This story about Ed is so not true. Skynyrd had opened for Strawberry Alarm Clock and that's how Ronnie and Ed met. Ed loved the band and told Ronnie if he ever needed a guitar player to call him. Leon was playing bass but before their first tour, Leon quit the band. Ronnie called Ed and Ronnie and Gary drove up to somewhere in north or south Carolina and picked him up. He started with the band playing bass. Then Leon came back and Ed started playing guitar. That's how Ed joined the band. He lived with Ronnie and Judy for about 3 months. They were mostly on the road, but when they were back home, Ed stayed with them.
I did not believe Gene's statements about Ed either. But Ed admitted to using drugs in an interview about his departure. He says he did not drink but that he did use drugs, To be clear--Ed didn't not admit to being an addict nor heavy usage. Gene says Ed was a "severe drug addict: and "probably the worst one of the bunch". Ed did not confirm that, and I don't believe it. I don't think Gene started working for the band until after Ed left. Gene seems to be a pretty reliable source for the most part but I don't believe he is 100% reliable.
I always thought it was odd that Gene talks about how he didn’t like drinking, drugging, and partying but yet he took a job with the Lynyrd Skynyrd band. He was traveling with them, hanging around them and living amongst them. Kind of an odd place to be For someone that doesn’t like drinking drugs and partying. It may just have been the best job available for making a living. but, it would have to be difficult for someone straight as an arrow to spend that much time around this group of guys.
I can tell. There’s a new video of him standing over Gary’s grave basically dogging his character. Which he has a right to have his opinion but just doing it over his new grave It’s not too far from pissing on it. And he always talks about how they shouldn’t have made money off the name after the crash but yet he’s come out with books making money off the name.
Ed always said no one wanted him there but Ronnie which I never believed. I think he had chip on his shoulder, most of the guys except him & Artimus grew up together. Billy & Leon grew up together as well so maybe Ed felt like he was odd guy out bit I kinda feel he put himself there. When they went on road Ed would buy snacks like slim jims & they would all be smoking on the bus, gwt the munchies & Ed would sell his snacks! Who does that? Rest of them were like one for all & whatever I have you are welcome to so in comes Ed makin money off these guys, but I bet he took whatever drug of the day bein passed around. Liked Ed as a player but always thought Steve was a better fit & was also great player plus he sang lead & wrote lyrics unlike Ed. Also Ed left band in middle of the night because Ronnie held broken light bulb up to Ed's neck(I felt that) but to just leave Allen & Gary w/any notice while they were mid tour was a shit thing to do IMO. They had to scramble to divide up all Ed's parts, luckily they knew most of it but it was still crappy thing to do
@@kathyrais574 Steve being a better fit than Ed King is debatable,but have no doubt that during Ed's time with the band he was as important to their success as anyone.He arranged music and was RonnieVan Zant's song writing buddy,someone Ronnie could bounce ideas off of and Ed seemed to know just what Ronnie wanted a song to sound like.
@@davidh6818 Hard to say , conjecture on both our parts. I think they were both amazing but from everything I have heard, the guys inc Gary & Allen bounced ideas off Ronnie for most part not other way around. At practices Ronnue would(guitaists mainly) come in, & say what you got Ed, what aby you Gary. Allen? They would play whatever riff or PC of music & usually then a vision for the song came to him, sometimes right away, s I motives he would go fishin, or he would say can't write a song for that, like he originally did w/Free Bird but its finally came to him. He was usually inspired by the music & come up w_lyrics from there. As far as Ed & Steve, if you go by what Ronnie did & said, he worked better w/Steve. When Ed ran off in middle of night not even telling anyone, Ed said, Gary called him, Allen called him, every guy in the band called asking Ed to come back except Ronnie. That tells me a lot. When Steve came around, Ronnie was revitalized. Steve was fresh & multi talented & really inspired Ronnie to write, to collaborate. He trusted Steve, he respected Steve & I think I told took alot of pressure off Ronnie. All of a sudden, he had another song writer, & another lead vocalist. RVZ I believe saw Steve as the band's savior not just because the band felt stuck but because some of the pressure was taken off Ronnie's shoulders. He acted very carefree & I don't give a shit but he put a lot of pressure on himself to evolve the band to stay relevant, as good as they were, he was always worried abt new music & his vocal issues, he really struggled w/his voice & they had to cancel shows because of it & he didn't want it to get out so part of their reputation was hyped up, the bad boy image to cover issues of him not bein able to sing. They were rowdy for sure but some of it was used so people wouldn't find out truth. I think it gave him so peace that w/Steve he could carry lead where Ed was back up only. They could kind of split lead vocal duties as some other bands did. Usually I don't even like comparing who is best of the 4 guys because they all were great underrated guitarists & Skynyrd sounded great w/Ed or Steve & even w/just Gary & Allen athough , hard to play 3 parts with 2 guys & none got the respect they deserved IMO.
