When Ronnie Van Zant first sang the words to the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic “Free Bird” in a smoky Jacksonville bar, he had no idea he was writing the unofficial anthem of Southern rock that would last the next fifty years and beyond.
That legacy now lives on well north of Skynyrd’s Florida roots, in the hands of a seven-piece tribute band from Toronto called Symply Skynyrd.
Since 2017, this dedicated act has recreated the sound, swagger, and songbook of Lynyrd Skynyrd for audiences across Ontario, the Maritimes, and across Canada, and as the band closes in on its tenth anniversary in 2027, it has become one of Canada’s most consistently booked classic rock tributes.
Who Is Symply Skynyrd?
Formed in 2017, Symply Skynyrd has built its reputation on a simple premise: rather than dabbling across the broader Southern rock genre the way many classic rock cover acts do, Symply Skynyrd plays Skynyrd and only Skynyrd.
On any show, you can find them performing the classic Skynyrd catalog exclusively, from stadium staples like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird” to deeper cuts like “Call Me the Breeze” and “Whisky Rock-a-Roller.”
The tribute band does a fantastic job spanning numerous Skynyrd album masterpieces, including undeniable sway songs like “Simple Man” and “Tuesday’s Gone,” fan favorites like “The Ballad of Curtis Loew,” and no show is complete without a full-length “Free Bird” with extended guitar coda intact.
From a Six-Piece Club Act to a Seven-Piece Touring Band Making Fans All Over Canada
Going back to the beginning, Symply Skynyrd started as a six-piece outfit of veteran GTA musicians looking to build something more disciplined than a typical bar-band residency.
Over the better part of a decade, the lineup expanded to seven players, adding the layered guitar interplay and keyboard textures that defined Skynyrd’s mid-1970s sound, when the original band toured with three guitarists trading solos. In addition, some of the musicians involved have come and gone, with today’s iteration of the band widely considered its best yet.
That evolution mirrors something guitarist Peter Freer has spoken about publicly.
In an interview with the classic rock blog Crazy on Classic Rock, Freer described the discipline required to sustain a tribute act long-term, noting that, “Any musician — tribute or original — will tell you the work is hard, and that it takes real willpower to make a show happen when there are more obstacles than opportunities along the way.”
Today’s lineup includes Peter Freer and Larry Fontaine on guitars, Barry Davis and Michelle D. on lead vocals, Tim Pike on keyboards and vocals, Ernie Pegutter on bass, and Rodney DeFreitas on drums. Several members are described as veteran musicians from the GTA’s live circuit, which gives the band a level of instrumental precision that’s harder to find in newer tribute acts still finding their sound.
This experience shows up most clearly in the guitar work, since Skynyrd’s catalog depends on tight, harmonized dual- and triple-guitar leads that fall apart quickly if the players aren’t locked in with each other.
Meet the Musicians Behind the Tribute
Peter Freer (guitar)
A long-time Toronto rock and blues player whose previous bands include Aeroforce, Deuce, Essential Soul, Pepper Jones & the Rockits, and The Monroes. In the early 2000s, he led Cloud 9, a top cover band in the GTA. His favourite Skynyrd song is “That Smell.”
Barry Davis (vocals)
In addition to Symply Skynyrd, Barry performs in various tribute acts, including We Ain’t Petty (a Tom Petty tribute). His favourite Skynyrd track is “Tuesday’s Gone.”
Michelle D. (vocals)
Michelle has formal training in classical and jazz vocals, has sung as an alto with the Oriana Women’s Choir, and continues vocal coaching. Her favourite Skynyrd song is “Whisky Rock-a-Roller.”
Larry Fontaine (guitar)
Influenced early by the Beatles and Rolling Stones, Larry has performed with Roadogs, Grey Matters, Tool Time Blues Band, Freebyrd, and Symply Skynyrd. “Free Bird” is his favourite.
