Weird timing (Lynyrd Skynyrd content)

[TrentonMakes]

I have a new project at work involving a study on "Brickyard Road" in a nearby township.  It's been brewing for a week or so now, but it wasn't until last night that I remembered this song - released in 1990 by Ronnie Van Zant's little brother Johnny as an homage to big brother Ronnie.  I remember hearing this a lot that summer but it's probably been decades since I heard it.  OK - it's not a fantastic song, but -

I believe Brickyard Road was Ronnie's address at the time of the plane crash..... which was 40 years ago today.  (to clarify - I didn't realize that until I opened the paper this morning)

I will dig up the live "Free Bird" at some point today.  I can't remember the last time I heard that either.  "What song is it wanna hear?"

[donkpow]

Interesting how things rattle around our brain.

[Chris...]

I remember it well. I was at Hammersmith college when it came on the radio.

[dinneR]

Trivia question on the local radio station today was Who was Free Bird written about?

[UglyBob]

Just a guess, but if I memory serves I think it was Duane Allman.

[dinneR]

you are correct. Died in a motorcycle accident. Nobody answered it correctly. One person guessed JFK. 

[TrentonMakes]

I know you can't believe everything you read in the interwebs but according to Wiki it could be a little bit of a gray area:

Allen Collins's girlfriend, Kathy, whom he later married, asked him, "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?" Collins noted the question and it eventually became the opening line of "Free Bird".

The song is dedicated to the memory of Duane Allman by the band in their live shows.  During their 1975 performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, Ronnie dedicated the song to both Allman and Berry Oakley, commenting, "they're both free birds".