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Bad Company & Lynyrd Skynyrd For Summer
Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd have teamed up for a 12-city co-headline tour beginning in June. With special guest Black Stone Cherry on the bill, destinations for this amphitheatre adventure include Houston, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Charlotte.
Photo: George Tazzini / PhotosFromToday.com
Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass.
Each band brings its own unique legacy to “The 40 Tour.” Bad Company hits like “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love,” “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” were all over radio during the ‘70s, often played back-to-back with Lynyrd Skynyrd songs like “Sweet Home Alabama,” “What’s Your Name?” and, of course, “Free Bird.”
There have been some changes over the years. Bad Company is sporting three original members – vocalist Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke – with guitarist Howard Leese and bassist Todd Ronning also in the band. Original bassist Boz Burrell passed away in 2006.
Of course, southern rock pioneer Lynyrd Skynyrd has experienced changes as well, the most dramatic being the plane crash that took original members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines along with the band’s road manager and the plane’s pilot and copilot. Today’s Lynyrd Skynyrd includes original member Gary Rossington on guitar, guitarist/vocalist Johnny Van Zant, band veteran Rickey Medlocke on guitar and longtime drummer Michael Cartellone.
Here are the dates:
June 20 – Auburn, Wash., White River Amphitheatre
June 21 – Ridgefield, Wash., Sleep Country Amphitheater
June 23 – Mountain View, Calif., Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 11 – The Woodlands, Texas, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
July 13 – Charlotte, N.C., Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 14 – Bristow, Va., Jiffy Lube Live
July 17 – Camden, N.J., Susquehanna Bank Center
July 19 – Burgettstown (Pittsburgh), Pa., First Niagara Pavilion
July 20 – Noblesville, Ind., Klipsch Music Center
July 23 – Clarkston (Detroit), Mich., DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 24 – Cincinnati, Ohio, Riverbend Music Center
July 26 – Gilford, N.H., Meadowbrook
July 27 – Bethel, N.Y., Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
Black Stone Cherry will not appear July 27.
As you might guess, both bands are very excited about this excursion and have provided the necessary quotes as demanded by federal concert rules & regs regarding a tour of this caliber. First up is Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers.
“The Skynyrds and I go back to the ’70s and the days and nights at the Hyatt House on Sunset in L.A. aka The Riot House,” Rodgers said. “In the ’90s the band introduced me to my wife Cynthia, and that’s why I am so damned happy and healthy these years.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Johnny Van Zant has something to say as well.
“Every member of Skynyrd has been fans of Bad Company from the get go,” Van Zant said. “Personally, Paul is one of my favorite rock singers. We have a deep appreciation for Bad Company’s music and look forward to being on the road with them and sharing the stage.”