Here's a strange fact , Steve Gains replaced Ed King and they were born on the same day of the same year , Ed said that freaked him out when he saw that while visiting the graves of Ronnie and Steve.
Great Interview. Ed was just like us, an Everyday Guy. A westerner, that got into the Southern Ways. Like we say in Leon's song,"Your Spirits Never Gone, It Lives On, and On, and On"!!!
One other thing if you look at the album cover of pronounced you can see a lightning bolt appearing to go through Eds head. Also Ed once said that he left Skynyrd because" this is not going to end well for this band " in reference to the excessive drinking and drug use. Appeares he was right.
I asked him about some of the Skynyrd songs on facebook about ten years ago on his public account. He had 2 facebook accounts. His personal and his fan page. I asked him about some of the guitar parts and explained to him my age. What I did for a living and to my surprise he answered me and in a pretty in depth way. He realized by the structure of my questions that I was a real guitar player, I have worked in live entertainment since I was 18. I learned by ear like many of us did in that time period. We did not have youtube or even tablature until maybe 82 ish. I did see skykyrd in 77 not long before the crash and then again on the tribute tour and I had a bunch of pro shot photo's from that show and asked if he wanted them. He said Robert, I have more pictures of myself and that band that I will ever need or want. Thank you for the offer and then he proceeded to answer my questions in clear detail. He is a was a very polite man and I hope to meet him on the other side as well as ll the others.
he was a great guy, well mannered, with a big heart. and good intuition. He knew the path they were on was not going to end well. God bless him , RIP. I saw him 1987 tour when they regrouped. amazing. he really was the unsung hero of Skynyrd in many ways. so were the 2 drummers.
I never got a chance to see Ed play live or meet him in person.. in every interview or video I see him in he talks like a very genuine and humble man..R.I.P Ed King
I never got to meet him in person, either. But I did get to see him in 1987... and I have fond memories of discussing music and Skynyrd history with him and Al Kooper on an AOL Southern Rock message board during the late 90s.
I Really hate to speak any ill of a dude that has passed. But I feel like I had an epiphany after Gary had just passed. It looks like from my POV that Ed really was not a true member of Skynyrd . I feel like he just grabbed on ,and was blown away by theirt ethic ,while he was a lazy college boy. Gary said Ed never felt like a Brother on the road and Ed said he never felt in place with them . Gary said Ed used to by like 100 Slim Jim's for$.25 And sell to band for $1.50 , and was really stingy with his drugs ,and never felt like a true hillbilly Bro. Ronnie body slammed him for more than just breaking strings . Allen Wrote SHA ,Ed just came in late and did his chicken pickin' riff. Allen Wrote Freebird in HS. Steve Gaines to me ,is thee only 3rd guitarist for Skynyrd . Ed was a Fake redneck . Never liked him in Skynyrd. He was a descent guitarist ,but didn't ever belong in LS. JMO !
Ed was my best friend in 1965 at Hoover High in GLENDALE, ca. I told him I was going to be a concert classic guitarist. He said he played guitar too and I would get famous and not talk to him. He wouldn't cut his hair and was not allowed back at Hoover High. So sorry he's gone. He was a really good talented person. RIP Ed!
For everyone commenting we did a terrible interview. Yes we aren’t professionals and just musicians that had the honor of talking with the man. We’re just glad it happened and thought it worthy of a share
Ed was such a nice and classy guy and huge inspiration for me. Interviewers should have researched more and been better prepared to ask Ed some educated insightful questions.
@@deanladue5367 Ed was the lead guitar player for The Strawberry Alarm Clock before joining Skynyrd. He joined on bass, as they already had Gary and Allen, before Ronnie decided that he wanted to bring back Leon Wilkenson on bass and move Ed over to lead giving them a three guitar line up. Ed was already a monster lead player before joining Skynyrd.
It’s crazy to think that along with Ed,that Skynard had Allan,Gary and Steve as the guitarists in the band!!As a singer,it’s crazy to have one great guitarist in your band,and Skynard had 4 over the years that where the pinnacle of guitar play!!!Its no accident that Skynard is one of the greatest acts that the world has ever seen!!
Hughie Thomasson, Mike Estes and Mark Matejka as well, all formal members and great players.. They also had a few touring replacement guitarists over the years who should be duly noted for their playing skills, that includes Greg Martin
Ed is so cool, he's my favorite member of Skynyrd. Probably because he looked like my dad on their debut album when I was 7. We listened to "Pronounced" all the time back then.
Ed said of Saturday Night Special, that he had the solo for it, but the band went with Rossington's solo. I asked Ed about 2 weeks before he passed if he remembered his solo, but unfortunately he never replied and passed away not long afterwards...
Sorry, but to have the great Ed King for an interview you sure didn't seem prepared. I could have thought of a million questions to ask the man. You guys just stumbled through it.
Great interview. So glad I got to grow up, In the best time possible ,to listen and play the music of our time 60's--70's,since the early 80's to now,you would have a hard time finding a song,songs or band, that don't sound a little like something you have already heard, and that's ok too.good bands still coming out. somebody has to carry the torch,to keep it alive.
RIP and God bless you Ed King. Thank you for all the great music you made and thank you for being such an inspirational guitarist. It was great seeing you play live with Lynyrd Skynyrd back in 1989.