I don’t understand why Gene is so connected to the band. He was Ronnie’s friend but seems to bash every other band member. He wasn’t IN the band and the stories he tells are just that, stories, not facts.
Yes, he says he was RVZs bodyguard not long before the plane crash but I don’t think he was ever their manager. He does say that he was asked by Ronnie to “manage “ the bands drug and alcohol abuse but he says when Ronnie was on the plane he trashed from the night before and needed sleeping pills to help him sleep. Doesn’t sound like he was doing his job. Gene Odom is all about Gene Odom. The Lynyrd Skynyrd world revolves round him. At least that’s what he thinks.
I dont like that guy,he lies a lot about Lynyrd Skynyrd members talking shit about the former & Dead members.With his daily tours and writing a book and Talkshows. He is only a friend of Ronnie van Zant, he used this to make money.
@@lockandloadlikehellhe was brought in for maybe last 9 mos or do by Ronnie because with baby coming, he wanted to get sober & get the guys clean & sober. He was never Mgr. Gene always wants to blame Gary for a lot of stuff I think he was jealous of Gary because of the bond Gary & Allen had w/Ronnie. As adults, they never spent a lot of time together because Skynyrd was always on tour so just at the end there before crash he was brought in.
Wonder why gene don't never tell how Ronnie Van Zant used to get drunk and beat up everybody you don't never hear those stories not to say that I don't like Ronnie Van Zant he was an awesome songwriter and singer but still the truth needs to be known
Yeah, Ronnie was a real prick when he was drunk... and alcohol isn't an excuse. You make the choice to consume alcohol, excessively, then you are making the choice for whatever consequences arise from that decision. I've read he really started to clean up towards the end, which is great.
Gene has been spewing his B.S. since just after the plane crash in an attempt to be relevant,he wants the public to consider him a member of the band when he wasn't.Gene's only claim to fame is that he was Ronnie Van Zant's friend,and he has used that to make money off of the Lynyrd Skynyrd fanbase for the last 45-odd years like a damn leech.It's disrespectful and damned disgusting,he's even went as far as bad mouthing Gary Rossington while standing AT HIS GRAVE in recent months.
I just watched that video. I do like listening to his stories. But I'll agree with you- Gene does talk bad about the band members at times. And I thought it was just not right , Gene standing by the grave, saying awful things.
He’s a lyin’ sack of shit who has spent his entire life trying to convince people he mattered to the band. He did not. He was just Ronnie’s loser friend who he was nice enough to create a job for. He is NOT respecting his buddy’s legacy, he is trying to profit from it.
Ok Gene they were young rockstars we know they liked to have fun how about them getting on and telling just the bad about you my friend.I forget what did you play in the band?why not say a good word about the guys?
Gene didn't get along with anybody except Ronnie. Ronnie was the only Van Zant he got along with. He went against Gary in 1987 when he reported to Judy that Gary was planning more concerts. Judy objected until she found out how much money Gary was going to give her. Gary told Gene he would never work for the band again and I think Gary kept his word. Maybe he made some money running errands for Judy, but that was the only money he made after 1987. Gary did not appreciate Gene snitching, and my guess is the Johnny and the rest of the band didn't like it either. I don't think I have ever seen anybody except Leonard Skinner and the Stoned Roadie in a youtube video with Gene. Not even Judy, so she probably fell out with him too. Gene was different than the rest of the band. Gene's haircuts probably would have approved of by Coach Skinner. Back then we called people like Gene a "square". Gene was Ronnie's bodyguard. Ronnie might have hired Gene because he knew Gene would snitch on everybody else--and I don't blame Ronnie if Ronnie did hire him for that reason.
