Rock ‘n’ roll luminaries Billy Gibbons, Warren Haynes, and Chuck Leavell are among those set to pay tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd at the 2023 CMT Awards. The ceremony will air live on Sunday, April 2nd at 8 p.m. ET from Austin’s Moody Center on CBS.
Also joining the tribute are Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash alongside country singer Cody Johnson and Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers. The performance of two yet-unnamed Skynyrd songs will also feature a nod to the band’s backup vocalists, “The Honkettes”, played by Wynonna Judd and LeAnn Rimes. Rounding out the lineup are seasoned sidemen Ethan Pilzer on bass and Rich Redmond on drums.
The CMT tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd is a twofer, as 2023 signals the 50th anniversary of the band’s debut album, (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd). Sadly, the segment also takes on added significance following the death of guitarist Gary Rossington earlier this month. Rossington was the last of the band’s original members and survived the infamous 1977 plane crash that killed his bandmates, singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines.
Despite Rossignton’s passing, the current Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup still intends to hit the road on the co-headlining Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with ZZ Top—a group playing without one of its original members, bassist Dusty Hill, who died in 2021. These days, Skynyrd is helmed by Ronnie Van Zant’s little brother Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Rickey Medlocke who will both be at the CMT Awards along with Rossington’s widow, Dale Krantz Washington.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute is just one of the high-profile collaborations planned for this Sunday’s ceremony. The Black Crowes will perform “She Talks to Angels” with Darius Rucker while Alanis Morissette will team up with fellow songstresses Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade, and Gwen Stefani will perform with Carly Pearce.
The post Billy Gibbons, Warren Haynes, Chuck Leavell To Honor Lynyrd Skynyrd At CMT Awards appeared first on L4LM.
