The Drive Into Hell House

Lynyrd Skynyrd rehearsed in a small cabin on an isolated 99 acre farm from 1970 – 1975 in Green Cove Springs, Florida. They nicknamed this cabin “The Hell House” because the temperature was so hot inside when they were practicing. They were still just playing clubs when they moved in there. They rehearsed Monday – Friday, from about 8:00 am – sundown, religiously. Ronnie Van Zant would pick up the entire band in his car and then drive them out there, every morning. During breaks they would play baseball in the field or go fishing in the creek out back. Sometimes Allen, Gary, and the others would walk about 30 minutes to the closest store during their lunch break. One night, early on in their tenure at Hell House, someone broke in and stole some amps. From then on the band had a rule that one member had to stay out there every night. They say it was pretty scary to stay out there alone because it was so far out in the woods and so dark. You could hear all kinds of animals in the night out there. In the daytime they had to keep an eye out for poisonous snakes and alligators. Also the farmer’s cows sometimes wandered up to the cabin.The band worked hard at the Hell House. Many of their songs were written right there, in that shack. Sweet Home Alabama was one of the songs written out there. That was written by Gary, Ed, and Ronnie in about 30 minutes one day. Saturday Night Special was another song written out there. The list goes on and on. After Skynyrd got their record …
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