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Legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd is deemed one of the most praised and commercially successful Southern Rock bands of the 1970s. Incorporating the sounds of blues, rock and country, the group worked their way to the top of the charts displaying their red neck hard rocking style and signature three lead guitar. A tragic air plane crash, killing several of the members, led the band to experience a 10 year hiatus. In 1987, the group reunited and continues to tour today.

The band was first formed under the name My Backyard in 1964 in Jacksonville, Florida by Ronnie Van Zant ( Continued...

vocals), Allen Collins (guitar), Gary Rossington (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums). Performing in local bars and clubs as The Noble Five or One Percent, the band officially became Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1970 shortly after Billy Powell joined as keyboardist. The name was derived as a mockery towards Rossington and Burn’s detested high school gym teacher Leonard Skinner. During a performance as One Percent, Van Zant jokingly announced that they had changed their name to Leonard Skinner and the name was surprisingly kept from that point onwards. Leon Wilkinson (bass) and Ed King (guitar) from Strawberry Alarm Clock also joined the band. During their 1972 tour throughout the South, the band was discovered by producer Al Kooper at a club in Atlanta. They were immediately signed to MCA Records.

Their debut album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, was released in 1973 and featured rock and roll radio staple “Free Bird”. Later that year they embarked on a tour as the opening act for The Who and managed to score a huge following of fans. In 1974 they issued their second album Second Helping which produced their trademark song “Sweet Home Alabama”. The album was eventually certified multi platinum. Prior to the release of Nuthin’ Fancy, in 1975, drummer Burns was replaced by Artimus Pyle. The album became their first Top Ten hit featuring the popular “Saturday Night Special”. Halfway through their tour promoting the album, King departed from the band leaving them short of one guitarist. He was eventually replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976.

Gimme Back My Bullets was released in 1976, yet did not receive much acclaim. The live album One More from the Road followed immediately and became a Top Ten hit. Their final album released by the original line-up was Street Survivors in 1977. Three days after the release, on October 20, the airplane carrying the entire band and its backup singers crashed on its way from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There were supposed engine problems prior to the departure causing the aircraft to run out of fuel. The crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray. Most of the other members and passengers were seriously injured. The cover to Street Survivors was quickly changed out of respect to the deceased as it previously pictured the band surrounded in flames. The album became one of the band’s greatest hits. Skyrnd came to a collective decision to split following the tragedy and upon the separation released Skynyrd’s First And…Last, a collection of demos as well as greatest hits double album Gold and Platinum.

In 1980, Rossington and Collins formed The Rossington-Collins band releasing to albums during their two year career. Meanwhile, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band in 1982 and Collins formed the Allan Collins Band a year later. In 1986, Collins was driving drunk and crashed his car killing his girlfriend while he became paralyzed from the waist down. He eventually passed away four years later of respiratory failure.

In 1987, the remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, King, Rossington, Powell, and Wilkeson reunited along with vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randal Hall. The re-formed group embarked on tour which captured the 1988 double live album Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour – 1987. The band continues to tour and has experienced several other line-up changes yet succeeds at maintaining the Lynyrd Skynyrd sound. On November 28, 2005 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The members inaugurated are Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson, Bob Burns, Billy Powell, Ed King, Artimus Pyle and Steve Gaines.