African Americans love Lynyrd Skynyrd. We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things. Selecting Two Day or Overnight will only reduce transit time. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted the band in 2006; Skynyrds songs remain a staple of classic-rock radio; calling for Free Bird during a concert is still a rite of passage; 1973s Pronounced Lehnerd Skin-Nerd and 1974s Second Helping (and sometimes 1977s Street Survivors) regularly appear on lists of the greatest records ever recorded; and Sweet Home Alabama is often called the National Anthem of the South, a cry of Southern pride no longer tied to the titular state which, not incidentally, was not the homestate of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who by and large hailed from Jacksonville, Florida. I stopped everything and gave a speech about it, the singer recalled. Members include; Gary Rossington, Rickey Medlocke , Johnny Van Zant, Michael Cartellone, Mark Matejka, Peter Keys, Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Bob Burns, Larry Junstrom, Greg T. Walker, Leon Wilkeson, Ean Evans, Billy Powell, Ed King, Artimus Pyle, Steve Gaines, Hughie Thomasson. Lynyrd Skynyrd launched its farewell tour earlier this month, confident in the knowledge that theyll be remembered as one of the great American rock & roll bands of the 20th century. Lynyrd Skynyrd giving up the Confederate flag, Neil Young being sober--there's totally a concert joke in here somewhere. Back then, Lynyrd Skynyrd were leaders among the rebels forging a New South in the aftermath of the 1960s, creating music that soundtracked the ascent of Jimmy Carter to the White House. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. T-shirt colors are available in the best-selling black, the classic white, and many others. This is what the actual CSA Flag looks like (well the main one, they went through 3 versions): Personally, I feel it is about time. Lynyrd Skynyrd members Rickey Medlocke,. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 "Well they just turned their backs on their core group of fans, that will really help sell out show," reads a comment from one-formerLynyrd Skynyrdfan in a report from The Wall Street Journal. Jello Biafra on Nazi Punks and hate speech, Universal Music wants Romney Girl pulled from YouTube, Wisconsin shooting brings secretive white-power music scene into focus, PHOTOS: Iconic rock guitars and their owners PHOTOS: The Rolling Stones at 50 John Cage, radical composer for the 20th century. Cool J's colossal faceplant of a song, "Accidental Racist,"with its epically upsetting lyrical false equivalencies (LL to Brad: "If you don't judge my gold chains, I'll forget the iron chains") namechecks the band, when Paisley sings an apology to the rapper for wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt: "When I put on that T-shirt," he warbles, "the only thing I meant to say is I'm a Skynyrd fan.". Later, when I realized how offensive and horrible it looked, I took it down and haven't displayed one for 30 years. These two songs would suggest that the Skynyrd of the 21st Century is considerably more conservative than the Skynyrd of the 1970s a notion that is generally true, but with some important caveats. Only 9 left in stock - order soon. After making statements that indicated the band was no longer using the Confederate flag on stage, and suffering a huge backlash from much of their Southern fanbase as a result, Skynyrd has. Lynyrd Skynyrd (formed in 1966) is an American southern hard-rock, country and blues band hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, in the U.S. For the most part, the artists mentioned have ceased their use the Confederate flag, but there remain some holdouts who refuse to cave to public pressure. Lynyrd Skynyrd logo descriptions. The band is most often associated with the Confederate flag, and this is often incorporated into the band's logo. Tours Include; 1991 Japanese Tour, 2012 World Tour, 2013 Tour, 2014 Tour, 2015 Tour, 2016 North American Tour, 2017 North American Tour, Double Trouble, Edge of Forever, Endangered Species, Gimme Back My Bullets, God & Guns World Tour, Last of a Dyin' Breed, Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 Tour, Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour, Nuthin' Fancy, Pronounced 'Lh-'nrd 'Skin-'nrd, Rebels and Bandoleros, Rock & Rebels Tour 2008, Rock & Rebels Tour 2009, Second Helping, Simple Man Cruise 2011, Simple Man Cruise 2012, Simple Man Cruise 2013, Simple Man Cruise 2014, Street Survivors, The Last Rebel, The Rowdy Frynds Tour, The XL Tour 2013, The XL Tour 2013 (Off-Date), The XL Tour 2014, The XL Tour 2014 (Off-Date), Twenty, Vicious Cycle. To the last original member ofLynyrd Skynyrd, abandoning the Confederate flag signified the band cutting its ties to racism, the Ku Klux Klan and skinheads. Lynyrd Skynyrd official 2011 keycord lanyard no2. Kanye