Gene hates drugs and drug addicts and people that drink and get drunk yet his fishing buddy was the worst of the bunch. He never talks about Ronnie's heroin use. He is just a hypocrite.
I still can’t find anything anywhere about Bob Burns killing a Navy WAC on the Buckman Bridge. He says maybe she was in the right lane and he was probably drugged out and drunk which he was normally was then. That’s a ton of speculation and it shows how much he just makes shit up. He’s the one that wants to be the center of attention. What a prick to go on and trash the band members.
@@jaygreen1313 Yeah there is video like the guy above said of him standing on Garry's grave talking pure trash about Garry. Hey maybe there is old hostilities still there but don't stand on a dead dude's grave and trash him to the world lol.
The only thing consistent about Gene's stories is that he consistently makes himself out to be more important than he was,he has spewed a LOT of B.S. over the years.
Has anyone heard the story of Bob Burns killing a Navy WAC in a car crash on the Buckman Bridge? The bridge crosses the St Johns River just South of Jax. Gene says he was “probably wasted” when this supposedly happened. Just before they were going to do the European tour in ‘74? I think he said. I had never heard this story before. I can’t find it on the internet or any interviews. If it’s true, what happened to Bob for that?
I think it could be summed up that Gene likes Ronnie but not too fond of anyone else....or even the music. I remember him saying he never liked rock n roll. I'm not bashing Gene....he was around them....I was not. Just an observation after seeing interviews over the years.
artimus weird? i had the honer meeting artie. one the nicest respectful people he had meet greet he politey asked others put out ciggys. he had gater aid no beer gene if you think so innocent why did you stick around body gaurd or not artie saved many lives while injured he won court case on his movie maybe they was wild in the day but im sure setteled down
@@robertthomas1569 I'm an Arlington rez 62 years. This I understand. I cant seem to get enough of their story. I grew up one street over from Bobbi Ingram, graduated Terry Parker High School 1980. Took Skynyrd for granted back when they were alive...not now. So proud of those guys. Their music is so important to me. They represent home now. If it were up to me, I'd change the name of this city to Skynyrdville Florida and Hatchet County.
Damn dude, you say he’s the man and you don’t even know his name. Plus Gene isn’t the man , he’s the Wo man. Talks shit about people he barely knew. Let’s hear what an angel he was.
This story about Ed is so not true. Skynyrd had opened for Strawberry Alarm Clock and that's how Ronnie and Ed met. Ed loved the band and told Ronnie if he ever needed a guitar player to call him. Leon was playing bass but before their first tour, Leon quit the band. Ronnie called Ed and Ronnie and Gary drove up to somewhere in north or south Carolina and picked him up. He started with the band playing bass. Then Leon came back and Ed started playing guitar. That's how Ed joined the band. He lived with Ronnie and Judy for about 3 months. They were mostly on the road, but when they were back home, Ed stayed with them.
Exactly. Gene kinda stalled and made up his answer. He should have just said he didn’t know the specifics
Gene is always making shit up , he wasn't around Ed or Bob and got thrown of the Skynyrd train in 87 for shady dealings and playing both sides
Actually Gene testified at the " blood oath " trial against lynryrd skynyrd and cost them a bunch of money , thats when he was kicked off the tours.
If he's lying about Ed, his can you trust any of the rest
I did not believe Gene's statements about Ed either. But Ed admitted to using drugs in an interview about his departure. He says he did not drink but that he did use drugs, To be clear--Ed didn't not admit to being an addict nor heavy usage. Gene says Ed was a "severe drug addict: and "probably the worst one of the bunch". Ed did not confirm that, and I don't believe it. I don't think Gene started working for the band until after Ed left. Gene seems to be a pretty reliable source for the most part but I don't believe he is 100% reliable.
i get a sense he was jealous of garys closeness with ronnie
God bless Gene Odom….he’s a very honest man….no wonder Ronny was friends with him!
