Slash and Billy Gibbons Rock Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute At CMT Music Awards

Bruce Henne | 04-03-2023

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(hennemusic) An all-star cast performed a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd at the CMT Music Awards that was broadcast live from Austin, TX on Sunday night, April 2nd, and video from the performance has been posted online.

Organizers closed out the 2023 edition of the annual event with a two-song medley that saw Paul Rodgers and Cody Johnson trade lead vocals on "Simple Man" and "Sweet Home Alabama" alongside a lineup that included guitarists Slash, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Warren Haynes, longtime Rolling Stones pianist Chuck Leavell, a rhythm section of veteran Nashville studio and touring musicians Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond, and LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd filling the role of "The Honkettes."

The music industry tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd comes just weeks after the passing of the group's last original founding member Gary Rossington; no cause of death has been revealed.

"A night to remember...Gary Rossington and celebrate our brothers and sisters in Skynyrd," shared Rodgers on social media. "It was wild!"

Rossington's widow and band member Dale Krantz Rossington was joined by Skynyrd singer Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Rickey Medlocke at the event, which took place at Austin's Moody Center and was hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown.

Watch video of the tribute performance here.