Slash, Billy Gibbons, Paul Rodgers to Pay Musical Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd at CMT Awards
Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons, and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers are set to perform two Lynyrd Skynyrd songs alongside other musicians during a tribute to the legendary Southern rock band at the CMT Music Awards this Sunday (April 2nd)
The three rockers will be joined by country singer Cody Johnson, guitarist Warren Haynes, and Nashville session vets Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond on bass and drums, respectively. In addition, LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd will sing with the group as “The Honkettes.”
The tribute will mark the 50th anniversary of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album, (pronounced ‘lĕh-‘nérd ‘skin-‘nérd), released in August of 1973. The seminal LP shot the band to instant fame with classic songs such as “Free Bird,” “Simple Man,” “Gimme Three Steps,” and “Tuesday’s Gone.”
The CMT Awards performance will also double as a memoriam for the late guitarist and founding band member Gary Rossington, who passed away on March 5th at the age of 71. Rossington was the last living original member of Skynyrd, and his wife and Skynyrd backing vocalist Dale Krantz Rossington will be attendance at the awards ceremony alongside fellow band members Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlock.
The 2023 CMT Music Awards will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday (April 2nd) at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas (get tickets via this location). The show will be broadcast live on CBS and be available to stream via Paramount+, with Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini set to host the evening.
Lynryd Skynyrd, meanwhile, are still in the midst of their ongoing farewell tour, which picks up again in late April. Tickets to their upcoming shows are available here.