Steve Gaines

How Lynyrd Skynyrd Zoomed Skyward

Lead Guitarist Steve Gaines tells all!!!
Oakland Tribune – January 4, 1977

Judging from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s credentials a non-rock fan would likely draw the conclusion it is some kind of mining outfit. The two-record “One More from the Road” turned platinum as the New Year rolled in The first two albums were already platinum, the others are gold records. So far the Lynyrd Skynyrd congregation has sold more than four million albums and another million singles. That’s a lot of polyvinyl in the Bay Area and sold out a week before the others. All this from a Southern rock and blues band unheard of two years ago. Lynyrd Skynyrd grew out of a group of musicians who spent most of their first decade playing clubs, and bars around Jacksonville, Fla.

The name came as a play on their high school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner who had a reputation for not tolerating long hair on his students “Free Bird,” a guitar orgy from their first album produced by Al Kooper, became an FM radio staple in 1974 Then Skynyrd recorded “Sweet Home Alabama ‘ a pro-South song in reaction to Neil Young’s derogatory “Southern Man ” In spite of the image that song created, the boys aren’t rednecks, and have even moved Young to jam with them. But the song broadened their following The past year has seen Lynyrd Skynyrd go from second billing to headlining arena shows. A song like “Free Bird” can run up to 15 minutes with the guitarists building one lick on top of the next. “It wasn’t always like that,” Skynyrd publicist Toby Mamis explained. “Back when they were playing bars six nights a week they needed something so Ronnie could rest his voice before he lost it so the guitarists would stretch the instrumental sections out as long as possible ”

So what’s the secret? “Well, In addition to people liking the material the band does, I think it’s the band’s hard work and playing so many shows all the time, staying in front of their fans, that keeps them on top.” That’s lead guitarist Steve Gaines talking. He’s the latest addition to the 10-piece Lynyrd Skynyrd band. “They’re not like any other group I know,” Gaines added, “because they do spend so much time on the road ” The band spent a little too much time on the road in 1975, doing more than 60 shows in 80 days in what was later referred to as the “torture tour.” It cost the band a drummer and founding guitarist Ed King. But the rest of the group stuck together The famous Lynyrd Skynyrd foundation of three lead guitars dropped to two until last summer Gaines, an Oklahoman who played in several local bands, was invited up to Kansas City in July to play with the band. Sister Cassie Gaines was already In the group, one-third of the backup singers the Honkettes.
“I was used to playing clubs for a few hundred people said Gaines as he stroked his goatee which mangy at close range, but gives him a distinguished look on stage. “It was strange going In front of 9,001 people to jam with a group I’d never played with before,” he laughed. “The song was Jimmie Rodgers’ ‘T for Texas.’ I considered it a real honor when they asked me to join the baud. They had their choice of the best guitarists in the country. Being tagged a Southern Rock band doesn’t bother the Skynyrds “Sure there’s a definite Allman Brothers influence in our music just like there is a definite Jimi Hendrix influence in most rock guitarists. But we’re not trying to copy the Allmans or anyone else. Besides, we’re from Jacksonville and not Macon like a lot of others.” said Gaines, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington share lead guitar chores, but it is a much different approach they take than the standard set by Dickey Betts and the late Duane Allman in the Allman Brothers band. Where Betts and Allman took turns working out improvised lines during a song the-Skynyrd guitarists stick close to the same notes every show there is less improvisation but impressive display of split-second timing as one guitarist solos, then duels with the next until the third adds a counterpoint part the energy built up in such arrangements is one reason why fans come back again and again to watch the band.