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Lynyrd Skynyrd

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Lynyrd Skynyrd
Company typeRock band
IndustryMusic
PredecessorMy Backyard
Founded1964 in Jacksonville, Florida, United States
FounderRonnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom, Bob Burns
FateContinued performing until 2022; original members deceased by 2023
SuccessorRossington Collins Band (related act)
Headquarters
Jacksonville
,
United States
Area served
United States, international tours
Key people
Ronnie Van Zant (original lead vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Johnny Van Zant (lead vocals from 1987), others
ProductsSouthern rock music albums and performances

Lynyrd Skynyrd (, ) is a rock ensemble from the United States, established in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964. Initially called My Backyard, the original members were Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar), and Bob Burns (drums). After performing under several names and experiencing lineup shifts over four years, they adopted the name "Lynyrd Skynyrd" in 1968. Their first album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), appeared in 1973, featuring bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell, and guitarist Ed King. In 1974, drummer Burns was succeeded by Artimus Pyle, and after King's departure in 1975, Steve Gaines joined in 1976. The band became synonymous with the Southern rock style, producing classics such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". Their rise was tragically interrupted following a 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of Van Zant, Gaines, and backup vocalist Cassie Gaines, while leaving others severely injured.

The group reassembled in 1987 with Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie's brother, taking over as lead singer, resuming both touring and recording activities. Guitarist Rickey Medlocke, who had been part of the band briefly between 1971 and 1972, returned in 1996. Over time, original members passed away either during their tenure or afterward. In January 2018, Lynyrd Skynyrd declared a farewell tour but continued to perform until 2022. At the time of Rossington's passing in 2023, they were working on their fifteenth studio album, marking the end of any original member’s participation.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Lynyrd Skynyrd at number 95 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." The band earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. By 2023, Lynyrd Skynyrd had sold upwards of 38 million records within the United States alone. AllMusic has referred to them as "the definitive Southern rock band."

Early years (1963–1973)

In 1963, Allen Collins acquired his first guitar and performed with The Mods in Jacksonville, Florida, alongside J.R. Rice and Larry Steele. Early in 1964, Ronnie Van Zant joined The Squires, which he soon renamed Us. During a local 'Battle of the Bands', Us defeated The Mods; however, Van Zant departed soon thereafter. By mid-1964, bassist Larry Junstrom, drummer Bob Burns, and guitarist Gary Rossington formed a trio called Me, You, and Him. Later that summer, Van Zant connected with Rossington and Burns through rival baseball teams; following an injury incident, they decided to jam together playing The Rolling Stones' "Time Is on My Side." This collaboration led to forming a band with Junstrom joining on bass and Allen Collins recruited two weeks later. Due to noise complaints from neighbors at Burns' parents' home where rehearsals took place, practice locations changed frequently. The group experimented with several names—My Backyard, Conquer the Worm, The Noble Five—and by 1967 settled on The One Percent.

By 1968, weary of audience jeers about their "one percent talent," Van Zant sought a new moniker. Following Burns' recommendation, they chose Leonard Skinnerd, inspired by a character from Allan Sherman's novelty tune "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" as well as poking fun at their strict physical education instructor Leonard Skinner at Robert E. Lee High School. Skinner was infamous for enforcing a no-long-hair policy at school—a rule that contributed to Rossington dropping out due to harassment. By 1969, the band adopted the distinctive spelling "Lynyrd Skynyrd." Despite earlier conflicts, they later developed an amicable relationship with Skinner; he introduced them at a Jacksonville concert and permitted use of his real estate sign image for their third album cover.

By 1970, Lynyrd Skynyrd had emerged as a prominent act in Jacksonville’s music scene, headlining local shows and opening for nationally recognized performers. Initial management was handled by Pat Armstrong and Alan Walden; Armstrong departed early to establish his own agency while Walden continued until 1974 before handing over management duties to Peter Rudge. Throughout the early ’70s, the band toured extensively across the Southern United States while honing their energetic blues-rock style—a fusion incorporating country elements, blues roots, and British rock influences.

During these formative years, lineup modifications occurred: Junstrom exited briefly replaced by bassist Greg T. Walker, while Rickey Medlocke joined as an additional drummer and vocalist alongside Burns. Medlocke maintained close ties with founding members; his grandfather served as inspiration for the song "The Ballad of Curtis Loew."

