The name of the band
Lynyrd Skynyrd came from an individual named Leonard Skinner. Skinner was a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville who at some point in the 1960s disciplined Gary and Bob for letting their hair grow... Then band was named as a parody of his name. Later, the coach and band members reconciled, the coach leaving teaching, starting a real estate business, and opening a southern rock nightclub, 'The Still.'
Lynyrd Skynyrd came from an individual named Leonard Skinner. Skinner was a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville who at some point in the 1960s disciplined Gary and Bob for letting their hair grow... Then band was named as a parody of his name. Later, the coach and band members reconciled, the coach leaving teaching, starting a real estate business, and opening a southern rock nightclub, 'The Still.'
The name of the band
Lynyrd Skynyrd came from an individual named Leonard Skinner. Skinner was a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville who at some point in the 1960s disciplined Gary and Bob for letting their hair grow... Then band was named as a parody of his name. Later, the coach and band members reconciled, the coach leaving teaching, starting a real estate business, and opening a southern rock nightclub, 'The Still.'
Lynyrd Skynyrd came from an individual named Leonard Skinner. Skinner was a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville who at some point in the 1960s disciplined Gary and Bob for letting their hair grow... Then band was named as a parody of his name. Later, the coach and band members reconciled, the coach leaving teaching, starting a real estate business, and opening a southern rock nightclub, 'The Still.'
The late, Great, Jeff Newman
1973-1983, Jacksonville, Road Gigs, and Recording
We arrived in Jacksonville with the whole Mike Miller band living in Mike's house. We soon found work at a real dive, the Paxton Lounge, a six night gig that paid a big $25 a night apiece (of course, adjusted to today's money, not that bad.)
Mike took the band with him to Nashville for his first pro recording session, an event that changed my life. I had previously been an unpaid helper and hanger-on at several studios in Miami. I even got to hang around the world famous Criteria Studios, had seen national rock acts record, utilizing take after take, and really thought I could play with anybody. This experience was different.
Mike's session was at Hilltop Studios, produced by pedal steel legend Jeff Newman, and featuring Leon Rhodes on guitar, Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano, and Johnny Gimble on fiddle (I don't remember the bass player or drummer.) The studio's gold records were on the walls, the players were all legends, and hearing them warm up, then play brand new songs flawlessly the first take made me realize there was a whole level of musicianship I had not been exposed to in either the rock world or the country bar band scene. For the first time, I was humbled. Mike recorded 4 songs, two ours, and 2 which had been given to him by Eddie West, a guitarist and songwriter who had wrote 'Lonely World' for Ray Price, and would later take my place with Mike. We left with not only some great cuts, but Jeff's nephew, Michael Carter as part of the band on pedal steel. I practiced a LOT after that experience...
We ended up at the biggest country showcase in Jacksonville at the time, the Happy Hour. Shortly after that, myself and the band parted company. I started with 'Sherman Eddings and the New Entertainers' the next week, a five piece band that was more of a country rock act than straight country.
With Sherman, we played both straight country bars and rock clubs, his outrageous front work drew in both kinds of places. We finally settled down as the house band at the Still, a bar owned by Leonard Skinner, a former teacher, and the inspiration for the group 'Lynyrd Skynyrd's name. Although the name was adopted by Skynyrd as a form of derision, the group and the coach had at some point reconcilled, and the bar was a hang out for quite a few of the southern rock guys, including Skynyrd. We were playing the night we heard that Skynyrd's plane crashed.
In late 1977, our bass player developed some drug problems, his replacement ended up being my long term musical partner. Ron Newby along with drummer Ron Kelly, steel player Cliff Austin and myself decided to get back in the lounge music scene, and started at the Admiral Benbow Inn 'Admiral's Pub' under the name of Southern Mist...
Wait! Theres's More!
Mike's session was at Hilltop Studios, produced by pedal steel legend Jeff Newman, and featuring Leon Rhodes on guitar, Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano, and Johnny Gimble on fiddle (I don't remember the bass player or drummer.) The studio's gold records were on the walls, the players were all legends, and hearing them warm up, then play brand new songs flawlessly the first take made me realize there was a whole level of musicianship I had not been exposed to in either the rock world or the country bar band scene. For the first time, I was humbled. Mike recorded 4 songs, two ours, and 2 which had been given to him by Eddie West, a guitarist and songwriter who had wrote 'Lonely World' for Ray Price, and would later take my place with Mike. We left with not only some great cuts, but Jeff's nephew, Michael Carter as part of the band on pedal steel. I practiced a LOT after that experience...
We ended up at the biggest country showcase in Jacksonville at the time, the Happy Hour. Shortly after that, myself and the band parted company. I started with 'Sherman Eddings and the New Entertainers' the next week, a five piece band that was more of a country rock act than straight country.
With Sherman, we played both straight country bars and rock clubs, his outrageous front work drew in both kinds of places. We finally settled down as the house band at the Still, a bar owned by Leonard Skinner, a former teacher, and the inspiration for the group 'Lynyrd Skynyrd's name. Although the name was adopted by Skynyrd as a form of derision, the group and the coach had at some point reconcilled, and the bar was a hang out for quite a few of the southern rock guys, including Skynyrd. We were playing the night we heard that Skynyrd's plane crashed.
In late 1977, our bass player developed some drug problems, his replacement ended up being my long term musical partner. Ron Newby along with drummer Ron Kelly, steel player Cliff Austin and myself decided to get back in the lounge music scene, and started at the Admiral Benbow Inn 'Admiral's Pub' under the name of Southern Mist...
Wait! Theres's More!
