Ed King has passed away...the LPF's tribute to a legend.

[Chef Greg]

:rip Ed .... rock on in the next life @ the "good place" :salude

 

[reswot]

I grew up with Skynyrd and KISS from a very young age (as did many of us in the 70s). I was riding in a car on my way to Atlanta when I heard about the plane crash.

The first time I saw Skynyrd was on the reunion tour. I saw them in Johnson City, TN and my guitar buddies and I were standing center stage against the barricade. I still have one of Rossington’s picks from that night, but through the entire show we were cheering “Fat Ed King!” because he was playing circles around Rossington and the other guy.

Like many, I’ve little use for the more recent incarnations of Skynyrd, but, for that night, they really seemed to be back. It’s a treasured memory, due mainly to Ed. When I heard the news, I emailed an old friend who was with me that night, but whom I don’t get to see very often. All I wrote in the message was “Fat Ed King.” He understood exactly what I meant.

Godspeed Ed King.

 

[bern1]

This is a hard one. Nice words Charlie.
I didn’t really know Ed but had the pleasure of speaking with him a few times a long time ago. The talk was mostly about our old Les Pauls but what I remember most is that he was completely unpretentious and of course a real fan of the music and the guitars.
May there be more like him coming along!

 

[Triburst]

That eulogy was perfect. I never met him, but I saw him on stage back in the day. He will be missed.

 

[moonweasel]

RIP, Ed. :salude

 

[hoss]

R.I.P., Ed!

I saw it on the news today and came back to the LPF looking for this thread. Aside from his legendary music he seemed a really great guy in real life and right here on the forum.

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, MISTER KING!

 

[Wally]

My condolences to the family. I had to go way back to listen to some of his early work. Yeah, I am that old, too.
RIP, Ed.

https://youtu.be/4rw1_FNdy-Y

 

[sglp63]

Sad news.

I hope Ed's autobiography will be published soon...

 

[TM1]

I remember when I was 15 going to see the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Was the Fall of 1967 and I went to Glendale High School. Ed and all the guys in SAC were Hoover High guys and crosstown football rivals. I didn't give a shit about stupid football (and still don't) but it was a way to get out on a Saturday night and maybe score with some girls.
Anyway, I digress.. The SAC was playing at Hoover one day after school opening for The Box Tops. So after school a friend of mine who had a Drivers License took me to Hoover and we saw both bands. I remember Ed had a colourful Nehru jacket and a big Vox Super Beatle amp. The whole band had The Thomas Organ Beatle's and a Vox Continential Organ. They sounded just like their record! The Box Tops didn't..and seemed more shuck n'jive to me.
I had asked Ed if it was weird that they were playing their old school. Ed told me he kept getting the Stink-eye from the Boys VP cause he had quit/dropped out of Hoover two weeks before. I think he was the youngest in the band. I know my longtime friend and former roommate Steve Rabe(he founded SWR Engineering) and Ed had been in the band together for a short period of time, but they had been known as "Thee Sixpence" and Steve left the band and a couple other changes occurred and it became the SAC. Thee Sixpence had a cool van for their gear with their name painted on the side! This was pre-Hippie daze..when we all wanted to be in British Invasion bands..
I hope Ed has a great journey to wherever we go from here! RIP Ed. Thanks for all you shared and gave!

 

[Black58]

I remember when I was 15 going to see the Strawberry Alarm Clock. Was the Fall of 1967 and I went to Glendale High School. Ed and all the guys in SAC were Hoover High guys and crosstown football rivals. I didn't give a shit about stupid football (and still don't) but it was a way to get out on a Saturday night and maybe score with some girls.
Anyway, I digress.. The SAC was playing at Hoover one day after school opening for The Box Tops. So after school a friend of mine who had a Drivers License took me to Hoover and we saw both bands. I remember Ed had a colourful Nehru jacket and a big Vox Super Beatle amp. The whole band had The Thomas Organ Beatle's and a Vox Continential Organ. They sounded just like their record! The Box Tops didn't..and seemed more shuck n'jive to me.
I had asked Ed if it was weird that they were playing their old school. Ed told me he kept getting the Stink-eye from the Boys VP cause he had quit/dropped out of Hoover two weeks before. I think he was the youngest in the band. I know my longtime friend and former roommate Steve Rabe(he founded SWR Engineering) and Ed had been in the band together for a short period of time, but they had been known as "Thee Sixpence" and Steve left the band and a couple other changes occurred and it became the SAC. Thee Sixpence had a cool van for their gear with their name painted on the side! This was pre-Hippie daze..when we all wanted to be in British Invasion bands..
I hope Ed has a great journey to wherever we go from here! RIP Ed. Thanks for all you shared and gave!

