It was just a day later than planned.

Scheduled to open the 147-year-old fair on August 6, the band instead found itself holed up in a hotel, watching television coverage of hundreds of fans standing in the downpour waiting for its show, which promoters were finally forced to cancel.

As is the case with virtually all outdoor concerts, Skynyrd would have been paid rain or shine. But instead of packing up the bus and taking advantage of a day off, the band decided to stay in Jackson an extra day and wait out the deluge.

“We saw news footage of our fans standing out there in the pouring rain, lightning crackling over their heads,” explained Skynyrd frontman Johnny Van Zant, “so we decided to stay over and play the show. Our fans have always been loyal to us and we wanted to give them something back to thank them.”

Since the fair’s schedule was open the following day, the band’s travel and production schedule were quickly rearranged to accommodate the impromptu show, a member of Skynyrd’s management team told Pollstar.

“They didn’t refund any tickets that night and when the promoters decided they had to cancel, I got on the phone with Sally (Griffis, the fair manager) within five minutes and asked if she’d like us to play tomorrow night. She said, ‘Heck yes, come on back.’ So I told her the band was going to do her a favor and play.

“They went ahead and made sure everyone in the venue knew that the band was going to go ahead and do it. And so we did.”

Announcements were made at the venue and the local media were notified. Instead of heading to the next gig 580 miles away in Bethlehem, Pa., Lynyrd Skynyrd did radio interviews the next morning, announcing the makeup show.

The band played to a full house August 7 and made it to the Bethlehem concert site around noon the next day – just in time to set up, soundcheck and get onstage.

Those grizzled veterans make it look so easy. Lynyrd Skynyrd has spent most of the past 14 months on the road in North America and Europe. The tour finally ends September 3 in Davenport, Iowa.