I think he's half full of shit.
I always thought it was odd that Gene talks about how he didn’t like drinking, drugging, and partying but yet he took a job with the Lynyrd Skynyrd band. He was traveling with them, hanging around them and living amongst them. Kind of an odd place to be For someone that doesn’t like drinking drugs and partying. It may just have been the best job available for making a living. but, it would have to be difficult for someone straight as an arrow to spend that much time around this group of guys.
Gene doesn’t always tell the truth!
I can tell. There’s a new video of him standing over Gary’s grave basically dogging his character. Which he has a right to have his opinion but just doing it over his new grave It’s not too far from pissing on it. And he always talks about how they shouldn’t have made money off the name after the crash but yet he’s come out with books making money off the name.
Exactly
Shameful, Shameful stuff from Gene Odam, lift your game Genes
Gez Gene, don't hold anything back now. Make sure you tell it all.
Mean Gene Okerlund
Gene you said Billy liked to go to his room and just drink drink drink if he was in his room how the hell you know what he drank?
I know for a fact Ed and Allen were on good terms -
Ed always said no one wanted him there but Ronnie which I never believed. I think he had chip on his shoulder, most of the guys except him & Artimus grew up together. Billy & Leon grew up together as well so maybe Ed felt like he was odd guy out bit I kinda feel he put himself there. When they went on road Ed would buy snacks like slim jims & they would all be smoking on the bus, gwt the munchies & Ed would sell his snacks! Who does that? Rest of them were like one for all & whatever I have you are welcome to so in comes Ed makin money off these guys, but I bet he took whatever drug of the day bein passed around. Liked Ed as a player but always thought Steve was a better fit & was also great player plus he sang lead & wrote lyrics unlike Ed. Also Ed left band in middle of the night because Ronnie held broken light bulb up to Ed's neck(I felt that) but to just leave Allen & Gary w/any notice while they were mid tour was a shit thing to do IMO. They had to scramble to divide up all Ed's parts, luckily they knew most of it but it was still crappy thing to do
@@kathyrais574 Steve being a better fit than Ed King is debatable,but have no doubt that during Ed's time with the band he was as important to their success as anyone.He arranged music and was RonnieVan Zant's song writing buddy,someone Ronnie could bounce ideas off of and Ed seemed to know just what Ronnie wanted a song to sound like.
@@davidh6818 Hard to say , conjecture on both our parts. I think they were both amazing but from everything I have heard, the guys inc Gary & Allen bounced ideas off Ronnie for most part not other way around. At practices Ronnue would(guitaists mainly) come in, & say what you got Ed, what aby you Gary. Allen? They would play whatever riff or PC of music & usually then a vision for the song came to him, sometimes right away, s I motives he would go fishin, or he would say can't write a song for that, like he originally did w/Free Bird but its finally came to him. He was usually inspired by the music & come up w_lyrics from there.
As far as Ed & Steve, if you go by what Ronnie did & said, he worked better w/Steve. When Ed ran off in middle of night not even telling anyone, Ed said, Gary called him, Allen called him, every guy in the band called asking Ed to come back except Ronnie. That tells me a lot.
When Steve came around, Ronnie was revitalized. Steve was fresh & multi talented & really inspired Ronnie to write, to collaborate. He trusted Steve, he respected Steve & I think I told took alot of pressure off Ronnie. All of a sudden, he had another song writer, & another lead vocalist. RVZ I believe saw Steve as the band's savior not just because the band felt stuck but because some of the pressure was taken off Ronnie's shoulders. He acted very carefree & I don't give a shit but he put a lot of pressure on himself to evolve the band to stay relevant, as good as they were, he was always worried abt new music & his vocal issues, he really struggled w/his voice & they had to cancel shows because of it & he didn't want it to get out so part of their reputation was hyped up, the bad boy image to cover issues of him not bein able to sing. They were rowdy for sure but some of it was used so people wouldn't find out truth. I think it gave him so peace that w/Steve he could carry lead where Ed was back up only. They could kind of split lead vocal duties as some other bands did.