Peak period (1973–1977)

In 1972, the group consisting of Van Zant, Collins, Rossington, Burns, Wilkeson, and Powell was discovered by musician and producer Al Kooper from Blood, Sweat & Tears. Kooper signed them to his Sounds of the South label, which was distributed by MCA Records. He also produced their first album. During the initial recording sessions, Wilkeson temporarily stepped away due to anxiety but returned following the album’s release. To fill in on bass during his absence, guitarist Ed King initially took over bass duties for the album and later transitioned back to guitar to reproduce the studio’s triple-guitar arrangement in live performances. Their debut release, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), launched on August 13, 1973, sold more than one million units and received gold certification from the RIAA. It featured the notable track "Free Bird," which climbed to No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The band’s audience expanded significantly in 1973 as they opened for the Who during the Quadrophenia tour. Their 1974 sophomore album Second Helping, with songwriting input from King, Collins, Rossington, and Van Zant, marked a major breakthrough. The single "Sweet Home Alabama," written as a reply to Neil Young’s "Southern Man," reached No. 8 on the Hot 100. Although Young and Van Zant maintained mutual respect, "Sweet Home Alabama" stood as their only top ten hit at the height of their popularity; however, most of their albums surpassed one million copies sold.

By 1975, internal challenges began to impact the group. Drummer Burns departed following a mental health crisis and was succeeded by former US Marine Artimus Pyle. Their third album, Nuthin' Fancy, completed in just 17 days, ended with Kooper and the band parting ways after tracking due to dissatisfaction with their preparation level. While commercially successful, its sales did not match those of previous albums. During the tour supporting this release, Ed King exited after a conflict with Van Zant related to King's guitar technician’s arrest and subpar performance caused by broken strings.

In 1976, serious automobile accidents involving Collins and Rossington delayed recording sessions and forced cancellation of several concerts. Rossington’s accident inspired "That Smell," a cautionary track addressing drug abuse affecting him and others. Following the birth of his daughter, Van Zant made efforts to change his lifestyle.

The 1977 album Street Survivors introduced guitarist and vocalist Steve Gaines, who had joined the band a year earlier. Van Zant praised Gaines’ skills and foresaw his growing importance within the group. Gaines shared lead vocals on "You Got That Right" and contributed songs including "I Know a Little" and "Ain't No Good Life," with the latter being the only pre-crash Skynyrd track not featuring Van Zant as lead singer. The album contained popular tracks like "What's Your Name" and "That Smell." At this time, Skynyrd was gearing up for their most extensive tour yet, highlighted by performances of their anthem "Free Bird."

Plane crash (1977)

Following a concert at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina on October 20, 1977, the band boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where they were scheduled to perform at LSU the following evening. After running out of fuel mid-flight, the pilots attempted an emergency landing but crashed into a wooded area approximately five miles northeast of Gillsburg, Mississippi.[1][2] Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup vocalist Cassie Gaines (Steve's sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot John Gray were killed instantly upon impact. Other band members and crew sustained severe injuries.[3]

This tragedy took place three days after releasing their fifth studio album Street Survivors. The disaster propelled that album to become their second platinum-certified release and reach No. 5 on the Billboard 200, marking their highest charting position. The single "What's Your Name" peaked at No. 13 in 1978. Initially, Street Survivors featured cover art depicting the band surrounded by flames with Steve Gaines partially obscured by fire imagery. Following the crash and at the request of Teresa Gaines—Steve’s widow—MCA Records withdrew this artwork out of respect and replaced it with a photo set against a black background.[4] The original fiery cover was reinstated for the album’s deluxe edition released on its thirtieth anniversary.[5]

Hiatus (1977–1987)

Following the tragic event, Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded, coming together only once more to perform an instrumental rendition of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam V in January 1979. Collins, Rossington, Powell, and Pyle joined Daniels and his ensemble on stage. Leon Wilkeson, still recuperating from a broken arm, was present along with Judy Van Zant, Teresa Gaines, JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins.

The Rossington Collins Band emerged from the collaboration of Rossington, Collins, Wilkeson, and Powell, producing two MCA albums: Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere (1980) and This Is The Way (1981). To distinguish themselves from Ronnie Van Zant's legacy and avoid being seen as a Lynyrd Skynyrd revival, they selected Dale Krantz as their lead singer. Their performances consistently concluded with an instrumental version of "Free Bird." Subsequently, Rossington and Collins had a falling out over Krantz—whom Rossington married—and Rossington went on to establish The Rossington Band, which released two albums: Returned to the Scene of the Crime (1986) and Love Your Man (1988), supporting the Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour in 1987–1988.

