In the early 1970s, Skynyrd opened several shows for Strawberry Alarm Clock, and in '72, King joined the Southern rock outfit as a bass player before switching to guitar. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.'Ī California native, King was also a founding member of the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock, known for their 1967 psychedelic chart-topper 'Incense and Peppermints.' I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock and Roll Heaven. 'I think the tone of the guitar kinda, like, sounds like Alabama.'I’ve just found out about Ed’s passing and I’m shocked and saddened,' said Rossington in a statement on Thursday morning. 'Ed was our brother, and a great songwriter and guitar player. King stopped playing his red and black guitar and gave a classic answer. 'Is there something unusual about the lick?' Tapper asked, during the interview. Tapper's interview with King in Nashville featured in the 2002 documentary ' Lynyrd Skynyrd's UnCivil War.' He once played the opening lick from 'Sweet Home Alabama' for CNN's Jake Tapper, then with VH1 News. King had been retired since 1996, according to his Facebook page. 'Rest in peace Ed, you left behind some great riffs Buddy,' Daniels wrote. Randy Bachman with Bachman-Turner Overdrive said King 'wrote the anthem of the south with Sweet Home Alabama and was such a talented guitarist.'Ĭounty music legend Charlie Daniels said King 'played so many of the classic guitar parts on their early records.'

I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock & Roll Heaven.' Rossington tweeted: 'Ed was our brother, and a great Songwriter and Guitar player. On Thursday, tributes poured in for King. The group, who liked the Beatles at the time and just wanted to be a band, often got in trouble in gym class because of their long hair, Rossington said. The teacher's name was spelled differently, Rossington told CNN. The band was named after a Jacksonville, Florida, high school gym teacher who was their nemesis. Who could've guessed that song would pay the rent for over 30 years?' 'I am the luckiest guitar player that ever lived. 'I am mainly known as the one who verbally counted off 'Sweet Home Alabama,' then played the infamous Stratocaster riff as well as the solos in that tune,' King said, according to the newspaper. 'Then Ronnie wrote the lyrics and Ed and I wrote the music.'įour days later, the group recorded the hit, according to The Birmingham News.

'Ronnie and I were sitting there, and he kept saying, 'play that again,' ' Rossington said in the 2015 article. Rossington told Garden & Gun he kept playing a riff over and over while they waited for everyone to arrive for rehearsal. The iconic song was born in a practice session. Because no matter where you're from, sweet home Alabama or sweet home Florida or sweet home Arkansas, you can relate.' 'It was cutting the song he wrote about the South down. 'It wasn't cutting him down,' Rossington said of Young. And so Ronnie (Van Zant) just said, 'We need to show people how the real Alabama is,' ' guitarist and founder member Gary Rossington told Garden & Gun in 2015. Neil Young had 'Southern Man,' and it was kind of cutting the South down. 'When we were out in the country driving all the time, we would listen to the radio. The rollicking track begins with King counting '1-2-3' before the guitar lick that generations have come to know as a tribute to the state of Alabama. King was one of three writers of 'Sweet Home Alabama,' which was released on the album 'Second Helping' in April 1974, according to Rolling Stone. He left before a 1977 plane crash in Mississippi that killed three members of the group and later rejoined for a reunion tour, according to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. King was a member of the Florida band in its early days.

The post did not include a cause of death or King's age.

The retired guitarist died Wednesday at his home in Nashville, according to his Facebook page. Ed King, who co-wrote the Lynyrd Skynyrd hit 'Sweet Home Alabama,' the tune with the classic riff that became a Southern rock anthem, has died.

Ed king lynyrd skynyrd