Amen.

 

[djdersh]

That was a touching a beautiful eulogy. Having grown up listening to Skynrd, Ed's passing brings back memories. I never did get to see the band with Ed, but I recall seeing Ed lurking backstage at a Rossington-Collins show in San Francisco. RIP Ed. May the four winds blow you safely home...

 

[BCR/Greg]

Ed and I were good friends, and this was my Facebook post about the old buzzard.

This is a story not of loss but of gain.

As a kid, the song Sweet Home Alabama had a huge effect on me. The sound of the guitars, the cool turnaround in the intro...but most of all the guitar solo that was out of key but just so IN. Perfection, in my opinion.

My life continues to the point a few years back where I actually become friends with the man that wrote the song and played the guitar solo...Ed King. We had a lot of mutual friends that told both of us that we would get along. "Get along" is an understatement. We had a blast....emailing each other, tossing grenades at each other on Facebook, and talking on the phone for HOURS about guitars, guitar players and life in general. It was several years before I ever got to even shake his hand....but we had a great bond. We both gave Timm Kummer a bunch of crap and hoped to all three of us have a fine dinner some day. His wit was incredible. About Charlie Daughtry..."For a Texan, he's pretty cool". A true savage. Charlie wrote an amazing eulogy, go read it.

There were times when bad stuff would happen, and there was Ed on the phone. He had lots of health issues, and I would call HIM....and on one occasion he told me that the phone was ringing constantly but my call was the only one that he was taking that day.

When I finally got a chance to meet Ed, it was this past July. Sarah and I went to Nashville for a trade show and Ed and I were stoked for Sarah and I to join Ed and his WONDERFUL wife Sharon for dinner, prepared by Tara Armstrong....Ed had RAVED about Tara for a while and insisted that dinner be at his house by Tara instead of going out. When the day arrived, I was so incredibly excited to finally meet my good friend...and we arrived at Ed's compound and were buzzed in. Sharon met us at the door and told us that Ed was not feeling well but he INSISTED that the evening go on. Sarah and I said that we would come back, but it there was no question that Ed wanted us there. When he rolled into the room in his wheelchair, I was taken aback at how frail he looked. I told him that if he was not feeling up to it, we could come back another time.

"Drive 24 hours just to have dinner? No WAY!" he said, and that was that. The evening became a wondrous event....Ed handing me rare guitar after rare guitar...and quizzing me for my opinion of each. Our impressions were nearly identical....we liked the exact same guitars for the exact same reasons. When it was dinner time, Tara's meal was fantastic. Ed was too tired to eat, so he laid on the couch near the table and told us stories and answered questions about his past.

When it was time to go, he looked me in the eye and thanked ME for coming, and for being his friend.
I knew right then that I would never see him again. My heart broke, but I didn't let him see it.

We walked outside with the dogs playfully darting past....and went to our car chatting with Tara. As Sarah and I left, we couldn't believe how fun the visit was, and how strong Ed had been with his health being obviously so poor. A bittersweet event, indeed.

Please do not be sorry for me as I say goodbye to my dear friend. Be happy that I had the good fortune to HAVE that friend. Look around at YOUR friends and hold them close. Time is short, life is unpredictable and nobody is guaranteed another visit.

I pray to God that Sharon and the rest of Ed's family can heal after such a loss, and I thank Him for giving me several years of brotherhood with such a good man.

We were good for each other."

To say that I will miss him is an understatement.

 

[Stephens]

Sorry to all the family and friends for the loss. We are certainly fortunate for not only his music, but the time he also shared with us on this forum.

