Lynyrd Skynyd Discusses Returning To Work To Farewell Fans

Lynyrd Skynyrd were on their farewell tour when Covid hit and the tour came to a halt.

Gary Rossington, Johnny Van Zandt and Rickey Medlocke has made a video to tell fans they are going back to say goodbye.

“We were two shows into the end of the three-year plan for the farewell tour, when the virus hit and everything was just gone,” said Van Zant. “Once something is taken away from you – music and touring in our case – you truly realize how important it is and such a part of your life. Music is a great healer, and that’s what we all turn to when things are good or bad. A Skynyrd show is a family affair, and we want these dates to help heal our fans as much as ourselves.”

Rossington added, “COVID turned our world upside down. And since that time, we have been talking amongst the band, and realized that music has such a way of healing. Maybe it’s not our time to go. And maybe it’s our time to lift people’s spirits and lives and bring back some joy and happiness after so much turmoil this past year. We’re still standing, still keeping the music going.”

“Being locked down brought a big perspective of how much I missed the band and the fans and not to ever take it for granted,” said Medlocke. “Merle Haggard was once asked, ‘Why do you do this? You don’t need to do this.’ He said, ‘I’m a musician, this is what I do – I play.’ That’s what we are. We’re musicians. We play. No matter what comes around, we love to be out playing for the fans. Once the band hits the stage, I hope everybody will forget about last year for a little while.”

The Last of the Street Survivors Farewell tour became on 4 May 2018. The tour started out with an all-star cast of opening acts including Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr., Bad Company, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, .38 Special, Cheap Trick, Blackberry Smoke, the Randy Bachman Band, Blackfoot, Massive Wagons, and Status Quo.

For these final shows TESLA will perform as direct support for a majority of the Big Wheels Keep On Turnin’ Tour dates, and Kansas, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Blackberry Smoke, Allman Betts Band, and The Marshall Tucker Band wrap up the other dates.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Big Wheels Keep On Turnin’ Tour

June
13 Forest City, IA Country Thunder Iowa
18 Ft. Worth, TX Billy Bob’s Texas
19 Ft. Worth, TX Billy Bob’s Texas

July
22 Shakopee, MN Twin Cities Summer Jam
23 Minot, ND North Dakota State Fair

August
9 Canton, OH Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
10 Jackson, MI Jackson County Fair
13 Atlanta, GA* Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
14 Cullman, AL Rock The South
19 Canandaigua, NY* CMAC
20 Bethel, NY* Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
22 Wildwood, NJ Barefoot Country Music Festival
27 Holmdel, NJ* PNC Bank Arts Center
28 Saratoga Springs, NY* Saratoga Performing Arts Center

September
3 Paducah, KY Touchdowns and Tunes Tailgate Party
4 Durant, OK Choctaw Grand Theater
17 Selbyville, DE Freeman Arts Pavilion
18 Doswell, VA After Hours Concerts at the Meadow
Event Park
23 Mansfield, MA* Xfinity Center
27 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater

October
1 Irvine, CA* FivePoint Amphitheater
2 Laughlin, NV Laughlin Event Center
8 Noblesville, IN* Ruoff Music Center
9 Cincinnati, OH* Riverbend Music Center

November
5 Knoxville, TN* Thompson Boling Arena
6 Charleston, WV* Charleston Coliseum
13 Greensboro, NC* Greensboro Coliseum
14 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome to Rockville
19 Bossier City, LA* Brookshire Grocery Arena

The tour was also meant to coincide with one last studio album. The last Lynyrd Skynyrd album was ‘Last of a Dyin’ Breed’ in 2012.