1970 - Lynyrd Skynyrd. Hustler's Music and the Quinvy Demo's
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After the Limited promotional Single of "Michelle" and "Need all my Friends", at the end of 1970 Lynyrd Skynyrd got a break.
Alan Walden was invited to Jacksonville to audition some bands (new talent) in a warehouse, Pat Armstrong had 13 bands lined up for Alan to watch. The last band to play that day was Lynyrd Skynyrd Alan Walden said" By the end of Free bird, I was Blown Away , Allen Collins got down and flipped all over the floor, played behind his head!
Here is Alan Walden telling us that story!!
Lynyrd Skynyrd was signing with Hustler's Music in October 1970.
Having Alan Walden as a Manager , And Phil Walden's Business Partner, and best friend, Alex Hodges as a booking Agent, It was the Break they needed!
Playing more shows and further from home and eventually getting gigs and residencies in Atlanta, where Al Kooper discovered them in Mid 1972.
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On April 26, 1970, at the Forest Inn.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Bear Angel, King James Version and Sweet Rooster,
along with former Second Coming drummer, John Meeks and a few other locals played a benefit concert to raise bail money for their old buddy, “Coconut” Harley Lamoureux, who had recently fallen out of favor with the local authorities.
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SWEET ROOSTER, which included three future 38 Special members and a future Skynyrd/Journey Producer.
(L-R Ken Lyons; Bill Pelkey; Donnie Van Zant; Jeff Carlisi, and Kevin Elson)
Lynyrd Skynyrd approx. 1970.
Forth Pic Black Bear Angel, With Larry Steele on Bass.
2 x Pics of Gary and Ronnie holding Harley's Coconut.
“Coconut” Harley Lamoureux.
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“Coconut” Harley Lamoureux.
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October 1970, The signing of a contract with Hustler's Music! Walnut St in Macon, Ga.
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Hustler's Music's ,
Pat Armstrong, Gary Donehoo, Alan Walden and President, Eddie Floyd, (Sitting).
October 1970, The signing of a contract with Alan Walden's, Hustler's Music!
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Right from the start approx. 1970, Skynyrd wanted there independence , they didn't want to be associated to much with other southern bands and southern music, they made plans early on to keep a distance, and do their own thing!!!
As Ronnie said "We like to play Country and Blues and stuff like that, but
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a Rock'n'Roll Band, and Boogie Woogie (laughs) That's what we get Paid to do!"
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Both Leon and Billy said, they don't like to be considered southern rock.
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In the early 70's it was Southern bands/Music.
The genre of southern rock didn't come until later.
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Ronnie said ""Southern Rock's a dead label, a hype thing for the magazines to blow out of proportion. We don't play like the Allmans did, or like Wet Willie. "Southern groups are different."- Ronnie Van Zant, October 1977
Alan Walden said to Alex Hodges of Paragon Agency, we are not going to sign with you for a few reasons,
1, you represent the Allman Brothers,
2, you are best friends and in Partnership with my brother. (Phil Walden).
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Allen Collins said to Alex Hodges, so we might sign with you but we want two shows with the Allman Brothers, we don't want you to be putting us on tour with the Allman Brothers!
We want our independence on the road!
The Same Month The boys record at Quinvy Studios in , Sheffield, AL.
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Rock'n'Roll.
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The TWO Stories of the "Quinvy Demo's in October 1970"
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The "Shade Tree" Recordings, 18 months before:
May 1969 The One Percent were offered their first stab to record at Norm Vincent Studios, in May 1969. They recorded and released 2 promotional songs for Shade Tree Records!
Lynard Skynard's First Recordings, and First Single. 6 songs in total, The Promotional Single plus 4 Demo Tracks, (Shade Tree Demo's)
Need All My Friends, and Michelle (Promotional Single)
ShadeTree Demo's: Free Bird, - If I'm Wrong, - No One Can Take Your Place. - He's Alive.
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Bob,18 y.o. Gary,17. Ronnie, 20. Allen,16. Larry,19.
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October 1970, was The signing of a contract with Alan Walden's, Hustler's Music! Walnut St in Macon, Ga.