West, no stranger to subverting things, used it prominently in his Yeezus tour on merchandise, and even wearing it himself. He'll remember. Maybe next they can hit the road with Neil Young? Likewise,Drive-By Truckershave long integrated their lyrics with what they describe as contradictions of Southern identity, including views on the Confederate flag. The Southern rock band has long been known for its. Rossington is hardly alone in this view. Its popularity persisted, and over the ensuing decades, the battle flag became a generic symbol of rebellion spotted on TV shows like The Dukes of Hazzard and on stage with bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Confederate flag became a flashpoint for rage after the murders of nine black parishionersat Charleston, S.C.'s, historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17. Lynyrd Skynyrd has a change of heart. All Rights Reserved. 35. FREE delivery Mar 2 - 6. David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78 It was one of my first tattoos. 4 interest-free payments on orders over $45 with Learn More. The divide is crystallized within the contrast between Van Zants Saturday Night Special, a 1975 hit where he claims hand guns are made for killin, they aint no good for nothin else, and God and Guns, the title track to a 2009 album where Skynyrd pledges allegiance to these two things above all else. The buckle is clearly visible in numerous photos of Scott from this period. Another Southern band, the Drive-By Truckers, agrees. So I wrote the song New Slaves. So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. I lived in the South my entire life. August Brown covers pop music, the music industry and nightlife policy at the Los Angeles Times. ' On their farewell tour, Skynyrd eschews any overt display of the Confederate flag, choosing instead to perform in front of the U.S. flag and, during Sweet Home Alabama, that states colors, illustrating Rossingtons point about how there isnt much daylight, at least in his eyes, between the South and America. America has been deeply conflicted about the Confederate battle flag for generations. "Sweet Home Alabama": Conservative or Liberal? SEP 25, 2012 (Photo credit: CC/JayUzi) The classic southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, known through the years for using the Confederate flag on their album covers and onstage, have finally decided to stop using the flag as a symbol onstage and on any further albums. It is an institution that people all over the world have s. won a ruling allowing him to sue the school district, the hundreds of hate groups who use the flag as a symbol, drew criticism for flying the flag on a Fourth of July float. ", During their farewell tour, Lynyrd Skynyrd has chosen to perform in front of the American flag, also bringing out the Alabama state flag during their classic hit Sweet Home Alabama., Tom Petty, who, like the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was raised in Florida,briefly usedthe Confederate flag during his 1985 tour, a decision he later called downright stupid. In 1985, I released an album called Southern Accents. Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band best known for popularizing the Southern rock genre during the 1970s. Your email address will not be published. On July 10, the Confederate flag was removed from the State House grounds and placed in storage for later display at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room . Below is the CNN Interview: [] after thatheadline-making announcement, thoughand perhaps in response to a pro-flag backlash from its hardcore southern basethe band [], Your email address will not be published. The Sons of Confederate Veterans member explained himself in a since-taken-down post on his website: To me, the battle flag represents remembrance of my Southern lineage I advocate for the preservation of Americas battlefields and honest conversation about our countrys history. The Southern rockers previously announced they would end the band's 40-year tradition of using the Confederate flag as a backdrop for their live shows.. Other artists have used the flag ironically, in an attempt to subvert its meaning. Yes, the Confederate flag originally stood for "states' rights." Specifically, the right to own black people, and the right to carry that right into new states regardless of what the government of the new state wanted. . Southerners maintain it's just "heritage, not hate," while critics . But the rebel banner That would be their public and outspoken use of the Confederate "Rebel" flag, another iconic symbol of the South. The state of New York will no longer sell or display anything considered a "symbol of hate," including the Confederate flag, according to a bill just signed into law. Except, thats not exactly true. And . Rossington has since posted a message at the band's website to clarify his and the band's position. Reset