Winston Watusi Music Plus

Another day, another musician has died: perhaps I should change the name of this column to Obit of the Week?

Actually, it's been over a week. Does that make it old news? I'm not sure it matters when, like the death of David Lindley last week, the slew of natural and unnatural disasters filling today's news bulletins crowded out any mention of the passing of guitarist Gary Rossington, aged 71.

Rossington was the last-surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, perhaps the greatest Southern rock band ever, Drive-By Truckers notwithstanding.

He was essential to their sound and a key figure in the group's eventual rebirth after a plane crash killed three of its members.

It all seems like a long time ago. It was in 1977 that the band's initial incarnation was cruelly cut short when their plane ran out of fuel and crashed into woods in Mississippi, killing singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, and three others.

That was actually the second time Rossington escaped near-death. In 1976, he drove his Ford Torino into a tree, inspiring the band's anti-drug song ‘That Smell'.

I can hardly believe this was nearly 50 years ago, and it began even earlier. He was still a teen when the band started practising together – in 1964.

Documentary

I use the word ‘practising' intentionally. There's a pretty good documentary about the band kicking round on various services called ‘If I Leave Here Tomorrow', and one of the things that amazed me watching it was that they literally practised for years, gigging locally in Florida while writing and honing the songs. By the time of their 1973 debut album every riff and fill was locked in through meticulous repetition.

This was in no way a ‘jam band'.

And what a debut it was! Any first album that includes both ‘Gimme Three Steps' and ‘Freebird' is definitely a keeper. That's Rossington playing the aching slide guitar on ‘Freebird'. Then for their second album he co-wrote ‘Sweet Home Alabama'.

That's all you really need to do to become a legend. So cheers Mr Rossington! Thank you for the music. Skynyrd was a helluva band and those old songs still sound peerless.

They even inspired a concept album by the current Greatest Southern Rock Band, Drive-By Truckers. ‘Southern Rock Opera' is a brilliant double album exploring the complex contradictory character of the South, the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Wallace and much more. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Moving right along, Tattletale Saints are coming to Katikati on March 24.

Nashville

Tattletale Saints is a Kiwi-born Americana music duo based in Nashville; Cy Winstanley on acoustic guitar and harmonica, and Vanessa McGowan on double bass.

They're from Auckland but made America home in 2014 and are now in-demand musicians, working with the likes of multi-Grammy nominated Brandy Clarke, who is absolutely wonderful and merits immediate checking out. Her album ‘12 Stories' is one of the great modern country debuts.

Tattletale Saints won the Aotearoa Music Award for Folk in 2014 and 2021, and got a Silver Scroll songwriting nomination in 2013.

But this tour sees them celebrating a new album not of their own songs but of covers they dug out from old set-lists. ‘In The Summertime' is a lovely collection, very reminiscent of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, and one of the best things I've heard this year in the acoustic vein. The songs run from George Jones' ‘Bartender Blues' (written by James Taylor) to Bob Marley's ‘Waiting In Vain', a beautiful take on Big Star's ‘Thirteen' and trad outing ‘Wayfaring Stranger'. Both sing fantastically and the musicianship is flawless. I think they take Warren Zevon's 'Carmelita” too fast but whachagonnado?

This will be a seriously good show, another coup for the Katikati Folk Club. It's at the Arts Junction, doors open 7pm; $25; $20 for members.

And an even shorter Jazz Festival plug than usual. Just one concert: on Good Friday at Baycourt Melbourne's Shirazz Jazz Band collaborate with Wurlitzer player Scott Harrison. I've seen them; I've seen him. Both are seriously good. If you like trad jazz this is absolutely a concert for you!

The late Gary Rossington. Photo: Supplied

Tattletale Saints. Photo: Supplied.