Artimus Pyle was sometimes called the "Wild Man" of the rock group "Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Artimus Pyle started out more as a country man. Thomas Delmar Pyle was born on July 15, 1948, in Louisville, KY. When Pyle was nine years old, his mother bought him his first musical instruments: some bongos. Three years later his father got him a used set of drums. It wasn't long before young Pyle had put together his first band, the "Thom Thumbs." In the late '60s, fresh out of high school, Pyle joined the Marine Corps. As soon as his enlistment was up, Pyle returned his attention to music and education, taking up the drums again. In the early '70s, Pyle landed gigs with the "Charlie Daniels Band" and "The Marshall Tucker Band." With a little help from Daniels, Pyle got to show off his talents to Ronnie Van Zant, performing with the band, "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in Jacksonville at the Sergeant Pepper's Club. At the end of 1974, when founding member Bob Burns parted from Skynyrd, it was Pyle who was called to fill his shoes. He toured with the band, recording a number of albums, up till 1977, when a plane crash instantly killed three members, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and his sister Cassie. Road manager Dean Kilpatrick was also killed. Pyle was one of the survivors of the band, but he was never one to call it quits, and continued with his music the best he could. In 1981 he put together the "Artimus Pyle Band" (A.P.B.) with members like Darryl Otis Smith, John Boerstler, and Steve Lockhart; Artimus wanted it to be a proper representation of the true "Skynyrd" spirit, one that would do justice to those incredible songs that Ronnie Van Zant wrote and sang with such conviction. The A.P.B. is sometimes called the "Artimus Pyle Band," sometimes "All Points Bulletin." A year later, the group released a debut album, A.P.B., under the MCA Records label. Some of the tracks, fans will find on this offering are: "It Ain't the Whiskey," "Rock and Roll Each Other," and "She's My Baby." In 1983, the band released a second album, "Nightcaller." Four years later, Pyle joined the "Skynyrd Tribute Tour," and even recorded another "Skynyrd" album in 1991 before leaving the group. A concert set, "Live from Planet Earth," by the "Artimus Pyle Band" was issued in 2000, and after a 24-year hiatus, a new studio album, "Artimus Venomus," appeared in 2007 on "Cleopatra Records."
There is a second generation of "Pyles" making progress in the world of music. Artimus Pyle's two oldest sons: drummer, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Marshall Daniel Pyle and older brother Christopher Chapel Pyle, who plays the trumpet, flute, guitar, and of course the drums.
The latest and greatest news in Artimus Pyle's life is his first book release, "Street Survivor: Keeping the Beat in Lynyrd Skynyrd," and can be bought on Amazon.
There was no hesitancy whatsoever to help Lois Chazen with World Peace For Animals. I have always loved animals-all animals. I lived around barn yard animals on a farm, including cats and dogs. I used to ride horses and consider myself to be a horse whisperer. I have known Lois for a while and met her while playing a gig in Black Mountain, and consider her to be an incredible animal loving friend. When she mentioned she was creating a music fundraising project for the animals, and asked if I would help out drumming for the Gorilla Harmabe, I was honored. I am proud to be involved with this project, and grateful to have fulfilled my commitment to do some Congo-Drumming in dedication to Harambe, the gentle giant!
The song, "Harambe" really brings back the vision of watching that incredible Silverback Gorilla picking up the child and holding him in his hand while really studying the young boy. In my opinion, if Harambe wanted to hurt the child, he would have harmed him in the beginning, but he was protecting the child, as he would his own-Gorillas are known to be a little rough if need be! I believe Harambe was instinctively doing what he knew what to do, (a line in the lyric). This song will bring more awareness regarding the essence of dominion in regard to Zoo's, and in this particular situation, in hope of protecting both animals and children from further danger!
Animals were not created to be in Zoo's! Human-Beings are pushing animals/ wildlife out of their natural habitats, their environment. We can take care of humans and animals at the same time by creating harmonious relationships-which means humans must first have compassion in their own lives in order to have compassion for the entire animal kingdom! Animals cannot speak for themselves; therefore, the humans must do it for them, in more ways than one-we are all One!
artimuspyleband.com
www.amazon.com/Artimus, Pyle Street Survivor