Ed King answers some questions for DownSouthJukin.com

Recently, I have had the great pleasure and honor of talking with Ed via Email.  I hope to talk with him more via phone when his schedule allows.  Ed took time out of a very hectic schedule to answer a few questions for me to put on the site.  I would like to sincerely thank Ed for his hospitality on his web site as well as volunteering to do this for me.  He is a great guitarist, great song writer, and even a greater person.  So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Ed King.  Some of you folks know Ed is doing shows with close friends and former band mates Artimus Pyle, JoJo Billingsley, Leslie Hawkins, and Bob Burns November 19th and 20th with the Saturday Night Special Band.  Ed is from what I understand doing some stuff with The Renegades as well which includes such Southern Rock legends as Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynrd), George McCorkle (Marshall Tucker), and Jeff Carlisi (.38 Special).  Again, I hope to add to this page as Ed's schedule allows.  Thanks again Ed.

How did you first come to be in Lynyrd Skynyrd?

In 1971, while in the Strawberry Alarm Clock, we did a tour of the South and Skynyrd was our opening act.  Ronnie and I got to be pretty good friends and I encouraged him to keep writing his own material.  I always wanted to work with him.  Then, when their bass player quit, Ronnie looked me up.  I was playing a bar gig in North Carolina.  He and Rossington drove up to get me.

You are co-writer of Sweet Home Alabama.  How was that song written?  In other words how did it come to be?  Was it an idea from Ronnie, you, etc.?

After the first Skynyrd album was finished, Ronnie wanted to get Leon (their old bass player) back in the band...so I switched over to guitar.  When we got to rehearsal the next day, Rossington was playing a riff and I picked up my guitar and immediately kicked off the opening  to ALABAMA.  It took about a half hour to write...a half day to put together with the band.  We actually wrote two songs that day...ALABAMA and I NEED YOU.  In the weeks that followed, we wrote the entire "Second Helping" album...though our first album hadn't even been released.

What is your fondest memory of your time in Lynyrd Skynyrd?

My fondest memory of being with Skynyrd were the song writing sessions at the infamous "Hell House", a cabin we rented in Green Cove Springs, Florida.  One time at night a thief came up the creek behind the cabin and stole some equipment...so one of us had to sleep at the cabin every night.  What with the gators, rat-sized roaches, RATS, gators, noises of all kinds...it was downright scary.  But it added to the whole Skynyrd ambiance!  We worked from 8:30 AM til dark...every day.  I mean EVERY day.  We were hard working and determined.

What is your favorite guitar and what hardware do you prefer (pickups, etc) ?

When I switched over to guitar, I had to start playing a Fender Stratocaster.  The other guys were playing Gibsons and a Gibson was always my favorite.  But I didn't want to sound like them, so I bought a new Strat.  That must've been an inspired decision.  I became associated with that sound, so I learned to adopt the Stratocaster as my guitar of choice.  I have many of them and they're scattered around the house...just in case I want to play no matter where I happen to be.