Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns (drums). The band spent five years touring small venues under various names and with several lineup changes before deciding on "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1969. The band released its first album in 1973, having settled on a lineup that included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell and guitarist Ed King. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". After releasing five studio albums and one live album, the band's career was abruptly halted on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injuring the rest of the band.
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on the band's second album Second Helping (1974). It was written in response to Neil Young's 1970 song "Southern Man", which the band felt blamed the entire South for American slavery; Young is name-checked and dissed in the lyrics. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974, becoming the band's highest-charting single.
"Free Bird", also spelled "Freebird", is a song written by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant and performed by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song featured on the band's debut album in 1973.
Larkin Allen Collins Jr. was an American guitarist. He was one of the founding members and guitarists of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and co-wrote many of the band's songs with frontman and original lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Essential Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a two-disc compilation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in the peak years of its classic lineup (1971–1977). The double album was remastered and re-released in 2006 as part of Universal's Gold series.
"Gimme Three Steps" is a song by American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released from the band's debut album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) (1973). It was written by bandmates Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant.
One More from the Road is a live album by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, capturing three shows recorded in July 1976 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd had supported rock promoter Alex Cooley so that the theatre could be saved from demolition. This record was the band's first live album, and the only live album from the band's classic era of 1970 to 1977, prior to the plane crash that killed lead singer and songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backing singer Cassie Gaines. The album was released in September 1976. It was certified gold by the RIAA on October 26, 1976, platinum on December 30, 1976 and 3× platinum on July 21, 1987.
Gimme Back My Bullets is the fourth studio album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on February 2, 1976. It reached number 20 on the U.S. albums chart and was certified gold on January 20, 1981, by the RIAA.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is the first box set by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It features outtakes, demos and live versions of songs from their first six albums. It was certified gold by the RIAA in November 1997.
Freebird... The Movie is an in-depth look at Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Released on August 30, 1996, it is part documentary and part concert footage. Charlie Daniels was involved as "creative consultant".
Vicious Cycle is the twelfth studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2003. It was the first album recorded by the band following the death of original bassist Leon Wilkeson, who appears on two songs, "The Way" and "Lucky Man", and the song "Mad Hatter" is a tribute to him. The album is the first to feature bassist Ean Evans, the first mainstream album with Michael Cartellone on drums, and the last album that guitarist Hughie Thomasson played on before he died. It included the single "Red, White & Blue" which peaked at number 27 on the US Mainstream Rock charts.
Southern by the Grace of God is a live album by southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, recorded during the Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour in 1987. These live concerts were a 10-year anniversary tribute by Lynyrd Skynyrd to the members of the band who had died in a 1977 plane crash. The plane crash killed frontman Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick.
Old Time Greats is a two-disc compilation album by American rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd. Released in 1997, it documents the original 1970s run of the band before the 1977 Convair 240 crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray.
20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd is a compilation album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1999 as a part of the modern effort at recapturing the classics and repackaging them for newer generations to be exposed to and enjoy. It compiles some of the band's greatest and most recognizable hits. The album was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA in 2006, and has sold 2,929,000 copies in the U.S. as of August 2013.
All Time Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2000. The album was certified gold on March 24, 2003 and platinum on June 20, 2005 by the RIAA.
Live from Freedom Hall is a live album by the "post-crash" lineup of southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on June 22, 2010 after their eleventh studio album God & Guns. The set includes a CD with 15 live tracks and a DVD of that concert. This is the first Lynyrd Skynyrd album produced by Evan Haiman. Both Ean Evans and Billy Powell died before the release of this album, and it is also their last live album with the band.
Best of the Rest is a compilation album by the American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was originally released in 1982 and again in 1990 on CD. This compilation contains album cuts that are fan favorites. The only hit from the band on the album is "Call Me the Breeze." The compilation also contains two previously unreleased early recordings from 1971 and 1972. Those songs were originally planned to be on their shelved debut album, making (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) their actual debut. The early songs were recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. Other early songs from 1971-72 also surfaced on the compilations Skynyrd's First and... Last in 1978 and Old Time Greats in 1997.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2008 in Europe only.
A Retrospective is a compilation album by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Icon is a compilation album from the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was released on August 31, 2010. The album was certified Gold on November 12, 2015 by the RIAA.
