Farewell Ed King

Ed King, best known for his time playing guitar with Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died at age 68. King co-wrote the band's best song "Sweet Home Alabama." Turn up the southern rock today in remembrance!

Former LYNYRD SKYNYRD Guitarist ED KING Dead At 68 https://t.co/F9O7fqTZxu pic.twitter.com/6vrL2X5bDo

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) August 23, 2018

I’ve just found out about Ed’s passing and I’m shocked and saddened. Ed was our brother, and a great Songwriter and Guitar player. I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock & Roll Heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sharon and his family. -Gary Rossington

— Lynyrd Skynyrd (@Skynyrd) August 23, 2018

Comments

[Gary]

This popped up on my phone on a newsfeed last evening. Dude was one smooth as butter blues styled player. Wrote one of the most iconic, much copied riffs in popular music history. RIP Big Guy, and may your skies always be blue.

[Bob]

"Sweet Home Alabama", while Skynyrd's most famous song, is hardly their best. that said, Ed King once talked about the oddly-constructed guitar solo he played in that song. It actually came to him in a dream, and he was able to remember it long enough after he woke up to put down a rough idea of it. Now that he is gone, Rossington is the only one left of the original lineup.

[Shawn]

Growing up in the south - Lynyrd Skynyrd was bigger than life - They were the rural rednecks Led Zepplin. Ed King was a big part of their early success. Bob is completely correct and Gary as well. I was a bit of a Skynyrd fanatic as a kid On the ol high school class ring was a confederate flag under the stone and where your name went engraved on the inside of the band - I had Lynyrd Skynyrd engraved. I still have the ring to this day

I never got to see the original line up but I did see the reunion at Shorline in 87 or 88 back when Johnny didn't sing Freebird. I finally gave up any delusion that they were in any caliber of the past when Billy Powell died. Don't get me wrong I like Ricky Medlock but with only Gary remaining it seems pointless.

Mary Ed rest in piece with his legacy of music still played in heavy rotation around the world. That D C G lick changed the lives of many young guitar players.

[Gary]

Shawn. I was a big ole Skynyrd & Molly Hatchet/Southern Rock Guy too. (IMHO, Today’s “bro style” country music is pretty much lifted from these folks.). Can’t believe Gary is the last original member. Artimus Pyle is still around, but he came a little later on. Once again, RIP Ed, and thanks for a big part of the soundtrack of my very hazy middle teenage years. 👍😎

[Him]

Some nice comments here. Thanks for sharing.