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 35:20 – Dad rock, “Drummer Dad” concept & social media content ideas 39:00 – Kids, marriages, blended family & starting Stoner Creek Records 42:10 – Peter’s kids as musicians, YouTube University & discouraging music careers 45:00 – AI & music (Suno, demos, soul vs. algorithms, using AI as a sketch pad) 49:00 – Nashville growth, Lower Broadway grind & musician survival odds 52:00 – Keyboard competition in Nashville & working live vs. studio 54:40 – Social media flyers, AI graphics & authenticity in visual art 57:10 – Zappa, Wackerman brothers, influences & mind‑bending arrangements 1:00:40 – How Peter joined Lynyrd Skynyrd: the full audition and “nerf piano” story 1:05:10 – Defining himself inside Skynyrd, Billy Powell’s parts & performance philosophy 1:07:30 – Plugs: Stoner Creek Studio/Records, All Time Low Stars, socials & show wrap Links. Peter’s Website: https://peterkeys.com Peter’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/PeterKeys Podcast Production: https://itsyourshow.co Rich’s drum intensive: https://drumtensive.com The Rich Redmond Show: https://richredmond.com/podcasts