The rivalry among musicians is very common in the rock scene as they are all professionals who would want to dominate the music scene. We are familiar with it primarily due to the feuds between the musicians or the discussions among their fan bases. Musical rivalries also drive many of us to choose sides, and they initiate heated debates among fans and even music critics.
The musicians also like to challenge each other to prove that they are better. We are accustomed to hearing many amusing stories related to that, and one of them took place between Ted Nugent and Lynyrd Skynyrd when Nugent tried to challenge them in one of their shared shows, as revealed by the musician Steve Vest.
How Did Ted Nugent Challenge Lynyrd Skynyrd?
The witness of this story is Steve Vest, a solo musician since the 1960s. He also performed as the opening act of various famous bands, including Lynyrd Skynyrd. According to the story revealed by him, in 1969, Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing in Skateland in Jacksonville, Florida. Many rock and roll concerts were held there during that time, and Ted Nugent, with his band The Amboy Dukes, also appeared in one of them along with Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Steve Vest recalled how Ted Nugent confidently came in with his interesting outfit and started performing ‘Cat Scratch Fever.’ Vest stated that before taking the stage, Ted Nugent told Lynyrd Skynyrd members to watch him performing. This was undoubtedly a challenge to the band’s lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. Later on, Nugent attracted the audience’s attention and gave an outstanding performance.
It was now Lynyrd Skynyrd’s turn to show their skills on stage, and Ronnie Van Zant was ready to prove his worth. Steve Vest added that they invited him to play with them on the show, and they gave a terrific performance together. Thus, it seems like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s members, and Ronnie in specific, accepted Nugent’s challenge, and they did their best to exceed him. According to Vest, it was an unforgettable moment as the band enchanted the audience with their performance.
It looks like Steve Vest is a huge fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd as he defined them as the best and most original rock and roll band. Of course, both Ted Nugent and Lynyrd Skynyrd were pioneers of their own genres at that time as they represented different music styles. While Lynyrd Skynyrd stood out with their Southern rock-oriented sounds, Ted Nugent was famous for his hard rock-based music style.
Below, you can watch how Steve Vest revealed this interesting story.
