LISTEN: Ronnie Van Zant Records “Free Bird” Demo & Launches Southern Rock! 1968 or 1970?
Southern rock fans know–and frequently pay homage to–Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic “Free Bird” which was released in 1974 on the band’s debut album, Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd that went on to become one of the all time classics. Earlier this week, someone sent me a link to an early demo version of the song, claiming to be recorded in 1970 by Ronnie Van Zant and the band. (You’ll notice a slight variation on…