We’ll take any excuse to cue up the official “Free Bird” music video — especially since Louisville’s own Max Moore is the producer/director who created the first and only official music video worthy of the world famous rock anthem.
And lots of people are noticing.
Moore’s emotional, timeless telling of the song’s lyrics has been nominated for an Emmy Award in the Ohio Valley Region in the Art & Entertainment category.
“Getting to work on this project was already incredibly meaningful to me. It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to create visuals for such an iconic song like ‘Free Bird,” Moore told The Courier Journal. “This song already had such a long life and means so much to so many people, so my goal was to honor that in the video.”
Max Moore, producer and director for the Lynyrd Skynyrd band’s “Free Bird” video.
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For more than 50 years, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1973 classic “Free Bird” existed without an official music video. That changed when Moore, a music video and commercial producer, director stepped in, and in doing so, carved his hometown straight into rock‑and‑roll lore.
In February 2025, after submitting a proposal to United Musical Enterprises, the band’s record label, Moore was hired to produce the first official “Free Bird” video. He could have filmed it anywhere in the country, but the Male High School and Western Kentucky University graduate brought the project home, surrounding himself with a Kentucky crew and Kentucky actors.
As a result, the timeless Southern‑rock anthem has finally received its visual story, crafted by someone who understands the emotional weight of the lyrics and the landscape from which they came.
Lindsay and Cameron Cousins in the Max Moore music video for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”
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Though Lynyrd Skynyrd never appears in the video, Moore said he feels deeply satisfied with the balance he struck between the song’s iconic lyrics and the story he’s telling today.
“I was glad we created something emotional and cinematic without stepping on what people already love about ‘Free Bird,’” he said.
Leading up to the Emmy Awards, held at The Galt House Hotel on July 25, Moore is pouring his energy into a personal project made possible by the momentum of the “Free Bird” video. The piece has opened professional doors, but it’s the flood of personal messages that has meant the most.
“People are tracking down my email to tell me very personal things, like about their dad who was a huge fan of the song or to share what it means to them, and that feels incredible,” he told The Courier Journal. “We didn’t make ‘Free Bird’ with awards in mind, but when something matters that much, the recognition is the cherry on top.”
Reach lifestyle and entertainment reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville filmmaker earns Emmy nod for official ‘Free Bird’ music video
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