It was used on albums, concert backdrops and merchandising so much that it. 2nd. Featuring iconic images of the legendary Southern rock band, our t-shirts are perfect for any music fan. Later, when I realized how offensive and horrible it looked, I took it down and haven't displayed one for 30 years. The Mayor the New Mexico city apologized for the float, while the Tea Party defended its inclusion by saying the float was intended to celebrate the totality of the state's history. Lynyrd Skynyrd official 2004 keycord lanyard. This group was not a Confederate flag-waving, redneck band. The interview, which aired Sept 9th on CNN caused an uproar in the The current members sat down with Fredricka of CNN for a "Face to Face" interview (watch below) and spoke about the band's evolution and the decision to stop using the Confederate flag that is so highlyoffensive to many people. America is changing, but will supporters of the flag cling to tradition, regardless of what lawmakers tell them? They should have taken a name like Obamas Politically Correct Sell Your Soul Make Believe Impostors or something, opined another. SACRAMENTO (CBS13) Joe Tornello has displayed the confederate flag on his right arm for 40 years. The Confederate flag means something more to us, Heritage not Hate -Gary Rossington. Just fill in the fields below, and well get a new account set up for you in no time. Lynyrd Skynyrd official 2011 keycord lanyard no2. Sale only. Another Southern band, the Drive-By Truckers, agrees. I support their decision. "I was 18 years old. They loved their guitars. We want to hear it. We know what the Dixie flag represents and its heritage; the Civil War was fought over States rights. The Confederate flag has been removed from the Dukes of Hazzard's "General Lee" car. It's a shame for them to be caught up in this, because in their early years they wrote some good, progressive songs, such as "Things Goin' On" about poverty and the ghettos; and then of course the gun control song, "Saturday NightSpecial" saying "Lert'sdump 'em all people, to the bottom of the sea". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. "We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things." As a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd back in 1964 alongside Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom, Gary Rossington has been responsible for popularising Southern rock, with their signature tunes Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird. The divisive image - which many view as a symbol of racism due to its connections with slavery, while others argue is an emblem of Southern pride - has a long history with many rock artists. While theyd shed members over the years, either due to disagreement or death, this reconstituted group kept the flame burning another 30 years, more than tripling the lifespan of the original band. ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd Announce Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour, Gary Rossington Calls Current Lynyrd Skynyrd a Tribute Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd Hanging It up in the Next Year or so, Lynyrd Skynyrd Show Enduring Rock N Roll Spirit in Los Angeles, Damon Johnson Talks Gary Rossingtons Return to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lynyrd Skynyrd Add More U.S. Still, shortly thereafter Nugent admitted in a separate interview that he continues to fly the Confederate flag at his home. In August, an Oregon school bus driver who was fired for flying the flag on his pickup truck (while on school property) won a ruling allowing him to sue the school district for violating his First Amendment rights. Shop officially licensed Lynyrd Skynyrd Shirts at Rockabilia. Inevitably, as this latter-day Lynyrd Skynyrd which would eventually incorporate former Blackfoot leader Rickey Medlocke as its lead guitarist in 1996 continued to tour and release the occasional new record, they complicated a legacy that was never quite as simple as recycled histories made it seem. Some still do today. Some have worn it as a symbol of heritage, others have adopted it in an effort to subvert. Check out our extensive selection of quality flags today. Of course not. I stopped everything and gave a speech about it, the singer recalled. The Confederate flag means something more to us, Heritage not Hate-Gary Rossington. Other famous rock acts continued to use the Confederate flag in concert through the 80s and 90s such include Guns N Roses, Pantera, and Kid Rock. In the musical South of the '60s and '70s, blues and soul influences bloomed in the mainstream Nashville sound, the white session musicians known as the Swampers made hits for artists like Etta James and Clarence Carter (and Skynyrd, too) and the Allman Brothers, a racially integrated band, were jamming like jazz musicians. Its my flag now., Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. The Southern rock band has long been known for its. Cancel. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Myself, the past members and the present members (that are from the South), are all extremely proud of our heritage and being from the South. On Wednesday, Alabama governor Robert Bentley ordered the flag removed from the Capitol groundsin Montgomery. Thats my abstract take on what I know about it, right? Back then, Lynyrd Skynyrd were leaders among the rebels forging a New South in the aftermath of the 1960s, creating music that soundtracked the ascent of Jimmy Carter to the White House. Its also difficult to lay the blame of Lynyrd Skynyrds use of the Confederate Flag entirely at the feet of MCA. In the aftermath of the Charleston shootings racial terrorism, Alabama decided to remove the flag from its state Capitol in Montgomery, and other states may soon follow suit. "Through the years, people like theKKKand skinheads kinda kidnapped the Dixie or Southern flag from its tradition and the heritage of the soldiers, that's what it was about," Rossington told CNN earlier this month. We will no longer sell that horrible thing! This is what the actual CSA Flag looks like (well the main one, they went through 3 versions): Personally, I feel it is about time. The Southern Poverty Law Center keeps track of the hundreds of hate groups who use the flag as a symbol. Confederate Flags are a great way to show your neighbours what you and your family love and support. Answer (1 of 10): Ninety nine percent of people in the South who display the Confederate flag are not racist. Lynyrd Skynyrd Won't Abandon The Confederate Flag. It came up that two of the band members are "Democrats" and were kind of upset about the possible gig and it caused a little stir in the band, but they aren't breaking up or anything. Except, thats not exactly true. INSANE CLOWN POSSE Rebel Flag T-shirt. So I wrote the song New Slaves. So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. Culture Racists Ruined the Confederate Flag for Lynyrd Skynyrd To the last original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, abandoning the Confederate flag signified the band cutting its ties to. The iconic Southern rock band incorporated its image into merchandise and marketing material for decades following their rise to fame in the early '70s, while also routinely using the Confederate flag as a backdrop during their live performances. In a 2015 op-ed for the New York Times Magazine, Drive-By Truckers bassist Patterson Hood declared it was high time that a symbol so divisive be removed. Why would a people steeped in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible want to rally around a flag that so many associate with hatred and violence? We will only ask you for information necessary to make the purchase process faster and easier. This interview sparked outrage from some Skynyrd fans, prompting Rossington to clarify his position. It was mostly for a concert for wounded soldiers that was going to take place in Liberty Plaza that they wanted to play for, not the politics Gary Rossington told ABC News. First of all, the Ronnie Van Zant of legend doesnt quite square with the real Ronnie Van Zant. Required fields are marked *. One note, the "flag" they always have used over the years is actually the the "battle flag of the Army of Tennessee", not the CSA National Flag. We know what the Dixie flag represents and its heritage; the Civil War was fought over States rights. Lynyrd Skynyrd uma banda americana de rock formada em 1964, na cidade de Jacksonville, Flrida.Tornou-se conhecida no sul dos Estados Unidos em 1973, ganhando maior notoriedade internacional principalmente aps a morte de diversos integrantes e do principal compositor Ronnie Van Zant em um acidente areo ocorrido em 1977 prximo a Gillsburg, Mississipi. Any energy is good energy. Walmart, Sears, eBay and Amazon decided to stop selling merchandise that used its image, CNN reported, noting "the announcements are the latest indication that the flag, a symbol of the slave-holding South, has become toxic.". To the last original member ofLynyrd Skynyrd, abandoning the Confederate flag signified the band cutting its ties to racism, the Ku Klux Klan and skinheads. The Arlington, Texas-based band often used Confederate flag imagery, as Darrell played guitars painted with its likeness: Today you can still buy apparel featuring the flag on Panteras website: In 2013, LL Cool J and Brad Paisley collaborated on a song called Accidental Racist. Paisley sang lines like, To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks down on Main/ I hope you understand when I put on that T-shirt/ The only thing I meant to say is Im a Skynyrd fan., Trace Adkins was criticized for performing while wearing an earpiece with a Confederate logo at the 2012 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting. Lynyrd Skynyrd wasnt bothered by Watergate, but now theyre sheepish over their use of the Confederate flag. "We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things.". Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 Not for sale or trade. In 2004, during the thick of George W. Bushs presidential re-election campaign, The New York Times claimed the Republican Partys Southern Strategy amounted to Cranking up Skynyrd a concession that signified how thoroughly Lynyrd Skynyrd was associated with the South, but also signaled how far the band and the South had come since the 1970s. The group. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. At The Gates Vest- Update. We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" was them giving the middle finger to a number of other entertainers who had at the time released material declaring *all* Southerners to be racist because of the actions of an infamous handful.