New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ RoadRunner Records) Lynyrd Skynyrd will release Last of a Dying Breed on August 21. It's the band's first studio album since 2009's God & Guns, which debuted at #18 on the Billboard Top 20 - the band's highest chart debut since 1977. Last of a Dying Breed reunites the band with producer Bob Marlette, who produced God & Guns.
"It was great to get back in the studio with Bob for this new album," said Gary Rossington. "We kind of went back old school this time. All of us playing together in the studio as a band, tracking songs and creating licks. We had a lot of fun and the music really flowed for us, so that's when you know you are on to something good. We can't wait to let the fans hear these songs and play 'em live."
Led by core members Gary Rossington (guitar), Johnny
Van Zant (vocals) and Rickey Medlocke (guitar), along with longtime drummer Michael Cartellone,
Lynyrd Skynyrd have recorded an album that continues the tremendous legacy that began over 35 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, a legacy that was halted for a decade after the 1977 plane crash that killed three band members, including Ronnie
Van Zant and Steve Gaines. Since then, the band tragically lost Billy Powell, Ean Evans, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson and Huey Thomasson, yet they rock on.
In 2012,
Lynyrd Skynyrd have been joined by bass player Johnny Colt, an original member of the
Black Crowes who has also played with
Train and Rockstar Supernova. When asked about the phone call he received from Rickey Medlocke inviting him to join the band, Johnny said, "What else do you say to Medlocke, Rossington and Van Zant? We're talking Southern rock royalty. We're talking Lynyrd Skynyrd. The only thing out of my mouth was when and where!"
Lynyrd Skynyrd will be on tour throughout the summer in North
America and Europe.
North American tour dates are as follows:
May 4 Pier Six Concert Pavilion Baltimore, MD
May 5 Celebrate Virginia Live Fredericksburg, VA
May 11 Virginia
State Park Pavilion at Hooper Park Crewe, VA
May 12 Harrahs Chester Downs Chester, PA
May 18 Shooting Star Casino Mahnomen, MN
May 19 Treasure Island Resort & Casino Welch, MN
May 25 Indianapolis Motor
Speedway Indianapolis, IN
May 26 Riverfest Amphitheatre
Little Rock, AR
July 6 Maddies Place Kahnawake, QUE Canada
July 7 Buffalo Hill Village Varysburg, NY
July 8 Theatre at Westbury Westbury, NY
July 13 Toyota Park Bridgeview, IL
July 14 Jackson County Fairgrounds Jackson, MI
July 19 Great Jones County Fair Monticello, IA
July 20 Jamboree in the Hills Belmont, OH
July 21 FunFest @ Johnson Memorial Stadium Kingsport, TN
July 22
Bayside Toyota Pavilion Saint Leonard, MD
August 3 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte, NC
August 4 Time Warner Pavilion @Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC
August 9 Buffalo Chip Campground Sturgis, SD
August 11 Fortune Bay Resort and Casino Tower, MN
August 16 Sands Bethlehem Event Center Bethlehem, PA
August 17 Oakdale Theatre Wallingford, CT
August 18 Havelock Country Jamboree Havelock, ON Canada
August 24 CenturyLink Center Bossier City, LA
August 25 Amphitheater at the Wharf
Orange Beach, AL
August 31
Memphis Botanic Gardens Memphis, TN
September 1 Turner Field Atlanta, GA
October 4 Paul Paul Theatre Fresno, CA
October 5 Stockton
Arena Stockton, CA
October 6 The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
October 27
Simple Man Cruise 2012 Miami, FL