The sweet sounds of Southern rock and roll will greet the roofing industry at this year’s International Roofing Expo in New Orleans.
Legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline the SRS Raise the Roof Foundation’s annual fundraiser on Feb. 7 at the House of Blues, officials with SRS Distribution Inc. confirmed.
The band has entertained millions of fans and sold millions of records around the world during its stellar run that began in 1964 and peaked with the 70s hits “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.” The group nearly folded following a tragic plane crash that claimed three band members and three others in 1977. However, multiple members of the original band are still performing and involved in the music industry.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2006.
“We’re really excited to have Lynyrd Skynyrd be part of this,” said SRS Vice President Rich Ross, who serves as executive director of the SRS Foundation. “They’re a great musical group that’s been doing their thing for a long time, and their music transcends generations. It’s going to be through the roof.”
This is the third consecutive year that SRS has dug deep into the annals of classic rock to draw an act that appeals to both veteran roofers and the next generation of roofing industry professionals. Two years ago, they kept raucous roofing crowd on its feet with Credence Clearwater Revisited in Orlando, and last year iconic rock guitarist Joe Walsh thrilled an even larger audience in Las Vegas.
For the fifth straight year, proceeds from the event will benefit SRS’s Raise the Roof Foundation, which was established in 2012 as a way to give back.
The foundation supports a handful of non-profit organizations that share the company’s mission of supporting disaster relief efforts, military veterans, and community-based programs across the country. Last year’s concert and other contribution programs at IRE helped SRS smash its projected fund-raising goal of $75,000, and ultimately eclipsed $94,000, Ross said.
Joining them on stage during the IRE will be southern rockers Whiskey Myers. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and tickets must be reserved at ire.srsdistribution.com. Like last year, actual tickets for the event will be distributed to registered IRE attendees at the SRS Extreme Tailgate during show hours.
