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 HALL OF FAME BIO
Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was founded in Jacksonville, Florida in the mid-60’s by singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, bassist Leon Wilkeson and drummer Bob Burns. After several name changes, the group of longhaired kids decided on Lynyrd Skynyrd, a biting tribute to their anti-hippie high school gym teacher Leonard Skinner.
The band’s relationship with Georgia began unassumingly after winning a two-song recording deal following placing first in a battle of the bands contest in 1969. Playing almost exclusively in Georgia and North Florida, Lynyrd Skynyrd got its first big break opening for the Strawberry Alarm Clock, receiving professional management from 2003 GMHF Inductee Alan Walden and recording a demo in Muscle Shoals. Walden had a hard time marketing a band that was commonly proclaimed to be “too similar to the Allman Brothers Band,” but producer Jimmy Johnson decided to take a chance on Ronnie Van Zant’s unique voice.
In 1973 Lynyrd Skynyrd was discovered in Atlanta dive-bar, Funuchio’s, by Sounds of the South label owner Al Kooper. The band’s debut album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, was certified gold and the group secured an opening spot on The Who’s Quadrophenia tour.
Second Helping, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s sophomore album, spawned the first charting U.S. single, “Sweet Home Alabama,” the famous response to Neil Young’s “Southern Man.” Gold and platinum albums continued with the re-release of “Freebird” on 1975’s Nuthin Fancy and 1976’s One More for the Road.
Tragedy struck on October 20, 1977, when the band’s plane crashed in rural Mississippi, killing lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, back-up singer Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick. The band’s fifth album, Street Survivors, had been released three days prior to the accident, and was pulled immediately by MCA Records to change the original sleeve art from the band members depicted in flames. Street Survivors became the band’s 2nd platinum album, hitting #5 on the U.S. album charts.
Over the next 9 years, the remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd formed a number of different groups the most successful being the Rossington-Collins Band who had a big hit with “Don’t Misunderstand Me” in 1980. Ten full years after the tragedy, Lynyrd Skynryd reformed with Gary Rossington, Ed King, Artimus Pyle, Leon Wikleson, Johnny Van Zant, Randall Hall, Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Bristow. In 1991, the reformed group returned to the recording studio and released their first album in 14 years, Lynyrd Skynrd 1991. In 1994, Lynyrd Skynryd signed with Atlanta’s newly reformed Capricorn Records, which had traded its ‘70s Southern Rock roster for ‘90s alternative and a roster of independent artists.
Music critics have stated that Ronnie Van Zant was the heart and soul of Lynyrd Skynryd and without his vision, any new form of the group could not come close to recapturing Van Zant’s unique sound and edgy lyrics. However, it can’t be denied that the current Lynyrd Skynyrd roster of players, pay tribute to Ronnie and his vision with every show, delivering the same great live performances that put the original line-up on the map so long ago in Georgia.
ALL MUSIC GUIDE BIO
Lynyrd Skynyrd was the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern image and a hard rock swagger. Skynyrd never relied on the jazzy improvisations of the Allman Brothers. Instead, they were a hard-living, hard-driving rock & roll band -- they may have jammed endlessly on-stage, but their music remained firmly entrenched in blues, rock, and country. For many, Lynyrd Skynyrd's redneck image tended to obscure the songwriting skills of their leader, Ronnie Van Zant. Throughout the band's early records, Van Zant demonstrated a knack for lyrical detail and a down-to-earth honesty that had more in common with country than rock & roll. During the height of Skynyrd's popularity in the mid-'70s, however, Van Zant's talents were overshadowed by the group's gritty, greasy blues-rock. Sadly, it wasn't until he was killed in a tragic plane crash in 1977 along with two other bandmembers that many listeners began to realize his talents. Skynyrd split up after the plane crash, but they reunited a decade later, becoming a popular concert act during the early '90s.
While in high school in Jacksonville, FL, Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins (guitar), and Gary Rossington (guitar) formed My Backyard. Within a few months, the group added bassist Leon Wilkeson and keyboardist Billy Powell, and changed their name to Lynyrd Skynyrd, a mocking tribute to their gym teacher Leonard Skinner, who was notorious for punishing students with long hair. With drummer Bob Burns, Lynyrd Skynyrd began playing throughout the South. For the first few years, the group had little success, but producer Al Kooper signed the band to MCA after seeing them play at an Atlanta club called Funocchio's in 1972. Kooper produced the group's 1973 debut, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, which was recorded after former Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist Ed King joined the band. The group became notorious for their triple-guitar attack, which was showcased on "Free Bird," a tribute to the recently deceased Duane Allman. "Free Bird" earned Lynyrd Skynyrd their first national exposure and it became one of the staples of album rock radio, still receiving airplay decades after its release.
"Free Bird" and an opening slot on the Who's 1973 Quadrophenia tour gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a devoted following, which helped their second album, 1974's Second Helping, become its breakthrough hit. Featuring the hit single "Sweet Home Alabama" -- a response to Neil Young's "Southern Man" -- Second Helping reached number 12 and went multi-platinum. At the end of the year, Artimus Pyle replaced drummer Burns and King left the band shortly afterward. The new sextet released Nuthin' Fancy in 1975, and it became the band's first Top Ten hit. The record was followed by the Tom Dowd-produced Gimme Back My Bullets in 1976, which failed to match the success of its two predecessors. However, the band retained their following through constant touring, which was documented on the double live album One More from the Road. Released in late 1976, the album featured the band's new guitarist, Steve Gaines, and a trio of female backup singers, and it became Skynyrd's second Top Ten album.
Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sixth album, Street Survivors, on October 17, 1977. Three days later, a privately chartered plane carrying the band between shows in Greenville, SC, and Baton Rouge, LA, crashed outside of Gillsburg, MS. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and his sister Cassie, one of the group's backing vocalists, died in the crash; the remaining members were injured. (The cause of the crash was either fuel shortage or a fault with the plane's mechanics.) The cover for Street Survivors had pictured the band surrounded in flames; after the crash, the cover was changed. In the wake of the tragedy, the album became one of the band's biggest hits. Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up after the crash, releasing a collection of early demos called Skynyrd's First and...Last in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before the crash. The double-album compilation Gold & Platinum was released in 1980.
Later in 1980, Rossington and Collins formed a new band that featured four surviving members. Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Collins suffered a car crash in 1986 that killed his girlfriend and left him paralyzed; four years later, he died of respiratory failure. In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King, and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, adding vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randall Hall. The band embarked on a reunion tour, which was captured on the 1988 double live album Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour -- 1987. The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991, and for the remainder of the decade, the band toured frequently, putting out albums occasionally. The reunited Skynyrd frequently switched drummers, but it had little effect on their sound.
During the '90s, Lynyrd Skynyrd were made honorary colonels in the Alabama State Militia, due to their classic rock staple "Sweet Home Alabama." During the mid-'90s, Van Zant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern rock veterans to Skynyrd's guitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaw Hughie Thomasson. With ex-Damn Yankee Michael Cartellone bringing stability to the drum chair, the reconstituted band signed to CMC International for the 1997 album Twenty. This lineup went on to release Lyve from Steeltown in 1998, followed a year later by Edge of Forever. The seasonal effort Christmas Time Again was released in fall 2000. Although Wilkeson died one year later, Lynyrd Skynyrd regrouped and recorded Vicious Cycle for a 2003 release. The DVD/CD Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour followed a year later, 2006 saw the release of Face to Face, and 2007 brought Paper Sleeve Box and Lyve from Steel Town. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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© 2006 All Music Guide, LLC