Influences And Recollections of a Musical Mind

I’m reasonably sure that the first song I ever heard by Lynyrd Skynyrd was Sweet Home Alabama. I’m totally certain that the first Skynyrd song I ever attempted to learn on guitar was The Needle And The Spoon. Last, but not least, I am absolutely positive that my all-time favorite song by Skynyrd is The Ballad Of Curtis Loew. The fact that all 3 of these songs are on the band’s 1974 release, Second Helping, makes this one a shoe-in for inclusion in my ongoing album extravaganza. In addition to these 3 classics, this album also contains Workin’ For MCA, Don’t Ask Me No Questions, Swamp Music, and Call Me The Breeze. Second Helping is Lynyrd Skynyrd in “take no prisoners, take over the world” mode. They toured as openers for The Who and became the biggest band in Southern Rock, eclipsing even the mighty Allman Brothers Band in sales at that time. Ronnie Van Zant and his triple threat guitar army were living large and taking charge. Tragedy was still in the distance and Lynyrd Skynyrd were at their creative peak.

Written By Braddon S. Williams