Other former members embarked on independent ventures. Billy Powell contributed keyboards to the Christian rock group Vision, touring alongside Mylon LeFevre and sharing his personal testimony regarding the crash. In 1982, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band featuring former Honkettes JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins; they produced one MCA album titled A.P.B.

In 1980, Allen Collins experienced the loss of his wife Kathy during a miscarriage. He created the Allen Collins Band in 1983 with members from the Rossington Collins Band and released one MCA album called Here, There & Back. Grieving deeply, Collins developed a heavy drinking habit. On January 29, 1986, he was involved in a car accident near Jacksonville that resulted in the death of his girlfriend Debra Jean Watts and left him paralyzed from the chest down.

Return (1987–1995)

Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited in 1987 for an extensive tour featuring five principal survivors from before the crash: Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, and guitarist Ed King. Taking over as lead vocalist and chief songwriter was Ronnie Van Zant's brother, Johnny Van Zant. Due to Allen Collins’ paralysis from his 1986 accident, he took on the role of musical director and appointed Randall Hall as his replacement on guitar. Before performances of "That Smell", Collins made appearances on stage to explain his condition. He passed away in 1990 at age 37.

Initially intended as a single tribute event documented on the double-live album Southern by the Grace of God: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour 1987, the band’s ongoing activity sparked legal challenges. Widows Judy Van Zant Jenness and Teresa Gaines Rapp filed lawsuits alleging breach of an agreement that prohibited exploitation of the Skynyrd name. The resulting settlement awarded them nearly 30% of touring income and mandated that any Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup must include Rossington along with at least two of Wilkeson, Powell, King, or Pyle. This stipulation has allowed the band to continue touring well beyond 2001.

The first studio album after reuniting was Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991, released following the addition of second drummer Kurt Custer. After Pyle's departure in 1991, Custer became the sole drummer. The group followed with The Last Rebel in 1993; later that year Mike Estes replaced Randall Hall on guitar. In 1994, Owen Hale took over drumming duties from Custer.

Lineup changes and member losses (1996–2019)

In 1996, Ed King stepped away from touring after experiencing heart problems that necessitated a transplant. He was temporarily replaced by Hughie Thomasson, who remained with the group even after King's recovery. Around the same time, Mike Estes was succeeded by Rickey Medlocke, who rejoined the band following a brief tenure in the 1970s. This refreshed lineup broadened the band’s songwriting team to include Medlocke and Thomasson alongside Rossington and Van Zant.

This new formation released Twenty in 1997, followed by Edge of Forever in 1999. After drummer Hale's exit, session musician Kenny Aronoff contributed on drums, with Michael Cartellone becoming the official drummer for the subsequent tour. Although new albums were introduced, live shows predominantly featured material from the 1970s era.

In 2000, the band issued a holiday-themed album titled Christmas Time Again. Longtime bassist Leon Wilkeson, who had been with the band since 1972, passed away in 2001 due to emphysema and liver disease. He was replaced by Ean Evans. The first album featuring Evans, Vicious Cycle (2003), saw improved sales compared to earlier reunion efforts and included the modest hit "Red, White and Blue". Additionally, the band released a compilation album, Thyrty, along with a live DVD documenting the Vicious Cycle Tour; a corresponding live album followed in 2004.

In 2005, Thomasson left to reunite with his former band The Outlaws and was replaced by Mark "Sparky" Matejka in 2006. On March 13 of that year, Lynyrd Skynyrd earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, performing alongside previous members Burns, Pyle, and King.

The band attracted its largest U.S. audience at the University of Florida's Gator Growl event in 2007, drawing approximately 50,000 attendees—a figure later surpassed by over 111,000 fans at Alabama’s Bama Jam in 2008. Keyboardist Billy Powell died from an apparent heart attack in 2009 and was succeeded by Peter Keys. That same year, Skynyrd signed a global contract with Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud Records, releasing God & Guns and embarking on tours across Europe and North America. Bassist Evans died of cancer in May 2009; Robert Kearns then took over bass duties for future tours.

Towards the end of 2010, Lynyrd Skynyrd participated in the Freedom Concert series to promote God & Guns, including the "Rebels and Bandoleros" tour. Their touring continued through 2011 alongside acts such as ZZ Top and the Doobie Brothers. In May 2012, they announced their studio release Last of a Dyin' Breed, supported by tours across North America and Europe; the album was released in August.