Password ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd Announce Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour, Gary Rossington Calls Current Lynyrd Skynyrd a Tribute Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd Hanging It up in the Next Year or so, Lynyrd Skynyrd Show Enduring Rock N Roll Spirit in Los Angeles, Damon Johnson Talks Gary Rossingtons Return to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lynyrd Skynyrd Add More U.S. Lynyrd Skynyrd Gretna Heritage Festival 2014, Lynyrd Skynyrd performs at the Gretna Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 4, 2014. Sign Up to Our Newsletter for New Product Info and Great Deals to Your Inbox! Gov. "We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things.". Here are some instances where the Confederate flag intersected with popular music over the years: For many, the Confederate flag is just as synonymous with Lynyrd Syknyrd as the lead riff of Sweet Home Alabama. But in a 2012 interview with CNN, guitarist Gary Rossington, the bands lone surviving original member, appeared to backpedal on Skynyrds long-standing love of the flag: Through the years, people like the KKK and skinheads kinda kidnapped the Dixie or Southern flag from its tradition and the heritage of the soldiers. One of the acts most prominently connected to the Confederate flag is Lynyrd Skynyrd, who were known for using the flag as a stage backdrop, on their merchandise and even featured it on. Around 2001, the singer started using the Stars and Bars at his live shows, calling it a symbol of Southern rock and rebellion. Several years later, the rocker changed course, though protestors continued to criticize his history with the flag. You have permission to edit this article. Other famous rock acts continued to use the Confederate flag in concert through the 80s and 90s such include Guns N Roses, Pantera, and Kid Rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd Plot Farewell Tour. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced the same day that the time had come to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee from Lee Circle in New Orleans. "Well they just turned their backs on their core group of fans, that will really help . Sept. 21, 2012 12 AM PT Lynyrd Skynyrd wasn't bothered by Watergate, but now they're sheepish over their use of the Confederate flag. It will NOT reduce the 5-12 business days required to ship the order. The shirts celebrate the career of this group from Jacksonville, FL who have been making great music since 1964. Old-School Jacket Updated! Kanye West is seen on November 04, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd has made heavy use of the flag. Some fans were quite vocal in their opposition to this change on various message boards, with some stating that the flag is a symbol of Southern pride. Lynyrd Skynyrd Vintage Logo T-shirt $19.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Support Southern Rock Slim Fit T-shirt $21.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Devil In The Bottle Plastic Key Chain $7.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Biker Logo Plastic Key Chain $14.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Logo Plastic Key Chain $10.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Logo Plastic Key Chain $14.99 Lynyrd Skynyrd Logo Pewter Pin Badge $7.99 Listening to their music, from the high points to the lows, reveals how Americas culture shifted over the course of four and a half decades, and that is no small feat for a rock & roll band. Their place in history seems secure not merely because they were one of the progenitors of Southern rock the hybrid of country, blues and hard rock that swept through the 1970s but also because the ending to their story seemed to be written decades ago, when its leader Ronnie Van Zant perished alongside guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick in a Mississippi plane crash on October 20th, 1977. In this section you'll find our recommended Lynyrd Skynyrd vinyl and merchandise. "Through the years, people like the KKK and skinheads kinda kidnapped the Dixie or Southern flag from its tradition and the heritage of the soldiers, that's what it was about," Gary Rossington, the band's guitarist, said. It's a shame for them to be caught up in this, because in their early years they wrote some good, progressive songs, such as "Things Goin' On" about poverty and the ghettos; and then of course the gun control song, "Saturday NightSpecial" saying "Lert'sdump 'em all people, to the bottom of the sea". The Confederate or "Dixie" flag has long been controversial. In July, the Las Cruces Tea Party drew criticism for flying the flag on a Fourth of July float. Cancel. After a backlash from fans, the band brought back the flag. The driver is a self-described "redneck," but maintains that he is not a racist. It began as a concept record about the South, but the concept part slipped away probably 70 percent or so into the album, Petty explained to Rolling Stone. Any energy is good energy. The move was met with backlash from some fans who claimed the band was turning its back on its Southern roots. "Good luck with your next release 'Sweet home Massachusetts.' But the symbol is bigger than that; it cannot only say what Brad Paisley - or Colt Ford, Kid Rock, Trace Adkins, Hank Williams, Jr.and other country artists who sing about the flag or wear its image on clothes and jewelry - means or wants it to. Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about. Of course not. The Southern rock band has long been known for its 70s-era hits like Sweet Home Alabama and defiant embrace of Old Dixie imagery. And thanks to the magic of the Internet, we can ship your Lynyrd Skynyrd merch straight to your doorsteps. The earliest incarnation of Lynyrd Skynyrd, formed by friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington, performed under the moniker My Backyard, before switching to One Percent in 1968. They should have taken a name like 'Obama's Politically Correct Sell Your Soul Make Believe Impostors' or something.". 2nd. In the musical South of the '60s and '70s, blues and soul influences bloomed in the mainstream Nashville sound, the white session musicians known as the Swampers made hits for artists like Etta James and Clarence Carter (and Skynyrd, too) and the Allman Brothers, a racially integrated band, were jamming like jazz musicians. Get first access to sales and new products. Swastikas may be banned in Berlin, but Confederate flags still fly. A password reset email has been sent to the email address on file for your account, but may take several minutes to show up in your inbox. The groups 2001 song The Southern Thing featured the line Aint about no foolish pride, aint about no flag reflecting the bands disdain for the image. While the Confederacy used three different flags, the flag most commonly called the Confederate flag was its battle flag. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Then it got hijacked by racists somewhere along the way and turned into something really nasty. A fan blowback ensued, leading Gary Rossington to clarify the bands stance in a Facebook post, claiming that the group would still use the Rebel flag but only alongside the U.S. flag, cause at the end of the day, we are all Americans. The group. Then Charlie Daniels had The South's Gonna Do It Again. Rossington spoke in the original interview about the negative associations made with the flag over the years, including its adoption by such hate organizations as the Ku Klux Klan. A tragic tipping point had spurred an avalanche of great proportions, and even many who had long cringed at the display of the symbol were surprised at its size, that government and big business were so ready to repudiate the image. Lynyrd Skynyrdis arguably the classic rock group most closely associated with the flag. Shop thousands of Lynyrd Skynyrd shirts which have been created by our community of independent artists and iconic brands. I will admit, I was a huge Lynyrd Skynyrd fan growing up in Virginia in my teens, and I unfortunately have to admit I also hung a confederate flag in my room next to their poster. In the aftermath of the Charleston shootings racial terrorism, Alabama decided to remove the flag from its state Capitol in Montgomery, and other states may soon follow suit. We know what the Dixie flag represents and its heritage; the Civil War was fought over States rights.We still utilize the Confederate (Rebel) flag on stage every night in our shows, we are and always will be a Southern American Rock band, first and foremost. Lynyrd Skynyrd talks retirement, the Confederate flag, their Southern rock legacy and more The group's farewell tour kicks off in Florida this week. Myself, the past and present members (that are from the South), are all extremely proud of our heritage and being from the South. The Confederate flag means something more to us, Heritage not Hate-Gary Rossington. It is this perceived "attitude" which has led to Lynyrd Skynyrd earning a reputation as a "racist" band. Don't miss a beat. Lost your password? It's even questionable what Lynyrd Skynyrd wanted it to mean; according to the 2006 Southern-rock history "Dixie Lullaby,"whose subtitle is "A Story of Race, Music and New Beginnings in a New South," the band's Confederate flag-waving rebel-outlaw brand was a creation of producer Al Kooper, who is from Brooklyn. The current members sat down with Fredricka of CNN for a "Face to Face" interview (watch below) and spoke about the band's evolution and the decision to stop using the Confederate flag that is so highlyoffensive to many people. Walmart, Sears, eBay and Amazon decided to stop selling merchandise that used its image, CNN reported, noting "the announcements are the latest indication that the flag, a symbol of the slave-holding South, has become toxic.". They were actually buddy buddy with Neil Young. The band has claimed that the three syllables sung after the line "In Birmingham, they love the governor" are "boo, boo, boo," a quiet criticism of segregationist governor George Wallace's administration. Gary Rossington, the only remaining original member of the band, made big waves in 2012 when he told CNN that Lynyrd Skynyrd would stop using the flagas its stage backdrop. The guitarist added that such associations had caused the band to disassociate themselves from the flag, which had been a large part of their visual image over the years. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. My favorite band back then was Lynyrd Skynyrd and they unfurled the big flag on the stage every night," said Tornello.' Once an inked-up president of Zakk Wylde and Bret Michaels are other musicians to have featured the image on their instruments. The Idol: How HBOs Next Euphoria Became Twisted Torture Porn. Back when I would wear a Confederate flag on stage along with an American flag and a POW flag and a Dont Tread on Me flag I would be on tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and there wasnt a racist thought to be found, the rocker said. In the song "All I Can Do Is Write About It", Ronnie laments about over-development and theenvironmental impact: "Cuz when I see the concrete, a slowly creeping, Lord take me and mine before that comes." Was slavery right? They might not have beaten the Union on the battlefield, but by golly, they'll do it on the stage of rock and roll and across the college gridiron, and when that doesn't work, they'll kill 'em with kindness. We didnt want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things. The decision has angered some of their fans, and have accused them of "selling out" or being "too politically correct". "We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agreed with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things.". Many music lovers have applauded Lynyrd Skynyrd's move to disassociate itself from the confederate flag, but some of the southern rock band's fans have been upset by the shift. Inevitably, as this latter-day Lynyrd Skynyrd which would eventually incorporate former Blackfoot leader Rickey Medlocke as its lead guitarist in 1996 continued to tour and release the occasional new record, they complicated a legacy that was never quite as simple as recycled histories made it seem. $27.99. SEP 25, 2012 - (Photo credit: CC/JayUzi) The classic southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, known through the years for using the Confederate flag on their album covers and onstage, have finally decided to stop using the flag as a symbol onstage and on any further albums. We still utilize the Confederate (Rebel) flag on stage every night in our shows, we are and always will be a Southern American Rock band, first and foremost, he wrote on the bands official website. The song opens by describing a scenario in which Paisley feels like a Starbucks barista pegs him as a racist for wearing a Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt featuring the Confederate flag. I believe that if you believe the Confederate flag is one of honor for the Southern tradition, I believe you should have every right in the world to display that flag and wave it proudly., Fellow Michigan-born musician Kid Rock has also gotten caught up in the flag debate. Lynyrd Skynyrd Talk About the Confederate Flag Audacy 220K subscribers Subscribe 3.1K Share 222K views 7 years ago #LynyrdSkynyrd #JohnnyVanZant #GaryRossington In this 2012 interview with. As civil rights protests and the removal of controversial statues dominate headlines, the often-argued topic of the Confederate flag has once again reared its head. They are displaying a flag that represented a nation that their ancestors fought and died for. Related searches If people are gonna look at that flag and think of it as representing slavery, then I say burn every one of them, the rocker declared in a 2015 interview with Radio.com. React how you want, West told L.A. radio station 97.1 AMP. Check out our extensive selection of quality flags today. The Mayor the New Mexico city apologized for the float, while the Tea Party defended its inclusion by saying the float was intended to celebrate the totality of the state's history. Inasmuch as the fact that the band often performed with a Confederate flag as a backdrop, the label and perception has been hard to shake. Lynyrd Skynyrd is arguably the classic rock group most closely associated with the flag. We also utilize the state flag of Alabama and the American flag, cause at the end of the day, we are all Americans. 