The simple truth is that if Ed King doesn't join Skynyrd, they really never take off. His contributions get overlooked too often but if you're discerning, you know that his flavor was the secret sauce that made the band really great. The fact that he wrote most of Sweet Home Alabama, one of the bands HUGE hits, tells you everything. King was a brilliant song writer, guitar player and arranger. Once Ed King left, the band went into a real stagnation making 2 forgettable albums and they never really get back on track until another GOOD song writer joins, Steve Gaines.
Their sound was already quite established before Ed joined which is why he wanted to join in the first place. He heard them play and said I need to be in hat band. He added alot to the band but to say he set the blueprint for the bands sound is not really accurate and is pretty dismissive of the great Allen Collens . The playing style and Tone of both Allen and Gary were a huge part of the bands sound and I don't think Ed deserves the credit for Allen or Gary's playing styles or sound . They had a sound of their own that they developed just like Ed had his own sound. Alot of the bands sound was already in place before Ed joined and he rounded out sound. I think Ed wanting to join the band after he heard them the first time speaks volumes about their style and sound. If someone as talented as Ed was that impressed after hearing them first time and wanted to join I think that's a good indicator that their sound was already special.
"I saw a lot of really evil stuff." Man, I wished had expounded on this! I've read or heard an interview that said Ed got fed up with Ronnie's anger/violence when under the influence of whiskey. Half the band were like brothers who solved issues with pranks and throwing hands.
There is a picture of them standing outside at the door at Hell House and Ed is on one side and all of the others are on the other side. He said that was how he felt like he was separate from the others. I felt so sad for him because even though he felt out of place he still loved and res respected them. I'm sure the decision to leave was hard and I think once he decided he knew he had to pull the trigger fast. No disrespect meant but, I can't imagine talking it over with Ronnie would have gone well.
pretty good info. I remember playing a Strat back '15 or so. it was used and played unbelievable. I never played a Strat like that. I was easy to play, picking, bends, Jazz chords. it was like playing a Les Paul where all the strings were leveled, w/o the saddles. I believe it was a Pro Version, where the Fret Board, went from 9 to a 12.
The fact that this interviewer thinks that “Garth Brooks is a great musician” tells me that the interviewer is NOT a great musician - raise your standards, for God’s sake……………
Skynyrd is my favorite band without Ed they would still have made it but with Ed he is a musical genius without Ed there never would of been the hit Sweet home Alabama like it is . Love Lynyrd Skynyrd and Love Ed King ,Gary Rosington Steve G. etc. but Ed was the best guitar player imo
How can you mention Stevie Gaines before Allen Collins an original member and the best showman guitar player the band had. Freebirds solo is legendary.
I often wonder what would have happened if the plane never went down, or atleast Ronnie listened to everyone’s feelings on the plane. I think Ed would have came back at some point in the 80’s and Skynyrd would have had a 4 guitar attack.
I like how Ed and the band looked forward every day at Hell House to put something new together. Maybe the members should have went on strike unless Ronnie got them an air conditioner. I've seen the property and what a great place to have had at that time. Gator coming up to the house makes me wonder if any of the Florida Skunk Apes ever paid them a visit at night time, as they can be attracted by music. Nice little interview.
@@shable1436 I saw one crossing a muskege type swamp on opening day of deer rifle season in Roscommon Country, MI in 1976, and have had several other encounters in Michigan and Ohio now.
@@bigwoody4704 you're the one that's ignorant if you think thousands of ppl are liars and hoaxers, just for what? To be ridiculed? 😂. I bet you thought UFOs weren't real either before the government came out and admitted it. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't make them not exist.
Ed Cooper said.... In a very serious way. 'Ed King was a phenomenal guitarist' Commentators and youtube attention seekers, such as Rick Biato should maybe forget there music theory for a minute, and look at the god given talent artists such as Ed... And instead of dissecting kid charmagne... Figure out Eds solo on working for the mca 🙄
No kidding. This guy was horrible. Ask the question, then listen to the answer. The interview is about the interviewie, not the interviewer. P.S. I really hate these hipsters who refer to California as "Cali!"
Boo...a little on the interview, but even more on some of the comments. yes, I would have asked so much more more in depth with the interview as huge fan of his, but Skynyrd fans can be so crazy..I usually stay out of it. Ed king is one of the best guitarist ever, but just listen on youtube of his isolated bass on freebird. A true masterpiece of playing.
Ed didn't write a single word to Sweet Home, or Saturday Night Special, &.Gary wrote most of the guitar parts for both songs...I love Ed along with the rest of Skynyard, but people need to do some research before you give the applause to the wrong dude..
Gary wrote the solo for Saturday Night Special Ed wrote the rest. Do you really hear a gibson on sweet home, Ed wrote and recorded all the guitar and bass on that song. And that's a fact Jack
Hmmm....not a good live player. I saw him 3 times with LS and his playing never could cut through the mix. But Ed was amazing in the studio and made huge contributions to LS.
i never liked Ed King after he quit the band in the middle of a tour. he should have been shuned by all rockers. but they replaced him with someone who was a much better guitaerest Steve Gaines was a better fit for the band.
