The Artimus Pyle Band
More than just a “tribute” to Lynyrd Skynyrd a tribute to the man that defined it. Artimus Pyle has said ” If it wasn’t for Ronnie, no one would know my name.” Since his departure from Skynyrd in 1991 , Artimus Pyle’s career has led him down an amazing path of solo records and projects culminating into one the finest tributes to southern rock royalty. The Artimus Pyle Band is a high energy, true to the music, and true to the era rock group. One of the few that is on the road today. Artimus Pyle, Scott Raines, Jerry Lyda, Thane Shearon, Barry Lee Harwood, and Shannon Wickline are not only a group of friends and contemporaries but a group with some of the most seasoned musicians in the southeast.
Artimus Pyle – Drums
2006 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee
Long considered the “wild man” of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Artimus Pyle’s powerful and distinctive double bass drumming helped define the legendary Skynyrd sound.
Artimus got his first real break at the Charlie Daniels band’s Volunteer Jam. His first recording lists — Artimus Pyle, percussion. Then, along with other work for the Marshall Tucker Band, Artimus became known as a powerful session drummer.
Using his connections with Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker, both acts that often toured with Skynyrd, Artimus met with Ronnie VanZant and Ed King at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia. The results of that meeting — Saturday Night Special — greatly impressed Ronnie. Artimus’ live debut with the band occurred in Jacksonville’s Sgt Pepper’s Club in October 1974. The gig, a show to raise money and awareness for Jacksonville’s food bank, was hot. Everyone remembers the band walking through the front door and into a crush of people who doubled the legal occupancy of the club. Playing under the hot lights in an over-packed club with an underpowered air conditioner made for a memorable night When Bob Burns left the band permanently following Skynyrd’s first European tour in December 1974, Artimus quickly got the nod as Skynyrd’s new drummer.
The years Artimus played with Skynyrd solidified the legend behind the band. Quickly developing into one of the nation’s top touring draws with a grueling schedule of 300 shows a year, the constant work and touring paid off. By October 20, 1977, Skynyrds songs had become radio staples.