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By October 1970, Skynyrd, originally from Jacksonville Florida, had been together for five years and had already played nearly a thousand gigs.
They had a manager, who just happened to be Alan Walden and Alan, , was a long-term associate of Quin’s.
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After The Shade Tree Recordings in 1969/70'
in about August 1970, Quin Ivy had ‘taken the plunge’ and created a full 8-track facility at Quinvy.
in 1970 to provide money to turn it into a 16-track facility. Nonetheless, Ivy’s modernization of Quinvy was duly noted in Billboard and, soon afterwards, Ivy was featuring the new recording standard of his studio in his press ads.
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"QUINVY DEMO'S"
The 8 Songs Recorded at Quinvy Studios, Sheffield, AL.
October 1970.
Allen is 18 Years Old.
Bass – Larry Junstrom, Drums – Bob Burns , Guitar – Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Vocals – Ronnie Van Zant .
Known as Quinvy Demo's.
Producers – David Johnson , Quin Ivy.
1-Need All My Friends - 5.12 (complete version),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owBqA3ejQNs
2-He's Alive -3.09,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox65a5BDAbw
3-Free Bird -4.07,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E3xBkOmL70
4-Junkie -3.48,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uckhF8usDrw
5-Blues Medley-10.15,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3wnA-EzTc
6-Michelle 5.44 (complete version),
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l0e2b5BlYqA
7-Hide Your Face -2.59,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKDuEru6aaM
8-Bad Boy Blues -7.48,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztnNJ_cONjw
Quinvy Studios Sheffield, Alabama./Quin Ivy Producer October 1970.
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"Quinvy Recordings in October 1970"
There are TWO Stories about how Skynyrd got to Quinvy Studios and then Muscle Shoals Studios.
The first Story is Alan Walden's and Jimmy Johnson's story and the second is
Quinvy Studio owner, Quin Ivy and Producer/engineer David Johnson's Story.
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Alan Walden and Jimmy Johnson's Story:
After Alan Walden signed Skynyrd in October 1970, he says he was trying to get Studio time at Muscle Shoals Sound, And Jimmy Johnson backs this up by saying Alan was talking about this band, and that they had to hear them and record them, Jimmy says after Alan mentioning it many times, they had an idea:
The Swampers decided because they were busy, they could hear the band if they could hear a tape.
Jimmy Johnson says he made a deal with Quin, and David from Quinvy Studio's 2 blocks away, to record Skynyrd in a Live type recording.
So That could hear this band Alan was raving about.
So Jimmy says they set up recording time at Quinvy Studio's to record Skynyrd because they were too busy, but wanted to hear this band! They rented 2 or 3 days studio time.
Jimmy says when David Johnson from Quinvy played him the tape, he then said, "I want to work with this Band"
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Quin Ivy and David Johnson's Story:
Quin Ivy said: "I owned the first recording contract on Skynyrd and subsequently sold my rights to Jimmy Johnson for about $3,500 of studio time we had on the books.
(Jimmy) Johnson's story of sending them to me to do 'demos' is total bullshit."
David Johnson adds: "I first produced the band for Quin (at Quinvy) and then 'shopped' their recordings around for some months.
It was only after I (was unable) to get them a deal that Alan Walden finally played the Skynyrd demos to Jimmy Johnson in early 1971 , and only then that Muscle Shoals Sound got involved."
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1-Need All My Friends- 5:12 (complete version),
2-He's Alive -3.09,
3-Free Bird -4.07,
4-Junkie -3.48,
5-Blues Medley-10.15,
6-Michelle 5.44 (complete version),
7-Hide Your Face -2.59,
8-Bad Boy Blues -7.48
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Trivia:
Quin Ivy was a straight man, he didn't like drugs and Hippies or ROck'nROll, so he didn't like Skynyrd. it was David Johnson at Quinvy Studio's who liked and believed in Skynyrd.
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.JPG)
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Early Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Photo Shoot in 1970,
North Macon, Georgia.
Some pics at Rose Hill Cemetery. Macon, Georgia
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