Usually I don't even like comparing who is best of the 4 guys because they all were great underrated guitarists & Skynyrd sounded great w/Ed or Steve & even w/just Gary & Allen athough , hard to play 3 parts with 2 guys & none got the respect they deserved IMO.
Ed was a great find for the band.
I don’t understand why Gene is so connected to the band. He was Ronnie’s friend but seems to bash every other band member. He wasn’t IN the band and the stories he tells are just that, stories, not facts.
Wasn't he Ronnie's bodyguard and i thought he was manager at some point
Yes, he says he was RVZs bodyguard not long before the plane crash but I don’t think he was ever their manager. He does say that he was asked by Ronnie to “manage “ the bands drug and alcohol abuse but he says when Ronnie was on the plane he trashed from the night before and needed sleeping pills to help him sleep. Doesn’t sound like he was doing his job. Gene Odom is all about Gene Odom. The Lynyrd Skynyrd world revolves round him. At least that’s what he thinks.
I dont like that guy,he lies a lot about Lynyrd Skynyrd members talking shit about the former & Dead members.With his daily tours and writing a book and Talkshows.
He is only a friend of Ronnie van Zant, he used this to make money.
@@lockandloadlikehellhe was brought in for maybe last 9 mos or do by Ronnie because with baby coming, he wanted to get sober & get the guys clean & sober. He was never Mgr.
Gene always wants to blame Gary for a lot of stuff
I think he was jealous of Gary because of the bond Gary & Allen had w/Ronnie. As adults, they never spent a lot of time together because Skynyrd was always on tour so just at the end there before crash he was brought in.
@@jaygreen1313 Quaaludes. He took two from what I've gathered...got them from the girls
I've seen a lot of interviews about Skynyrd and I've come to the conclusion that Gene is a pathilogical liar.
He is !!
since when did Bob kill a girl in the car wreck? got him mixed up w allen
Gene isn’t telling the truth
Wonder why gene don't never tell how Ronnie Van Zant used to get drunk and beat up everybody you don't never hear those stories not to say that I don't like Ronnie Van Zant he was an awesome songwriter and singer but still the truth needs to be known
Craig Reed's podcast, Stoned Roadie Show, has lots of info on how violent and mean RVZ was when drinking whiskey. Crazy.
@@PatriciaLen66oh nice thx
Yeah, Ronnie was a real prick when he was drunk... and alcohol isn't an excuse. You make the choice to consume alcohol, excessively, then you are making the choice for whatever consequences arise from that decision. I've read he really started to clean up towards the end, which is great.
Ronnie was lucky he didn't get badly hurt. This in itself is a credit to the Skynyrd security guys.
Gene has been spewing his B.S. since just after the plane crash in an attempt to be relevant,he wants the public to consider him a member of the band when he wasn't.Gene's only claim to fame is that he was Ronnie Van Zant's friend,and he has used that to make money off of the Lynyrd Skynyrd fanbase for the last 45-odd years like a damn leech.It's disrespectful and damned disgusting,he's even went as far as bad mouthing Gary Rossington while standing AT HIS GRAVE in recent months.
Yep. Fuck this guy. World Champion Coattail Rider, nothing more.
I just watched that video. I do like listening to his stories. But I'll agree with you- Gene does talk bad about the band members at times. And I thought it was just not right , Gene standing by the grave, saying awful things.
He’s a lyin’ sack of shit who has spent his entire life trying to convince people he mattered to the band. He did not. He was just Ronnie’s loser friend who he was nice enough to create a job for. He is NOT respecting his buddy’s legacy, he is trying to profit from it.
Is there a complete interview?
Nonsense. This guy lies all the time.
Ok Gene they were young rockstars we know they liked to have fun how about them getting on and telling just the bad about you my friend.I forget what did you play in the band?why not say a good word about the guys?
