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
