Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King dead at 68

Boris13c · Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:47 pm

Ed King, the Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist who joined the band in 1972 to give the Southern rock group its iconic three-guitar sound, died Wednesday in Nashville. He was 68. A cause of death was not specified, though King had been battling lung cancer and had recently been hospitalized for the disease.

A message on King’s Facebook confirmed his death: “It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of Ed King who died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee on August 22nd, 2018. We thank his many friends and fans for their love and support of Ed during his life and career.”

A California native, King was a founding member of the psychedelic ’60s band Strawberry Alarm Clock, known for their hit “Incense and Peppermints.” He offered to join Skynyrd when, opening for the band at the Jacksonville, Florida, bar the Comic Book Club in 1968, he heard them rehearsing the song “Need All My Friends.” It wasn’t until 1972, however, when King would sign on with Skynyrd, temporarily replacing bassist Leon Wilkeson and then becoming a full-fledged member as third guitarist.

King played on the band’s first three albums: 1973’s “(Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd)”, 1974’s “Second Helping” and 1975’s “Nuthin’ Fancy.” He most famously co-wrote “Second Helping”‘s “Sweet Home Alabama” — that’s him counting off “1, 2, 3” in the song’s intro — which, along with “Free Bird,” has become synonymous with the group.

The Marshall Plan · Thu Aug 23, 2018 5:11 pm

What an amazing band. Sorry to hear about his passing.

G08 · Thu Aug 23, 2018 8:35 pm

Obligatory:

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malagabears · Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:21 am

Love me some Skynard. I have listened to "Sweet Home Alabama" quite a few times and still love it!! Freebird is also kickass!!

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Otis Day · Fri Sep 14, 2018 2:29 pm

While I love me some Skynyrd as well, Free Bird and Sweet HOme Alabama can just go away. Heard far too many times. Give some That Smell, Ballad of Curtis Loew, Call me the Breeze, Don't Ask Me No Questions, anything but the former 2 songs. I can't wait until version goes away. I like Johnny Van Zant on his own or with his brother Donnie. I hope he gets back to those projects.

Just my 2 cents.

Fri Sep 14, 2018 6:23 pm

Otis Day wrote:While I love me some Skynyrd as well, Free Bird and Sweet HOme Alabama can just go away. Heard far too many times. Give some That Smell, Ballad of Curtis Loew, Call me the Breeze, Don't Ask Me No Questions, anything but the former 2 songs. I can't wait until version goes away. I like Johnny Van Zant on his own or with his brother Donnie. I hope he gets back to those projects.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm still okay with Free Bird since it's got an amazing solo that I'm always able to notice something different about, but I agree with Sweet Home Alabama. If it comes on the radio, I immediately switch to another station. Same with songs like Stairway to Heaven, Radar Love, etc. Yeah, they're good songs, but after a million times hearing the same studio version, you just get sick of it.