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 their 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 by tragedy on October 20, 1977, when their chartered airplane crashed, killing Van Zant, Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, and seriously injuring the rest of the band.
Ronald Wayne Van Zant was an American musician known as the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was the older brother of two other rock vocalists: current Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant and Donnie Van Zant, the founder and vocalist of 38 Special. He was the father of Tammy Van Zant and Melody Van Zant.
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping.
Edward Calhoun King was an American musician. He was a guitarist for the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and guitarist and bassist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 to 1975 and again from 1987 to 1996.
"Free Bird", also spelled "Freebird", is a power ballad written and performed by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song first featured on the band's debut album in 1973 and has been included on subsequent albums.
Steven Earl Gaines was an American musician. He is best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claimed other band members and crew. His older sister Cassie Gaines, a backup vocalist with the band, likewise died in the crash.
Larkin Allen Collins Jr. was one of the founding members and guitarists of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, and co-wrote many of the band's songs with late frontman Ronnie Van Zant. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
Johnny Roy Van Zant is an American singer/composer and the current lead vocalist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He is the younger brother of the late Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and former lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, and of the 38 Special founder Donnie Van Zant.
Gary Robert Rossington is an American musician, best known as a founding member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, in which he plays lead and rhythm guitar.
Cassie LaRue Gaines was an American singer, best known for her work with Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Leon Russell Wilkeson was the bassist of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 until his death in 2001.
Street Survivors is the fifth studio album by the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on October 17, 1977. The LP is the last Skynyrd album recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and is the sole Skynyrd studio recording by guitarist Steve Gaines. Three days after the album's release, the band's chartered airplane crashed en route to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, killing the pilot, co-pilot, the group's assistant road-manager and three band members, and severely injuring most who survived the crash.
Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 is the sixth studio album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was the band's first new studio album since 1977's Street Survivors and the first following a 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of three members of the band.
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".
Endangered Species is the eighth album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was released in 1994 and features mostly acoustic instrumentation, as well as Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother, Johnny, as lead vocalist. Many of the songs are Lynyrd Skynyrd's best known songs, with new material released alongside. This is the last album to feature guitarist Ed King and the only one to feature guitarist Mike Estes.
Skynyrd's First and...Last was the original name of the posthumous compilation album first released in 1978 by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The original 1978 version of the album is now out of print. In 1998, it was repackaged, renamed and re-released as Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album, being expanded to include eight additional tracks – four of which were previously unreleased and four which would be re-recorded for (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd). As the renamed title suggests, the album was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. Originally intended to be their debut album it was shelved, making (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) their actual debut. The album was certified Gold on 9/8/78 and Platinum on 11/10/78 by the RIAA.
Legend is a posthumous compilation album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that was released in 1987. It contains previously unreleased demos from the albums before the 1977 plane crash as well as non-LP B-sides. Since Legend was released, most of the tracks have also been included on other albums. The album was certified Gold on July 27, 2001 by the RIAA.
Lyve from Steel Town is a live album by the 'post-plane crash' lineup of American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It has two discs; the last two tracks on the second disc are exclusive interviews with the band. The concert was also released as a live VHS and DVD. The tracks were recorded at Star Lake Amphitheatre in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, on July 15, 1997. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 26, 2001.
On October 20, 1977, a Convair CV-240 passenger aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed in a wooded area near Gillsburg, Mississippi, United States. Chartered by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from L&J Company of Addison, Texas, it was near the end of its flight from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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.
