Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Ed King With Sweet Home Alabama Performances

(hennemusic) Lynyrd Skynyrd dedicated a pair of recent performances of their 1974 smash, "Sweet Home Alabama", to their former guitarist Ed King following his passing on August 22 at the age of 68.

Video has surfaced online of the southern rockers playing the song co-written by King, co-founder and singer Ronnie Van Zant and lone surviving original member, guitarist Gary Rossington, from an August 24 show in Syracuse, NY and an August 25 set in Burgettstown, PA.

Alongside "Free Bird" as the group's signature songs, "Sweet Home Alabama" was the second single from Skynyrd's 1974 album, "Second Helping"; the tune reached No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 while the project hit No. 12 on the Billboard 200 on its way to sales of more than 2 million copies in the country.

"It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of Ed King who died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee on August 22nd, 2018," read the statement released on the guitarist's Facebook page. "We thank his many friends and fans for their love and support of Ed during his life and career."

While the cause of King's death has not been revealed, recent media reports out of Nashville indicate the rocker was battling lung cancer and had been hospitalized for the disease. Watch both videos here.

Related Stories

Watch Jelly Roll Jam 'Tuesday's Gone' With Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd Ink With Frontiers Music Srl

Lynyrd Skynyrd In The Studio For 'Nuthin' Fancy' 50th Anniversary

Lynyrd Skynyrd Inducted Into Florida Arts Hall of Fame

Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, More To Rock Field & Stream Music Fest