Lynyrd Skynyrd: Watch Rock Legends Pay Tribute At CMT Awards
AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 02: (L-R) Cody Johnson, Slash, and Billy Gibbons perform onstage during the 2023 CMT Music Awards at Moody Center on April 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
A lineup of rock legends got together at the CMT Awards to pay tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Skynyrd’s founder and leader, guitarist Gary Rossington, of course, died last month. The tribute was led by singer Paul Rodgers, formerly of Bad Company and Free. Cody Johnson sang as well. Slash from Guns N’ Roses, Warren Haynes from Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers Band and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top were among the guitarists. Chuck Leavell, the longtime Rolling Stones keyboardist (and a former member of the Allman Brothers Band). LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd both sang backing vocals. They were introduced by Peter Frampton, who frequently toured with Skynyrd.
The group started with “Simple Man,” and then played “Sweet Home Alabama,” with Haynes and Gibbons singing as well. Rimes and Judd were the true vocal stars of the performance though. Skynyrd’s Rickey Medlocke and Johnny Van Zant watched from the audience.
https://youtu.be/yB7ACD-CoDY
It wasn’t the only rock moment at the show. Judd and Ashley McBryde covered Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is.” Gwen Stefani was joined by Carly Pearce for her No Doubt classic, “Just A Girl.” Alanis Morissette sang her classic “You Oughta Know” joined by Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade. And in a nod to the fact that the show took place in Austin, Texas, Gary Clark Jr. performed “The House Is Rockin’,” in tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan. And Darius Rucker joined forces with the Black Crowes to perform their classic, “She Talks To Angels.”
Celebrity Deaths 2023: Musicians, Entertainers & Cultural Figures We Lost
We’ve had to say goodbye to some big names this year in the worlds of entertainment, sports, politics and beyond. To be frank, it was an absolutely brutal year.
So many giants in music died in 2023. Guitar god Jeff Beck died suddenly in January at age 78 after contracting bacterial meningitis. In February, legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach died at age 94. Singer, actor and civil rights icon Harry Belafonte died in April at age 96 from congestive heart failure. In May, the world lost Tina Turner – the Queen of Rock ‘n Roll – at age 83. Iconic pop singer Tony Bennett died in July at age 96.
The worlds of television and film were not immune to significant loss in 2023. Sitcom mastermind Norman Lear died in December at age 101. Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers died in October at age 76 from an aggressive form of breast cancer. Matthew Perry also died in October. The Friends star was only 54. Bob Barker, longtime host of The Price is Right, died in August at age 99. Paul Reubens, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, died in July at age 70 following a private battle with cancer.
The sports world was rocked by the deaths of three major wrestling figures. In June, The Iron Sheik (Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) died at age 81. Then, in August, there were two back-to-back deaths. First, WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk died at age 79. Funk’s hardcore style has been influential to generations of wrestlers that followed. Then, Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) suddenly died at age 36. The young wrestler died after contracting COVID, which exacerbated a heart issue and led to a heart attack.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the musicians, celebrities and other cultural figures we’ve lost in 2023.
Brian has been working in pop culture and media for about three decades: he’s worked at MTV, VH1, SiriusXM, CBS and Loudwire. Besides working as a writer and an editor-in-chief, he’s also appeared on air as a pundit, guested on radio shows and hosted podcasts. Over the years, he’s interviewed the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, the members of U2, Beyonce, Pink, Usher, Stevie Nicks, Lorde… and is grateful to have had the chance to interview Joe Strummer of the Clash and Tom Petty.
