The Lost 1978 Broadcast

It's one of rock n roll's most famous tragedies. On the 20th of October 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd's private plane crashed in the forests of Mississippi, the band's talismanic frontman and songwriter Ronnie Van Zant was killed on impact along with guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie and the band's assistant Dean Kilpatrick. The surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd jointly decided to dissolve the band in the wake of the tragedy, and for a decade pursued various other musical projects, both together and apart. A year later in 1978, the DIR FM network was putting together a new series of live music shows. Named 'Super Jam' , the first show, to be broadcast live from Studio One in Doraville, had attracted the cream of southern rock to participate in its maiden voyage: Charlie Daniels, Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers Band and Great Southern, Wet Willie and, to the surprise of many, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Out of respect for their fallen comrades, the band concentrated on improvised jams and cover songs, noticeably staying away from any Van Zant compositions and closing the show with Skynyrds signature take on JJ Cale's 'Call Me The Breeze'. With introductions from Gary Rossington, this recording is a fascinating, poignant and important document from the point at which one of America's greatest bands was, sadly, no more.