Slash, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Rodgers Lead Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute at CMT Awards: Watch

The post Slash, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Rodgers Lead Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute at CMT Awards: Watch appeared first on Consequence.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was honored at the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday night with a tribute performance from the combined forces of Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons, Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers, and more. They performed a medley of “Simple Man” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

The all-star rock lineup was filled out by Gov’t Mule frontman Warren Haynes, keyboardist Chuck Leavell of The Allman Brothers Band, country singer Cody Johnson, and veteran Nashville session musicians Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond on bass and drums, respectively. Meanwhile, LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd assumed the vocal duties of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic back-up singers, “The Honkettes.”

The performance celebrated the 50th anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 debut LP, (pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd), which set the southern rock standard with hits like “Free Bird,” “Simple Man,” “Gimme Three Steps,” and “Tuesday’s Gone.” The tribute also doubled as a remembrance of the band’s late guitarist and last living original member Gary Rossington, who passed away in March at 71-years old. His widow, Dale Krantz-Rossington, has served as a backing vocalist for the group since 1987 and was in the audience alongside her fellow bandmates, Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlock.

The 2023 CMT Awards also included a tribute to the late Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn by Gary Clark Jr., and Shania Twain was honored with the Equal Play Award, which recognizes advocacy for diversity in country music. Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini hosted the event at Austin’s Moody Center.

Lynyrd Skynyrd will be back on-stage themselves soon enough as they continue an extended farewell tour that includes a co-headlining trek with ZZ Top this summer. Browse for tickets and deals to all of the band’s upcoming live dates via StubHub, where your order is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program.

Slash, Billy Gibbons, and Paul Rodgers Lead Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute at CMT Awards: Watch
Bryan Kress

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