Am I Losin'

Album: Nuthin' Fancy (1975)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is about drummer Bob Burns leaving the band due to the stress of heavy touring. After release of the album, Lynyrd Skynyrd started a 90-day 61-concert tour called "The Torture Tour." Ed King walked out during this tour.
  • An acoustic version is featured on Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1994 album Endangered Species. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Aaron - Twin Cities, MN, for above 2
  • Skynyrd is one band that's familiar with hardship. Al Kooper relates in his memoir Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards that, while he was still in the early stages of taking over management of the band, Ronnie Van Zant phoned him at 2 a.m. This was to report the news that Lynyrd Skynyrd's equipment van had been stolen. They had a tour to fulfill and no equipment. So Van Zant asked Kooper to wire them $5,000 on the spot. Kooper immediately obliged, to which Van Zant remarked, "Al, you just bought yourself a band for five thousand dollars!"

Comments: 10

  • Erik S from Waynesville, NcMY absolute favorite song by these gifted artists. It is such a shame that many have never heard this tune, only whats on the radio. The most talented group of musicians I think there ever was. Their music will live forever.
  • Kenneth Hatfield from Clearwater, FloridaAm I losin’ is a great song. My favorite song from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like the story in the song, it parallels my life with my best childhood friend, Jay Cantley.

    The song goes into how a little change in life changes the depth of the friendship. That song makes me reminisce our friendship and puts a tear in my eye.

    RIP: Jay Cantley (9/18/60 - 2/22/22)
  • Erik Sandborg from 28806My favorite song...just so heart felt, beautifully done.
  • Joe from TorontoWho's voice is it? Just discovered this beauty
  • Michael Hutcheson "hutch" from AtlantaRandy W, and all fans----Bob was a friend of mine too when I first moved to Atlanta in 1979; he lived with me for a while when he was not very well off. As we were sitting home one day I was playing Am I Losin' on my acoustic and asked him how he felt that the song was written for him by the band. He had no idea it was. I was surprised and pulled out my old Skynyrd scrap book of articles and turned to the page where the band talked about it. That, dear friends, is how he found out. At the time, he had a lawsuit against MCA for back royalties; it wasn't a pleasant affair. He ended up getting a check for about $250,000, and I gave him a ride in my old Chevy Caprice Classic to the Toyota dealership, where he bought a 1980 Toyota Celica Supra, powder blue, for cash. I was a 19 year old kid and had already met the other band members in 1977---Saturday, May 14th---after a concert in Savannah. So Bob and I had a lot to talk about. His passing was tragic and sad. But we had some good times. Michael Hutcheson
  • Thomas from MnRandy W, could you give me a way to contact him? I am a big fan and have some questions.
  • Jimmy from Knox, TnRonnie to this day is still missed and what a great song.
  • Bob from Boston, Mathanks for sharing that...more insight in Ronnie and the power of his down home..Honesty and Integrity..!! shining through 32 years later..
  • Randy W from Atlanta, GaBob Burns is a Personal friend of mine.Bob loves the song but says he never held any ill feelings back then against Ronnie for money reasons.
    He said most of the song was right except the money part.
    He also said the last thing Ronnie and him talked about before Ronnie left town on that plane was Bob not getting Royalities like he should.Ronnie Told Bob you should be paid and I'll take care of it.Ronnie did and Bob said the last thing Ronnie did for him before he died was make sure he would be paid.Ronnie was a man of his word.
  • Dj from Minneapolis, MnUnderated song. One of my favorite Skynyrd tunes.
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