CMT Music Awards Sets Superstar Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd

The CMT Music Awards on Sunday (April 2) will feature all-star performances from country music’s biggest stars, and a few will team up with members of rock and roll royalty for a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

CMT announced Thursday (March 30) that the tribute to the venerated band will feature a cross-genre group of artists including ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Slash and Warren Hayes. LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd will step in as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s backup singers, the Honkettes.

Johnson and Rodgers are set to lead the vocals during the performance, with Gibbons, Slash and Haynes on electric guitar. Musicians Ethan Pilzer and Rich Redmond will join on bass and drums.

Lynyrd Skynyrd band members Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke and Dale Krantz Rossington — who is also the wife of late band member Gary Rossington — will be on hand to watch the tribute.

With iconic hits including “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Free Bird” and more, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock influence has certainly permeated the seams of country music throughout the decades. The band also took a step into the country genre when they performed alongside Brantley Gilbert for a 2016 episode of CMT Crossroads. The performance was later nominated for CMT Performance of the Year at the CMT Music Awards.

The 2023 CMT Music Awards will be hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini. with performances from artists including Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson and more. Fans can also look forward to collaborations between Alanis Morissette and Ingrid Andress, Gwen Stefani and Carly Pearce, Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown, the Black Crowes and Darius Rucker, plus more.

Catch the awards show live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday (April 2), at 8PM ET on CBS.