Maps of Music

God & Guns (2009)

Where the lyrics of God & Guns take you, and where it was really made.

This is the last Lynyrd Skynyrd album to feature keyboardist Billy Powell, who died in January 2009, months before the album came out.

Key places

Recorded at Blackbird Studio (2009)

Recording site Nashville — Discogs lists Blackbird Studio as one of the places this album was recorded. The location is only confirmed at city level, so the exact building is not fixed here. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Retouching at Studio Sea, Fort Myers (2009)

Recording site Studio Sea — French Wikipedia says most of the album was recorded in Nashville, with some retouching done at Studio Sea in Fort Myers, Florida. The place is marked at city level only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Sound Kitchen (2009)

Recording site Sound Kitchen — Discogs lists Sound Kitchen among the recording locations for this album. The place is only confirmed at city level in the source, so the exact building is not fixed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Live tracks at Freedom Hall, Louisville (2007)

Live show Freedom Hall — The live tracks on the special edition's second disc were recorded on 15 June 2007 at the Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The place is located by name only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• God & Guns is the thirteenth studio album by the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released September 29, 2009
• The last Lynyrd Skynyrd album to feature longtime keyboardist Billy Powell, who died in January 2009
• The standard edition has 12 tracks; the special edition adds a second disc with three new studio songs and three live tracks
• The title track 'God & Guns' was written by Mark Stephen Jones, Travis Meadows and Bud Tower

Background

• Single 'Still Unbroken' released July 27, 2009; 'Simple Life' followed on August 4, 2009
• 'Still Unbroken' was written after the death of original bassist Leon Wilkeson in 2001
• Ean Evans, who had replaced Wilkeson on bass, also died before the album came out
• Hughie Thomasson died in December 2007 after contributing to many songs; recording began in 2008 and he does not play on the album
• This is the first Lynyrd Skynyrd album with guitarist Mark Matejka
• Guitar work on the album is by John 5
• The CD booklet pictures the group with new members Peter Keys and Robert Kearns, who are not on the album

Recording

• Recorded at Blackbird Studio, Sound Kitchen and Studio Sea (Fort Myers, Florida)
• Mostly recorded in Nashville, with some retouching at Studio Sea in Fort Myers
• Mixed at The Blue Room in Woodland Hills, California; mastered at Sterling Sound
• Bob Marlette is credited as producer, engineer and mixer

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964 as My Backyard, with Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums).
• Adopted the name Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1968, partly as a mocking tribute to P.E. teacher Leonard Skinner.
• Debut album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) released in 1973, produced by Al Kooper.

Members

• Core lineup in 1973: Van Zant, Collins, Rossington, Leon Wilkeson (bass), Billy Powell (keyboards), and Ed King (guitar).
• Burns was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974; King was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976.

Career

• Popularized Southern rock with "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird".
• Career halted on October 20, 1977, when their chartered plane crashed, killing Van Zant, Gaines, and Cassie Gaines.
• Reunited in 1987 with Johnny Van Zant as lead vocalist and continued touring for decades.
• Gary Rossington, the last founding member, died in March 2023.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006; Rolling Stone ranked them No. 95 among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Robert Christgau gave the album a C+ grade
• He wrote that 'Unwrite That Song' would make a nice B side for Darius Rucker

Records

• The album debuted directly at number 18 and peaked at #18 on the U.S. Billboard pop charts
• It was the band's highest-charting studio album since 1977's Street Survivors
• As of 2012 the album had sold 182,000 copies in the United States
• In the UK it reached number 36, the band's first album to chart there since Street Survivors in 1977
• In France it stayed on the chart for four weeks, peaking at 64th place

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'Still Unbroken' was the theme song of WWE's Breaking Point PPV event and is featured on WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010.
• Spanish Wikipedia describes the album title as a reference to a speech by Barack Obama in San Francisco.
• French Wikipedia says the songs 'Gifted Hands' and 'Storm' are dedicated to Billy Powell and Ean Evans respectively.
• Hughie Thomasson contributed to writing many songs, including the first single, before his death.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

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