New Book and Album Project

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ronnie VanZant and Me

This is my first book!  I am very excited about it too.  I wrote this book about my very close friend Gene Odom and his life experiences with Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, Rossington Collins, and Molly Hatchet.  We have several songs that will be available as singles or with the book.  Thought you might want to read a little of it.  Let me know what you think.  The book should be available late spring or early summer of 2009. 

Chapter #1

1974

"If You want to talk Fishin, that'll be o.k."

The phone started ringing while it was still dark. He looked over at the alarm clock and crawled out of the perfectly warm bed. As he answered the kitchen phone, the voice on the other end said, "Are you ready to go yet?" He smiled a sleepy smile. His buddy, Ronnie Van Zant was ready to go fishing. Gene looked out the window over the sink. The street lights allowed him to see that the wind was calm and the car hoods were dry up and down the street. He grabbed a bottle of RC cola out of the refrigerator and went back to the bedroom closet to put on some jeans and a t-shirt as quietly as possible. He didn't want to wake his wife Brenda Joe and little Melissa. He grabbed his wallet, kissed his wife on the cheek, and headed out to the car port to gather his fishing gear. He could hear the truck coming up Mull Street as he picked up his tackle box. He nearly dropped everything as he turned to leave the garage. Maybe later today would be a good time to talk to Melissa about how to use the kickstand on her bike.

The truck stopped in the middle of the street. Gene opened the truck door to be greeted by a long haired rock n' roll star that was truly glad to see him. "How's it going Buddy?" The radio was playing "Silver Wings" and Merle Haggard sounded like he meant every word. As the truck ambled slowly around the corner it was just like it had always been. Two young men from the same neighborhood, the same school, the same world. Yet the dreams were different. Life can sure throw some curve balls.

It seemed like yesterday that these same men were just teenagers barely 15 years old "jukin' "at some neighborhood party trying to act cool, hoping to meet a girl. Any girl..."How is life on the road? You know you’re gettin' pretty well known for tearing up hotels. Doesn't that hurt the bottom line just a little bit?" Ronnie looked a little bit embarrassed. "Man, those hotels are like being put into some kind of prison. We spend day and night together and sometimes you just want to blow off a little steam, you know? The music is all that matters anyway. And maybe bad press is better than no press." Gene just laughed and said, "You are gettin' press, there ain't no doubt about it. I'll tell you one thing, when this music thing slows down, if it ever does, we ought to get you into politics. You know people hear what you’re saying in those songs. We could get you to be Governor and maybe I could be like a fishing ambassador or something.

The water was slick as glass when they dropped the boat in. There was a sliver of pink showing off in the eastern sky. It was going to be hot, but not until later in the day. Right now, all things seemed perfectly aligned to catch a fish.

"I stopped by Claude Hamner’s midway grocery store yesterday. That "Curtis Loew" song has really put some smiles on some faces around here. I'm not really used to hearing Skynyrd when I'm buying bologna for my lunch at work." Ronnie laughed and said, "I can't believe all of this is happening myself. Me and Gary and Allen were talking about it the other day during sound check. It seems like yesterday we were running around the block throwing rocks and sneakin' cigarettes." A mullet jumped out of the water making a splash 50 feet from the boat. "You know I can feel that bass swimming our way right now. One of us is going to catch a monster." Ceremoniously, the water broke across the top as Ronnie’s pole nearly fell out of his grip. Gene! I've got something on the other end of this thing!..It truly was a trophy and Gene had never seen his friend happier. It was May 1977…

The following poem was written by a young Gene Odom not too long after the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. He had apparently started writing as a type of self induced therapy. This poem and several others appeared in a book written by Gene titled “Lynyrd Skynyrd I’ll never forget you”. (Ten thousand copies were made and self published by Gene. While traveling with the groups The Rossington Collins, The Allen Collins Band, and finally Molly Hatchet, Gene sold the books after the shows)

The Phone Call

The bird still fly’s around my home

The fish still hangs on the wall

That old truck still runs the same

And I’m just waiting on you’re call

Those 4:30 calls we used to make

To wake each other up

Are not forgotten to this day

And probably never will be

The poles are now gathered with dust

The boat sits idle and free

Fishing trips I take these days

are not what they used to be

I lay and stare at the phone

and wait for it to ring

All of a sudden I remember

I’m only in a dream

 About the Songs

The Ballad of Gene Odom:   Gene is one of my closest friends.  I have just completed a book about his life up to this point.  (He has a lot of living yet to do)  If you love Lynyrd Skynyrd, I hope you'll read this book.  This song kind of tells part of his life story. 

Melt Away: This story deals with the breakdown of a relationship and because of that, the man has a complete meltdown himself.  My favorite line in that song is:  "I don’t know exactly when it started, I don’t know if it’s Tuesday or August, I only know just what you mean to me"

Life in a Letter: This song is another one about my friend Gene Odom. Gene's rise above the struggles in his life, have been truly remarkable mainly due to his resilient character.  

Better Times:  Following the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash, Gene was faced with the loss of his best friend Ronnie VanZant as well as a shattered body of his own that would require a long road of healing.  This song takes us to that moment in Gene's life.  

I'm on Fire:  This song is about a man's desperate realization that he has taken his love for a woman over the line to a level of worship.

 Ballad

 One More Night (Cynthia’s eyes): This piece is obviously about my wife. As with any lasting relationship, she and I have seen our share of storms. The cool thing is that it all slides away as soon as I am with her.