ROCK MOMENT – Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew’
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew’ is one of the band’s most heartfelt and story-driven songs, blending Southern rock storytelling with bluesy soul. Released in 1974 on the band’s Second Helping album, the track paints a vivid picture of a young boy’s admiration for an aging bluesman—a song that captures both the magic of music and the racial realities of the American South.
Written primarily by frontman Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Allen Collins, ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew’ tells the story of a poor boy who collects bottles to pay a local black musician named Curtis Loew to play the blues on his Dobro guitar. Through the boy’s eyes, Curtis becomes a hero—a figure of authenticity, soul, and wisdom in a world that doesn’t appreciate him. While some fans have wondered if Curtis Loew was a real person, Van Zant once explained that he was more of a composite character inspired by several street musicians and people he had known growing up in Jacksonville, Florida.
Recording took place at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, where producer Al Kooper helped the band shape the song’s warm, rootsy sound. Gary Rossington’s slide guitar and Billy Powell’s piano give the track its distinct Southern flavor, while Van Zant’s vocals deliver the narrative with heartfelt sincerity. Though it wasn’t released as a single, “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” became a fan favorite and a staple in Skynyrd’s live shows.
Over the years, the song has stood as a tribute to the unsung heroes of Southern music—the forgotten bluesmen whose influence runs deep in American rock. ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew’ remains one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most poignant and enduring works, a timeless reminder of where their sound—and their soul—came from.
