into one of the great American bands & surely the kings of "Southern Rock".I found this to be engrossing from start to finish.The author's close relationship with the band & with Ronnie Van Zandt in particular, makes for a truly intimate book. Although they were obviously close friends, the author does not describe Van Zandt in sickly sweet terms - he includes the bouts of temper, the tendency towards violence & the heavy drinking.The book charts the childhood of Van Zandt, the early lives of the band members, the rise of Skynyrd as a major force in rock music & the terrible & tragic plane crash which decimated the band. It also touches on the other tragedies which impacted on a band who were a different class but who had more than their fair share of misfortune.It isn't the greatest piece of literature but it does deliver the goods - it doesn't need to be written like a classic novel to tell a fascinating story.Skynyrd had bucket loads of talent & this book shows how this was honed & realised through the force of Van Zandt's personality. If you are a fan, this book is surely a "must have".I was left with a lingering feeling of sadness & a bout of the "what if's..." after reading this book mixed with an increased admiration for the band & its members.A book about one of the best bands America has ever produced.

A first class book, I couldn't put it down it was that good ( well they are a favourite band of mine). I purchased the book second hand and found it to be in excellent condition. The book was both informative and interesting, describing their rise and fall ( crash ) a great talent had gone to waste. Fortunately their music lives on despite the passing years.

Not finished reading it yet, but have found what I've read so far to be very good. Lot's of photos I'd never seen before too, all in all looks like a good buy. One can't help feeling sorry for the band, such a sad story.

A look into the life of before and after of the one and only Lynyrd Skynyrd, well written, it takes you on a journey about, should they or shouldn't they of got on that plane (and we all know the outcome), a great read.

Loved reading this. Written by someone on 'the inside' which was good.