Ernie Pegutter (bass)
Ernie began on guitar at 12 before switching to electric bass, and has spent decades playing blues and Southern/classic rock. His favourite Skynyrd song is “Working for MCA.”
Tim Pike (keyboards & vocals)
A multi-instrumentalist with years of experience in rock, blues, and pop cover bands, Tim is also part of the popular Deux Def Dudes. His favourite Skynyrd song is “Call Me the Breeze.”
Rodney DeFreitas (drums)
Originally from Miami, Florida, Rodney is a veteran drummer with a storied career of touring bands and playing rock and roll all across North America.
What You Can Expect with a Symply Skynyrd Setlist
Symply Skynyrd’s setlist leans on the songs casual fans expect – a la “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Free Bird,” and “Gimme Three Steps” – while making room for the deep cuts that separate a serious tribute act from a wedding cover band.
That includes “I Know a Little,” “I Ain’t the One,” and the moodier tracks we’ve already shared like “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Simple Man.” The band has also said it rotates in new material and takes song requests, which keeps repeat audiences engaged rather than watching the identical set every time they come out.
What Sets Symply Skynyrd’s Live Show Apart From Those of Other Tribute Bands
A tribute band lives or dies on authenticity, and Symply Skynyrd leans into a note-for-note approach rather than a loose, improvisational take on the material.
For anyone that knows the material, Skynyrd’s original recordings are dense with specific guitar tones, harmony parts, and arrangement details, and a seven-piece lineup gives the band enough players to reproduce that density live — something three- or four-piece cover acts typically can’t manage.
Symply Skynyrd has brought its live show to a number of festivals and venues over the years, including stops at Toronto’s legendary El Mocambo, a venue with its own five-decade history hosting acts from The Rolling Stones to U2, along with the Canadian National Exhibition and multiple Ontario Ribfest events, among the province’s highest-attendance outdoor food-and-music festivals.
The Road to a Decade: 10th Anniversary and the East Coast Tour
Symply Skynyrd is heading toward its tenth anniversary in 2027, a milestone relatively few tribute acts reach. In fact, industry data suggests roughly half of American tribute bands stay active past the ten-year mark, which makes longevity itself a credibility signal in a crowded market.
The band recently wrapped an East Coast swing that included dates in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, extending its reach well beyond its Southern Ontario home base and into the Maritimes’ active summer festival and casino circuit.
Back on home turf, upcoming Ontario dates span rooms like The Rockpile in Toronto, the Regent Theatre in Oshawa, and venues in Meaford, Midland, and Cornwall, along with brewery and winery stages such as Shawn & Ed Brewing Co. and Frisky Beaver Wine Co.
In addition to their full seven-piece touring show, Symply Skynyrd offers a scaled-down format called Backyard Skynyrd, designed for private parties, patios, docks, halls, and special occasions.
This flexible option allows the band to bring the Skynyrd experience to more intimate settings while maintaining the same attention to detail and authenticity that defines their larger productions.
Tribute Acts Are Gaining Popularity and Symply Skynyrd is in High Demand
Symply Skynyrd’s arc — from a six-piece club act in 2017 to a seven-piece touring band closing in on a decade together, with a completed East Coast run and a growing Ontario festival footprint — tracks closely with what’s happening across the tribute band industry more broadly: steady, fast growth built on nostalgia, affordability, and musicianship rather than novelty.
Whether you’re a venue booker weighing a tribute act against an original touring artist, or a fan deciding whether a weeknight tribute show is worth the ticket, the data and the band’s own trajectory point in the same direction.
As Symply Skynyrd heads toward its 2027 anniversary, it’s worth watching how they carve up a room in with some of the best southern rock tracks ever produced.
Symply Skynyrd’s upcoming gigs include Thursday, September 10th, at the Edge Lounge in Ajax, Ontario and a gig at the Sanctuary – Centre for the Arts in Ridgeway, Ontario on Saturday, October 17th. Get your tickets here.
