The Artimus Pyle Band is hitting the street this month for a sequence of tour dates that can start August 27 in Cleveland, Ohio. It is an opportunity for followers to listen to a bunch of legendary music performed by somebody who was there for lots of the historical past.
The drummer is the final dwelling member of Lynyrd Skynyrd who survived the tragic aircraft crash that claimed the lives of three of his bandmates on October 20, 1977 in Gillsburg, Mississippi, together with vocalist Ronnie Van Zant.
“Taking part in the music, I get emotional generally in the course of a set doing a sure music. Tears will come to my eyes,” he tells UCR. “It rapidly passes as a result of I am busy, you understand, enjoying these songs.”
“No two Lynyrd Skynyrd songs are the identical. There is no drum elements which can be precisely the identical on any Skynyrd music. Each one is completely different, and it is a problem,” Pyle says. “And I settle for that problem and love doing it. And so you understand, APB to me, has saved my life, and saved me alive.”
READ MORE: The Day Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Aircraft Crashed
Along with the opening evening in Cleveland, Pyle and his band may even carry out additional live shows in Pennsylvania, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Kansas and New Hampshire. The exhibits are on sale now and you may see the entire upcoming dates under.
How Artimus Joined Lynyrd Skynyrd
It has been greater than 50 years for the reason that drummer joined the Southern rock legends, a possibility that got here his approach in 1974, previous to the band going into the studio to document 1975’s Nuthin’ Fancy. “I used to be enjoying and jamming with a man named Charlie Daniels, and he auditioned me for his band down in in New Orleans. Charlie had two drummers, and the drummer that was going to give up modified his thoughts on the final minute,” Pyle remembers.
“However he mentioned, ‘I do know of a band that is on the lookout for a drummer as a result of their drummer is having some medical points.’ And it was Lynyrd Skynyrd — Charlie Daniels and the Marshall Tucker Band each instructed Ronnie, ‘We all know a drummer that is loopy sufficient to be in your band’ and that was me.”
Take heed to Artimus Pyle Play ‘Saturday Night time Particular’ With Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd Was ‘Positively Onerous Rock’ Again within the Day
Although Skynyrd today is understood for being within the Southern rock style, partly due to the enduring success of the numerous songs that proceed to get common radio play, Pyle confirms that the Lynyrd Skynyrd of the ’70s was a harder-edged animal. In reality, he factors out that they occupied house in a number of completely different genres, one thing he thinks is a consider why the band’s music remains to be so fashionable.
“We had been positively exhausting rock, you understand. However the the genius of Ronnie Van Zant is a music like ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew,’ and several other different songs that match nearly a rustic style, after which we would go into one thing like ‘Saturday Night time Particular,’ which is certainly heavy metallic,” he says. “After which ‘Free Fowl,’ you understand, that is only a wild melee of heavy metallic, with the solo that Allen Collins wrote.”
“When you have a look at ‘Candy House Alabama,’ [that] will not be a pop music, however it grew to become a very talked-about music and nonetheless is all around the world,” he explains. “I imply, you consider Ronnie’s songs; they’ve lasted all these years. They usually’re nonetheless related and performed on radio stations all around the world. His songs will probably be right here a thousand years from now.”
What Followers Can Anticipate From the Artimus Pyle Band’s Concert events
The drummer cuts proper to the chase: “Those that love Lynyrd Skynyrd music can count on an exceptional band,” he tells UCR. “There’s seven of us now, and we have added Barry Lee Harwood [who some fans might know from his work with the Rossington Collins Band and also, his dobro and mandolin on Skynyrd’s Gimme Back My Bullets album] to the group.”
READ MORE: When Lynyrd Skynyrd Combined Issues Up For ‘Gimme Again My Bullets’
“We’ve an unimaginable frontman, Thane Shearon — and Scott Raines, Jerry Lyda and I’ve been collectively for years,” he provides. “We have got Johnny Bounce on bass guitar, and Joe ‘Boogie’ Simpson on keyboards. It is an incredible band, and the fellows, they play Lynyrd Skynyrd music higher and with extra coronary heart, and for all the best causes than any band on this planet.”
Artimus Pyle Band, 2026 Tour Dates
Aug. 27 – Cleveland, OH @ Music Field Supper Membership
Aug. 28 – North Ridgeville, OH @ Northeast Ohio VetFest 2026
Aug. 29 – Strausstown, PA @ Pat Garrett Amphitheater
Sept. 19 – Ocala, FL @ Circle Sq. Cultural Middle
Sept. 20 – Stuart, FL @ Lyric Theatre
Sept. 21 – Jacksonville, FL @ Alhambra Theatre and Eating
Oct. 02 – Newberry, SC @ Newberry Opera Home
Oct. 10 – Largo, FL @ Central Park Performing Arts Middle
Oct. 15 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
Oct. 16 – Millville, NJ @ Levoy Theatre
Oct. 17 – Newton, NJ @ The Newton Theatre
Oct. 18 – Irwin, PA @ The Lamp Theatre
Oct. 31 – Rochester, NH @ Rochester Opera Home
Nov. 07 – Kingman, KS @ Kingman Theatre
Lynyrd Skynyrd Albums Ranked
The reunited band has carried on the unique lineup’s legacy, releasing nearly twice as many LPs through the years.
Gallery Credit score: Michael Gallucci
