Peter Keys on What It Takes to Play With Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Peter Keys joins Rich Redmond and Jim McCarthy to talk about his wild journey from George Clinton and P-Funk to auditioning for, and ultimately joining, one of rock’s most legendary bands. Peter shares how he prepped for the Skynyrd audition in just days, why learning every part of a song changes your musicianship, and how his Stoner Creek Studio and label are shaping his next creative chapter.

Perfect for musicians, rock fans, and anyone obsessed with the craft and career of making music for a living.

00:00 – Intro: Show production tag & Rich’s gym accident (seven staples, hat talk)

02:20 – Hat fashion, personal branding & “on‑brand” looks

05:05 – Introducing Peter Keys: Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist & resume overview

08:10 – Musical philosophy: “12 notes,” learning every part of the song

12:30 – Drummers as “New York City traffic cops” & live arrangement triage

16:00 – Peter’s geographic journey: East Coast, NorCal, Atlanta, Detroit, Nashville

20:15 – San Francisco in the ’80s: club scene, name‑drops & musical influences

24:10 – George Clinton & P‑Funk era, alumni, “on the one,” funk talk

28:30 – Stoner Creek Studio: post‑COVID build, gear, coffee priorities

31:40 – Touring with Skynyrd: buses, routing, crews & road life realities