Charlie Starr Reflects on the Honor of Playing Gary Rossington’s Iconic ‘Free Bird’ Guitar
In a recent revelation, Charlie Starr shared his profound experience of performing with one of the most legendary Gibson guitars ever crafted—the ‘Free Bird’ model once owned by Gary Rossington. This memorable moment unfolded during a performance where Starr delivered a captivating medley of Free Bird and Tuesday’s Gone.
Last November, Starr made waves in the music community when he took the stage wielding Rossington’s cherished electric guitar, a notable piece of rock history. This performance was part of a collaborative initiative launched by the Rossington family in partnership with the Chicago Music Exchange (CME).
The CME has been entrusted with the stewardship of Gary Rossington’s extensive guitar collection, announcing plans to loan out his iconic Les Paul/SG to a select group of prominent musicians for live performances. This decision marked a pivotal moment, as CME noted, “No one has ever played these instruments live other than Gary,” a sentiment that underscores the guitar’s unique legacy. Starr himself described the experience as “sacred,” highlighting the emotional weight of the moment.
A Unique Performance Experience
In a recent interview with AL.com, Starr reflected on the performance, revealing how he chose to honor the guitar’s legacy while also breaking tradition. “I mean, honored is not the word. It doesn’t quite capture the specialness of the moment,” he expressed. “They brought two guitars, and I selected one of them.”
Starr elaborated, “Gary had several Gibson SGs, but these two are the most recognized from various videos and photographs. He primarily used this guitar for Free Bird, so I thought, ‘This guitar was crafted for a specific song,’ and I decided to play tuesday’s Gone instead.”
With Dale Rossington,Gary’s widow,and their daughters present,the atmosphere was charged with emotion. “It was incredibly moving. Some might find it silly, but it was hard not to feel emotional holding that guitar,” Starr admitted.
the Spiritual Connection
Such revered instruments frequently enough carry an air of mystique, and when asked if he felt a spiritual connection to Rossington while playing, Starr responded thoughtfully, “I think so. The moment I played a note, it was like, ‘Wow, man.’ Many of these guitars inherently resonate with the sounds we’ve come to associate with them. While Gary played various guitars, certain tones are unmistakable, and it’s like, ‘oh yeah, that’s it.’”
This isn’t the first instance of legendary guitars being loaned out for live performances. Recently, it was announced that Jeff Beck’s Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster would also be made available for select artists, with notable musicians like Steve Lukather and John Mayer already taking it for a spin.
