Lynyrd Skynyrd brings out 'Guns' on road trip

Lynyrd Skynyrd has launched a late-summer tour to support the band's first new studio album in six years, "God & Guns," which is set to surface next month.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers kicked off the trek last weekend in Gilford, NH, and will continue the outing Aug. 28 in Sparta, WI. The group has dates lined up through most of September before taking a short break and returning to the road for a fall stretch beginning Oct. 16 in Salisbury, MD. Details are included below.

"God & Guns," the iconic Southern rockers' first album since 2003's "Vicious Cycle," is due in stores Sept. 29. The set boasts production from Bob Marlette (Seether, Alice Cooper) and guest fretwork from guitarist John 5, formerly of Marilyn Manson and currently a member of Rob Zombie's band.

"We wanted to show the people that not only are we doing the old material, keeping the music going, but we still have some new tricks up our sleeves, too," said founding guitarist Gary Rossington in a press statement.

The video for "Still Unbroken," the first single from "God & Guns," is currently streaming at the band's website.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, already no stranger to tragedy (an infamous plane crash in 1977 took the lives of three of the group's members, including lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant), has suffered a pair of deaths in the family in recent months.

In January, founding member and keyboardist Billy Powell died at age 56 in his home in Jacksonville, FL, from a suspected heart attack. And in May, the band's former bassist, Donald "Ean" Evans, died at 48 after battling an aggressive form of cancer, according to a press statement. The pair were replaced for the current tour schedule with Peter Keys of the 420 Funk Mob on keyboard and Robert Kearns of The Bottle Rockets on bass.

Lynyrd Syknyrd was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. With the death of Powell, guitarist Gary Rossington is now the sole active member from group's heyday.