After two years of lending a hand to his friends in Lynyrd Skynyrd, Damon Johnson announces that he will continue on guitar with the classic rock legends into 2023.
Johnson has been playing guitar for the Southern rockers supreme, filling in for Gary Rossington onstage, as Rossington is continuing his recovery from heart surgery. “These are certainly not ideal circumstances, but it is an honor to work and perform with this great band,” Damon says. “They have all treated me with immense respect and are clearly grateful to have someone filling in for Gary that has my level of touring experience, along with a lifelong love of the music of Skynyrd.”
“Gary Rossington’s guitar playing consumed me from day one of discovering Skynyrd’s music in my youth,” Johnson posted on social media. “It was an honor to lend a hand to the band beginning in July of 2021, and we have all become family over these past two years.”
A recent post on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Facebook page updated fans with the announcement of the “Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour”, which will be a package with ZZ Top running from July into September 2023.
Gary Rossington is the sole remaining original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band admirably fronted by Johnny Van Zant, brother of late great Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant, since 1987. The band was founded in Jacksonville, Fla. Their truckload of ’70s hits includes “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Three Steps” and “Simple Man.” Rossington’s many great guitar moments with the band include his lyrical, unforgettable slide-guitar work on flagship anthems “Free Bird” and “Tuesday’s Gone.” Damon Johnson has now had the honor of performing those timeless guitar pieces, with Skynyrd, for almost 80 shows total: a number that will almost double by the end of 2023.
I don’t send comments to people, or post much of anything really, but I was at the show at the Shoreline Amphitheater on 8/10 and you guys were great! I’m kinda picky about tunes I really like and I watch as much as listen (I don’t know if you remember a guy pointing and yelling “good job!” at you when you were leaving stage. It was real cool for you to say thank you.) and you impressed the heck outta me. Replacing someone in anything is always tough (nothing but comparisons), but for you to step in for an icon like Rossington and nail it is amazing. Playing his parts while making them your own was very special to see. I gotta admit that up till then I haven’t heard your music, but I’ve been correcting that the past few days. Let’s say that my collection is going to get larger very soon. Im sure my wife and I will be seeing Skynyrd again in our travels, but I definitely want to catch a Brother Cane show sometime. Well, that’s about it. Thanks for the time and a truly enjoyable show!
John!
Thanks so much for this. It’s an honor and a privilege to stand on that stage and pay tribute to Gary and the entire original band.
Looking like Skynyrd will be back on the west coast sometime in 2024, and I’m working hard on getting out there with Brother Cane hopefully very soon. All the best! Damon