 

[Black58]

Ed and I were good friends, and this was my Facebook post about the old buzzard.

This is a story not of loss but of gain.

As a kid, the song Sweet Home Alabama had a huge effect on me. The sound of the guitars, the cool turnaround in the intro...but most of all the guitar solo that was out of key but just so IN. Perfection, in my opinion.

My life continues to the point a few years back where I actually become friends with the man that wrote the song and played the guitar solo...Ed King. We had a lot of mutual friends that told both of us that we would get along. "Get along" is an understatement. We had a blast....emailing each other, tossing grenades at each other on Facebook, and talking on the phone for HOURS about guitars, guitar players and life in general. It was several years before I ever got to even shake his hand....but we had a great bond. We both gave Timm Kummer a bunch of crap and hoped to all three of us have a fine dinner some day. His wit was incredible. About Charlie Daughtry..."For a Texan, he's pretty cool". A true savage. Charlie wrote an amazing eulogy, go read it.

There were times when bad stuff would happen, and there was Ed on the phone. He had lots of health issues, and I would call HIM....and on one occasion he told me that the phone was ringing constantly but my call was the only one that he was taking that day.

When I finally got a chance to meet Ed, it was this past July. Sarah and I went to Nashville for a trade show and Ed and I were stoked for Sarah and I to join Ed and his WONDERFUL wife Sharon for dinner, prepared by Tara Armstrong....Ed had RAVED about Tara for a while and insisted that dinner be at his house by Tara instead of going out. When the day arrived, I was so incredibly excited to finally meet my good friend...and we arrived at Ed's compound and were buzzed in. Sharon met us at the door and told us that Ed was not feeling well but he INSISTED that the evening go on. Sarah and I said that we would come back, but it there was no question that Ed wanted us there. When he rolled into the room in his wheelchair, I was taken aback at how frail he looked. I told him that if he was not feeling up to it, we could come back another time.

"Drive 24 hours just to have dinner? No WAY!" he said, and that was that. The evening became a wondrous event....Ed handing me rare guitar after rare guitar...and quizzing me for my opinion of each. Our impressions were nearly identical....we liked the exact same guitars for the exact same reasons. When it was dinner time, Tara's meal was fantastic. Ed was too tired to eat, so he laid on the couch near the table and told us stories and answered questions about his past.

When it was time to go, he looked me in the eye and thanked ME for coming, and for being his friend.
I knew right then that I would never see him again. My heart broke, but I didn't let him see it.

We walked outside with the dogs playfully darting past....and went to our car chatting with Tara. As Sarah and I left, we couldn't believe how fun the visit was, and how strong Ed had been with his health being obviously so poor. A bittersweet event, indeed.

Please do not be sorry for me as I say goodbye to my dear friend. Be happy that I had the good fortune to HAVE that friend. Look around at YOUR friends and hold them close. Time is short, life is unpredictable and nobody is guaranteed another visit.

I pray to God that Sharon and the rest of Ed's family can heal after such a loss, and I thank Him for giving me several years of brotherhood with such a good man.

We were good for each other."

To say that I will miss him is an understatement.

My entire being just creaked and crunched a little smaller.

 

[duaneflowers]

Ed and I were good friends, and this was my Facebook post about the old buzzard.

This is a story not of loss but of gain.

As a kid, the song Sweet Home Alabama had a huge effect on me. The sound of the guitars, the cool turnaround in the intro...but most of all the guitar solo that was out of key but just so IN. Perfection, in my opinion.

My life continues to the point a few years back where I actually become friends with the man that wrote the song and played the guitar solo...Ed King. We had a lot of mutual friends that told both of us that we would get along. "Get along" is an understatement. We had a blast....emailing each other, tossing grenades at each other on Facebook, and talking on the phone for HOURS about guitars, guitar players and life in general. It was several years before I ever got to even shake his hand....but we had a great bond. We both gave Timm Kummer a bunch of crap and hoped to all three of us have a fine dinner some day. His wit was incredible. About Charlie Daughtry..."For a Texan, he's pretty cool". A true savage. Charlie wrote an amazing eulogy, go read it.

