What Would Skynyrd Do

The Zoo Crew is spinning the hard-hitting track What Would Skynyrd Do by Ron Keel from his album Metal Cowboy, a song that’s a fist-pumping homage to Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd. This track, featured on the 2014 release and its 2018 remastered version Metal Cowboy: Reloaded, blends Keel’s gritty metal vocals with the twangy, slide-guitar swagger of Southern rock. In a 2018 review by Rockposer, the song was praised for capturing traditional Skynyrd guitar and drum sounds, making it a standout tribute to the genre’s pioneers. Keel himself has described the song as a nod to his Southern rock roots, reflecting his lifelong admiration for Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose live album One More From The Road hooked him as a teenager in 1976. He’s shared in interviews that the song’s title is a playful yet reverent question, asking how Skynyrd’s rebellious spirit might tackle life’s challenges.

One juicy tidbit about What Would Skynyrd Do comes from Keel’s own reflections on his musical evolution. In a HardRock 80 blog post, Keel revealed he got “Metal Cowboy” tattooed on his arms, symbolizing his commitment to blending metal and country, with this track as a prime example. The song’s Southern rock vibe was no accident—Keel recorded it with a band that included guest musicians like Frank Hannon of Tesla, adding authenticity to its Skynyrd-inspired riffs. In a 2014 Glitter2Gutter review, the song was noted for its “twangy, country-flavored” charm, catchy enough to get listeners singing along despite its departure from pure metal. Keel’s ability to fuse genres shines here, as he told The Rockpit in 2018, explaining how the song ties together the “toughness and twang” of metal and country colliding on “sacred Southern ground.”

Ron Keel’s career kicked off in the late 1970s with a Tennessee-based band called Lust, but his big break came when he moved to Los Angeles in 1981 with his Nashville band Steeler. As detailed on his official website, Steeler, featuring a young Yngwie Malmsteen, became a staple in the Southern California rock scene, signing with Shrapnel Records and releasing their self-titled debut in 1983. Keel’s powerful vocals caught the eye of Gene Simmons of KISS, who produced Keel’s next band, KEEL, leading to albums like The Right To Rock and The Final Frontier, which sold millions and landed on Billboard’s Hot 100. His brief stint as Black Sabbath’s lead singer in 1984, recording demos before parting ways, added to his rock cred. In the ‘90s, Keel pivoted to country as Ronnie Lee Keel, releasing Western Country and touring with The Rat’lers, with his songs landing in films like Men In Black II and TV shows like The X-Files.

Keel’s genre-blending journey continued with his Southern rock/country project IronHorse in the 2000s and his creation of the Country Superstars Tribute show in Las Vegas, where he portrayed Ronnie Dunn. His autobiography, Even Keel: Life On The Streets Of Rock N Roll, published in 2014, chronicles this wild ride. Today, he runs RFK Media, a label releasing his music and supporting new artists like Crashing Wayward. Fans can connect with him on his Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where he shares updates on tours, like his recent Monsters of Rock Cruise, and engages with his “family” of supporters. For deeper fan interaction, check out the Ron Keel Band Facebook page or join the Ron Keel Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can geek out over his metal-meets-country legacy.