Gene didn't get along with anybody except Ronnie. Ronnie was the only Van Zant he got along with. He went against Gary in 1987 when he reported to Judy that Gary was planning more concerts. Judy objected until she found out how much money Gary was going to give her. Gary told Gene he would never work for the band again and I think Gary kept his word. Maybe he made some money running errands for Judy, but that was the only money he made after 1987. Gary did not appreciate Gene snitching, and my guess is the Johnny and the rest of the band didn't like it either. I don't think I have ever seen anybody except Leonard Skinner and the Stoned Roadie in a youtube video with Gene. Not even Judy, so she probably fell out with him too. Gene was different than the rest of the band. Gene's haircuts probably would have approved of by Coach Skinner. Back then we called people like Gene a "square". Gene was Ronnie's bodyguard. Ronnie might have hired Gene because he knew Gene would snitch on everybody else--and I don't blame Ronnie if Ronnie did hire him for that reason.
Gene hates drugs and drug addicts and people that drink and get drunk yet his fishing buddy was the worst of the bunch. He never talks about Ronnie's heroin use. He is just a hypocrite.
Ronnie was a H injector?
Yes there is an interview where he says he took it because of nerves before a show. The "stuck a needle in your arm " is not just about Gary.
@@lockandloadlikehell Needle and the spoon......i know, ive been there before. I know, i know
Let ed and artimus in band
The master shit talker
Yeah there’s a recent video of him standing over Gary’s grave doing an interview and his dogging him out. Pretty sad.
I still can’t find anything anywhere about Bob Burns killing a Navy WAC on the Buckman Bridge. He says maybe she was in the right lane and he was probably drugged out and drunk which he was normally was then. That’s a ton of speculation and it shows how much he just makes shit up. He’s the one that wants to be the center of attention. What a prick to go on and trash the band members.
@@nimitz1739 I saw that terrible thing to do man.
@@jaygreen1313 Yeah there is video like the guy above said of him standing on Garry's grave talking pure trash about Garry. Hey maybe there is old hostilities still there but don't stand on a dead dude's grave and trash him to the world lol.
Genes the only one of the band or associated with the band i really believe .seems like his stories have stayed consistent .
About Ed?
The only thing consistent about Gene's stories is that he consistently makes himself out to be more important than he was,he has spewed a LOT of B.S. over the years.
Has anyone heard the story of Bob Burns killing a Navy WAC in a car crash on the Buckman Bridge? The bridge crosses the St Johns River just South of Jax. Gene says he was “probably wasted” when this supposedly happened. Just before they were going to do the European tour in ‘74? I think he said. I had never heard this story before. I can’t find it on the internet or any interviews. If it’s true, what happened to Bob for that?
I think it could be summed up that Gene likes Ronnie but not too fond of anyone else....or even the music. I remember him saying he never liked rock n roll.
I'm not bashing Gene....he was around them....I was not. Just an observation after seeing interviews over the years.
artimus weird? i had the honer meeting artie. one the nicest respectful people he had meet greet he politey asked others put out ciggys. he had gater aid no beer gene if you think so innocent why did you stick around body gaurd or not artie saved many lives while injured he won court case on his movie maybe they was wild in the day but im sure setteled down
personality conflict.
True that
Sorry…Ronnie
My opinons of Artimus changed a little when I found out he is a registered sex offender.
Maybe it's a manipulated interview...?
Wasn't Gene a bad ass in his youth...I mean dont some folks have some knuckle impressions from Gene from back in the day ?
well, ronnie could handle his own and he picked Gene for a bodyguard
@@robertthomas1569 I'm an Arlington rez 62 years. This I understand. I cant seem to get enough of their story. I grew up one street over from Bobbi Ingram, graduated Terry Parker High School 1980. Took Skynyrd for granted back when they were alive...not now. So proud of those guys. Their music is so important to me. They represent home now. If it were up to me, I'd change the name of this city to Skynyrdville Florida and Hatchet County.
Where's his take on allen collins?
Allen is the first guy he talks about. “Party, party, party, etc., etc.,….he was a showman.”
@@humphreygruntwhistle3946He also said “His hat and his feather and his stage presence” 😂 That hat. Lol
Huge Liar
Gene Odom for president 2024
Gene Odin is the MAN
Odom 😊
Damn dude, you say he’s the man and you don’t even know his name. Plus Gene isn’t the man , he’s the
Wo man. Talks shit about people he barely knew. Let’s hear what an angel he was.
@jaygreen1313 Gene Rodham is the MAN
@@jaygreen1313Gene Ozark is the MAN
Gene Oldham is the MAN