Salute ya, man. You are the real deal. We had the Jefferson Airplane class of boomers and the Charlie Daniels class. Both sides still hate each other to this day.
I was introduced to Southern Rock my first year in Germany (1977). Along the way, I was buying a dozen albums a month, mixed my own tapes. When I was kicked up to Battalion HQ, I was listening to Radio Luxembourg in the afternoon.
Later, I was introduced to Spyrogyra...saw them in concert in El Paso. Due to a change in venue, I ended up in the front row. My then girlfriend hated it, for me it was the best concert ever. I made up for it be taking her to numberous George Strait and Willie Nelson concerts.
I celebrate December 4th, to honor the Million Dollar Quartet at Sun Studio in Memphis, on 12/4/1956.