I was really surprised to see one of my Facebook friends post last night that she was at a Lynyrd Skynyrd show at the huge Bay area shed, Shoreline Amphitheatre, which I used to go to once or twice every year when I lived there. I am somewhat astonished that a band which now that Gary Rossington has passed away does not have even ONE single original member can still draw enough of a crowd to play a 25,000 capacity venue such as Shoreline. Yeah, I know some of the members, like Johnny Van Zandt, have been with them for a long time, and I'm sure that they have some good musicians who honor the tunes. Still............can you even envision ABB with Warren and Derek going out there with four or five other guys (not named Dickey or Jaimoe) and calling it The Allman Brothers Band? Shouldn't it be called "Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd"? I find the fact that people still pay good $$$ to see this somewhat astonishing.
Yes they told Rolling Stone magazine they had completed several farewell tours due to original members needing to retire due to health issues and before they completed their most recent farewell tour, original member Gary Rossington suddenly passed due to on going heart issues.
So at that point the remaining members of the current version of Lynyrd Skynyrd realized they enjoyed carrying on the legacy of the band and there was no reason to continue a farewell tour.
The band shifted to a viable touring and recording band which plans to tour and function for several more years and the latest farewell tour was shifted to just a regular tour and one of several people can expect for the next several years.
So if you were at one of the several farewell shows over the last years for Billy Powell then Gary Rossington, it was a false alarm. The current version of Skynyrd decided there is no need to shelve the band at this time.
As to Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks recruiting four new guys and touring as the Allman Brothers Band, count me out!! I wouldn't spend a nickel to see that version of the Allman Brothers Band.
I am confident Warren and Derek have more respect for Duane, Gregg, Dickey, Berry, Butch and Jaimoe to pull such a stunt.
@robertdee I keep waiting for a group of fans to hire lawyers to instigate class action claims against bands that conduct "farewell tours" - charging big bucks for a one-time experience - and then turn around and tour again in a year or two. Skynyrd ain't the only guilty party!
@rusty I hate to say it Rusty but I went to a Doobie Brothers farewell tour some years ago. Big crowd at a coliseum and tickets were high for then but in just four years they were touring again.
Some bands such as The Rolling Stones were off the road 2 to 3 years, maybe 4 and they didn't break up. Just didn't feel like touring for awhile.
So I'm skeptical of farewell tours.
@robertdee I read something about the Stones years ago. They said that bands like the Beatles broke up because they spent too much time together. Said that the Stones part ways after tours and recording and don't speak to each other for years until they regroup for a new project. Having said that, any time you see the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan or any of the bands from the 60s and 70s - it's like visiting a 90 year-old relative. You just gotta know that one of these visits (shows) could very likely be the last! 😉
if it helps no matter what the tour is currently called these dates werescheduled while gary was still alive.
they have a big 4 cd boxset coming out to celebrate the bands 50 years
I'm not positive but haven't The Who done more than one farewell tour? Seems like as a kid, I recall them doing one as far back as the 80s.
As far as Skynyrd I am probably in the minority on this. I really don't mind. I have seen them with Hughie Thomason, Billy Powell, Gary Rossington, Leon Wilkeson. All no longer with us. But they still have Johnny Van Zandt, Rickey Medlocke (who is a great guitar player) and their drummer Michael Cartellone (24 years in).
The music sounds great so if you like it, go. Have they ever been the SAME since the crash? Well no. But has the ABB? No as well. But they carried on for a very long time.
Skynyrd is playing with ZZ Top now and that would be a really fun show. I have seen the two bands do this twice and I had fun. Kid Rock introduced Skynyrd before one of the shows but didn't perform. 
Everything in Moderation. Including Moderation.
@lee as far as i know the who had 1 farewell tour about 40 years ago and was sticking to no longer touring and being billed as the who until john started having really bad financial troubles in the 90's. i don't think they've had any other tours billed as a farewell
The Who did a farewell tour in 1982 and then reunited to tour in 1989 and have done many tours since then, never calling one a Farewell. The Stones have never called a tour a Farewell Tour, but have been accused of it. Lots of people missed the joke in the Eagles' "Farewell Tour I" tour they did, which was just being sarcastic. People claim they've done multiple farewell tours, too.
Skynyrd did absolutely start touring before Covid as a Farewell tour but have retracted that. I'm not shocked they are still touring as LS without Gary, but I would have never guessed that back in 1987 when 5 of them reunited: Gary, Ed, Artimus, Leon & Billy. They even called themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute at that time. In 1991, when billed themselves at Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991. But people these days enjoy plenty of tribute acts...if it's good sounding music & you enjoy it, why not go and have fun?
I'm not old enough to have seen LS with Ed or Steve in the 1970s, but seeing them back to back nights in 1987 (when Johnny had a better voice) with 5 of the bedrock 70s members together was one of my all-time concert thrills.