There were times when bad stuff would happen, and there was Ed on the phone. He had lots of health issues, and I would call HIM....and on one occasion he told me that the phone was ringing constantly but my call was the only one that he was taking that day.

When I finally got a chance to meet Ed, it was this past July. Sarah and I went to Nashville for a trade show and Ed and I were stoked for Sarah and I to join Ed and his WONDERFUL wife Sharon for dinner, prepared by Tara Armstrong....Ed had RAVED about Tara for a while and insisted that dinner be at his house by Tara instead of going out. When the day arrived, I was so incredibly excited to finally meet my good friend...and we arrived at Ed's compound and were buzzed in. Sharon met us at the door and told us that Ed was not feeling well but he INSISTED that the evening go on. Sarah and I said that we would come back, but it there was no question that Ed wanted us there. When he rolled into the room in his wheelchair, I was taken aback at how frail he looked. I told him that if he was not feeling up to it, we could come back another time.

"Drive 24 hours just to have dinner? No WAY!" he said, and that was that. The evening became a wondrous event....Ed handing me rare guitar after rare guitar...and quizzing me for my opinion of each. Our impressions were nearly identical....we liked the exact same guitars for the exact same reasons. When it was dinner time, Tara's meal was fantastic. Ed was too tired to eat, so he laid on the couch near the table and told us stories and answered questions about his past.

When it was time to go, he looked me in the eye and thanked ME for coming, and for being his friend.
I knew right then that I would never see him again. My heart broke, but I didn't let him see it.

We walked outside with the dogs playfully darting past....and went to our car chatting with Tara. As Sarah and I left, we couldn't believe how fun the visit was, and how strong Ed had been with his health being obviously so poor. A bittersweet event, indeed.

Please do not be sorry for me as I say goodbye to my dear friend. Be happy that I had the good fortune to HAVE that friend. Look around at YOUR friends and hold them close. Time is short, life is unpredictable and nobody is guaranteed another visit.

I pray to God that Sharon and the rest of Ed's family can heal after such a loss, and I thank Him for giving me several years of brotherhood with such a good man.

We were good for each other."

To say that I will miss him is an understatement.

I never expected such eloquence from Greg... but eloquent it was and rather heartwarming as well. Over the past few days, I've read page after page of unyielding support and devotion for a man most of us did not have the pleasure to have met in person but nevertheless loved, respected and admired just the same. Of all that reading this post and Charlie's eulogy stand out as the epitome of what should be remembered about Ed... if such a thing is even humanly possible. My encounters with Ed were all too few but the one that stands out for me was that day a few years back when I asked him if he wanted to be a moderator of my Les Paul Group on Facebook... he asked me if he got to push people around and I told him "absolutely!". He shot back, "I'm in!!!"... :laugh2:

 

[Zowenso]

Since Ed passed, I’ve re watched just about every video I could find of him. I feel like I knew the guy. He just seemed like such a good guy and from those of you who knew him, it’s clear from your posts that he was. Thanks to Ed, I’m expecting delivery on a Carr Mercury V. He made the amp sound so good and I’m sure the guitars helped, but I wanted one and finally got the chance to get one, so thanks Ed. I won’t make it sound as good as you but I’ll think of you when I plug into it. Speaking of his guitars, it’s obvious he had some of the best. Does anyone know if he had made plans for any of them or will they remain in the family? I’m not sure if he had children, I think I read he had a son in the military? It would be cool if some of his awesome guitars were temporary displayed somewhere for some people to see. Just curious. Hope that’s not over stepping boundaries and as weird as it sounds, gimme three steps is playing as I type this.

 

[loduck]

My visits to the old Hell House location on Peters Creek, and just stand on that little dock where so many great songs were written was always like a religious experience. Godspeed Ed.

 

[K_L]

View attachment 8271View attachment 8273
My visits to the old Hell House location on Peters Creek, and just stand on that little dock where so many great songs were written was always like a religious experience. Godspeed Ed.

And a few months later Ed would leave Skynyrd due to all the turmoil going on within the group. LS was never the same after he left imho.