The band's previous use of the Confederate flag faced criticism over its historical connotations. After briefly removing it in 2012 due to its association with racism, they reinstated it as a symbol of Southern pride following fan backlash but ultimately ceased displaying it beginning with their 2019 tour.

Original drummer Bob Burns tragically died in an automobile accident in April 2015. Between 2015 and 2017, health complications involving founding member Gary Rossington led to absences and show cancellations. Former guitarist Ed King succumbed to cancer in August 2018 at age 68.

Farewell tour, forthcoming fifteenth album, and Rossington's passing (2018–present)

On January 25, 2018, Lynyrd Skynyrd revealed plans for their Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour, which commenced on May 4, 2018. The lineup of supporting performers featured Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr., Bad Company, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Marshall Tucker Band, .38 Special, Cheap Trick, Blackberry Smoke, the Randy Bachman Band, Blackfoot, Massive Wagons, and Status Quo. Performances were generally scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays. By January 8, 2020, Rossington indicated that although regular touring would cease, the band intended to continue playing occasional live events.

Johnny Van Zant announced on March 19, 2019, that following the tour's conclusion, they planned to produce one final album with several tracks already in development. The band also took part in the Kaaboo Texas festival on May 11, 2019.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was among the artists whose original master tapes were reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire. While it remains unclear which specific masters were lost, Universal Music Group invested tens of millions of dollars in efforts to recover or replace them.

The death of Rossington on March 5, 2023—who was the last surviving founding member—left the band without any original members. In April 2023, Lynyrd Skynyrd confirmed their intention to keep performing live. Previous clauses mandating a minimum number of pre-crash members to maintain the band's activity appear to have been rendered obsolete following Rossington's passing.

In November 2023, Dolly Parton released her rendition of "Free Bird" on her rock album Rockstar. This version includes contributions from Lynyrd Skynyrd members such as Rossington’s slide guitar parts recorded before his death, former drummer Artimus Pyle and his band, along with segments of Ronnie van Zant's original vocals (used with consent from his widow). A comparable version was featured on a tribute album led by Pyle. Lynyrd Skynyrd also plans a release; however, only Parton’s recording has authorization to incorporate Ronnie van Zant’s original vocal tracks.

Honors

In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Lynyrd Skynyrd at No. 95 on their list titled "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

On November 28, 2005, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced Lynyrd Skynyrd’s induction alongside acts such as Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, and the Sex Pistols. The induction ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel on March 13, 2006. Honored members included key figures from the founding and classic lineups like Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington.

Tributes

  • In 2010, a country tribute compilation entitled Sweet Home Alabama – The Country Music Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd, primarily produced by Jay Joyce, showcased contemporary country artists including Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, and Eric Church.
  • Judy Van Zant Jenness, widow of Ronnie Van Zant, oversees a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute website dedicated to safeguarding the band’s legacy. Between 1999 and 2016, she and their daughter Melody Van Zant owned Freebird Live, a live music venue located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
  • The Drive-By Truckers paid homage to Lynyrd Skynyrd through their 2001 album Southern Rock Opera.
  • A memorial honoring members who passed away was established near the site of the plane crash in Gillsburg, Mississippi. This monument drew fans and relatives during its dedication ceremony.

Biographical Film

On April 4, 2017, the announcement was made for a biographical movie project, which was eventually titled Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash and premiered in June 2020.

Documentary

Filmmaker Stephen Kijak debuted his documentary "If I Leave Here Tomorrow" at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, on March 13, 2018. Both Johnny Van Zant and Gary Rossington appeared alongside Kijak for a discussion with attendees following the screening.

Current Band Members

Present lineup

  • Rickey Medlocke – drums (1971–1972); guitar (1972, 1996–present); vocals, mandolin (1971–1972, 1996–present)
  • Johnny Van Zant – lead vocals (1987–present)
  • Carol Chase – backing vocals (1996–present)
  • Michael Cartellone – drums (1999–present)
  • Mark Matejka – guitar, backing vocals (2006–present)
  • Peter Keys – keyboards (2009–present)
  • Damon Johnson – guitar (2023–present; touring 2021–2023)
  • Stacy Michelle – backing vocals (2023–present; touring 2023)
  • Robbie Harrington – bass (2025–present)

Tour History

Studio Releases

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  3. ↑ Eckerman, Ron. Turn It Up!. Smashwords.com. Retrieved on December 15, 2012. Template:Unreliable source?
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