1 on iTunes Charts, 36 songs, no apologies: Morgan Wallen delivers more (much more) of what made him countrys king, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Billie Eilishs phone is now internet-free: Im like: Ew! Trending For many, the Confederate flag is just as synonymous with Lynyrd Syknyrd as the lead riff of "Sweet Home Alabama." But in a 2012 interview with CNN, guitarist Gary Rossington, the band's lone. Myself, the past and present members (that are from the South), are all extremely proud of our heritage and being from the South. These incidents were later explained away by the band: MCA pushed the group to adopt the Stars and Bars, assuming itd accentuate their Southerness and rebellion, while the Sweet Home Alabama lyric In Birmingham they love the governor was said to be undercut by the backing vocals chanting boo boo boo afterward. Lynyrd Skynyrd's Name & Early Years . We also utilize the state flag of Alabama and the American flag as well, cause at the end of the day, we are all Americans. At The Gates Vest- Update. It's time for it to be tucked away into the history books - and stay there. Browse our vast collection of rock merchandise from your favorite bands! On their farewell tour, Skynyrd eschews any overt display of the Confederate flag, choosing instead to perform in front of the U.S. flag and, during "Sweet Home Alabama," that state's. "We just had it in the beginning because we're Southern and that was our image back in the. Unlike the Allman Brothers Band, who were friends of Carter, or Charlie Daniels, whose The Souths Gonna Do It (Again) was adopted as Carters campaign song in 1976, Skynyrd wasnt especially tight with the President; the closest their paths crossed is when they had to bail on a fundraising concert also featuring Daniels, the Marshall Tucker Band, the Outlaws and .38 Special in 76. In 2012, the band announced that would no longer fly a large Confederate flag on stage at it concerts. The Stars . Immediately following that. The Arlington, Texas-based band often used Confederate flag imagery, as Darrell played guitars painted with its likeness: Today you can still buy apparel featuring the flag on Panteras website: In 2013, LL Cool J and Brad Paisley collaborated on a song called Accidental Racist. Paisley sang lines like, To the man that waited on me at the Starbucks down on Main/ I hope you understand when I put on that T-shirt/ The only thing I meant to say is Im a Skynyrd fan., Trace Adkins was criticized for performing while wearing an earpiece with a Confederate logo at the 2012 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting. So go on! The divisive image - which many view as a symbol of racism due to its connections with slavery, while others argue is an emblem of Southern pride - has a long history with many rock artists. A man displays a Confederate flag tattoo as he participates in a rally to show support for the American and Confederate flags on July 11 in Loxahatchee, Fla. Organizers of the rally said. Stinky! The Only Confederate Flag That Mattered, Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Shirts, Confederate Flag Shirts, Civil Rights Movement Shirt . Lynyrd Skynyrd Sticking With Confederate Flag After All Band backtracks on decision to end its affiliation with the controversial symbol after getting feedback from fans By Josh Grossberg Sep 24 . All Rights reserved. The fact that it still flew at the state Capitol building in Columbia prompted a nationwide outcry and protest on the statehouse grounds, and on Monday (June 22) South Carolina governor Nikki Haley called for its removal. During the closing "Freebird," Johnny van Zant (Ronnie's brother, and the current lead singer) draped an American flag across the microphone stand. The interview, which aired Sept 9th on CNN caused an uproar in the The band Lynyrd Skynyrd, behind the hit Sweet Home Alabama , has used the Confederate flag as part of its stage display for years. Lynyrd Skynyrd themselves have received quite a bit of backlash regarding their use of its imagery, so it was certainly to be expected. Show off your love for Lynyrd Skynyrd with these t-shirts! ARTIMUS PYLE: LYNYRD SKYNYRD LEGEND CHATS ABOUT 'STREET SURVIVORS' MOVIE AND CONFEDERATE FLAG CONTROVERSY ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS WITH RAY SHASHO A R T I M U S. P Y L E. LEGENDARY DRUMMER & . The Confederate flag was once a familiar symbol in country music, representing the rural South and the renegade spirit of artists such as David Allan Coe and Hank Williams Jr. Though many applauded Lynyrd Skynyrd's attempt to distance themselves from the Confederate flag, the decision has angered some fans, who took to the internet to swiftly condemn the news. They loved their guitars. Some of its most iconic supporters have distanced themselves from it. Alongside MAGA hats and Trump 2020 banners, Reich flags and Brandenburg eagles, the American South's battle flag has been raised high during Germany's anti-lockdown demonstrations the most recent of which took place in Dresden in early March. They were friends with Neil Young. Sale only.