SHINEDOWN was joined by LYNYRD SKYNYRD‘s Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlocke on stage on the Welcome To Rockville pageant at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in Daytona Seaside, Florida on Thursday (Might 15) for a efficiency of the LYNYRD SKYNYRD traditional “Easy Man”. Fan-filmed video of their look may be seen beneath.
SHINEDOWN recorded a canopy of “Easy Man” in 2004 as an acoustic “thanks” to LYNYRD SKYNYRD singer Ronnie Van Zant‘s widow Judy Van Zant and later included it — in each acoustic and exhausting rock variations — on the re-release of the band’s debut album, “Depart A Whisper”.
In November 2022, SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith joined LYNYRD SKYNYRD on stage on the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee to carry out “Easy Man”.
Talking to U.Okay.’s Rock Sound concerning the expertise of performing “Easy Man” with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Brent mentioned: “It was extraordinarily transferring and a really particular second for me. They’ve at all times been extraordinarily cool with us and at all times have been tremendous constructive about us doing the track. The best way that we did the track and the way it occurred was very natural. So issues type of are available in full circle. It meant lots to me. I am nonetheless attempting to course of it in numerous methods. However all the blokes in SKYNYRD, a lot love and respect. I admire them a lot for asking me to return and sing the track with them. It was an awesome night time. I had numerous enjoyable.”
In introducing Smith to the stage on the Nashville live performance, Johnny Van Zant mentioned: “This subsequent visitor, these guys, his band, they’re from Jacksonville, Florida, by the best way — the place LYNYRD SKYNYRD‘s from. They usually did this track so nice. Once we have been eager about doing this present, I mentioned, ‘Man, we might like to have him.’ Y’all give it up for our good buddy… Y’all give it up for Mr. Smith from SHINEDOWN.”
On November 15, 2022, Brent shared a photograph of his efficiency with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, and he included the next message: “Nonetheless attempting to course of this second… Thanks @skynyrd and @johnnyroyvanzant for permitting me to be part of this extraordinary occasion!!! GOD BLESS #LynyrdSkynyrd GOD BLESS the #simpleman and #girl”.
Smith beforehand spoke about how SHINEDOWN‘s cowl of “Easy Man” took place in an interview with Metallic Hammer journal. He mentioned: “Our unique guitar participant, Jasin Todd, was married to Melody Van Zant [Ronnie Van Zant‘s daughter]. After I was writing ‘Depart A Whisper’, Judy [Van Zant, Ronnie‘s widow] put me up in her guesthouse, and our first present in entrance of an viewers there to see us was at a membership Judy and Melody owned. After we began touring, we performed ‘Easy Man’ on a radio present in Boston. They launched it as an MP3 and it received downloaded 500,000 occasions. After that, we recorded the track within the studio in three takes.”
