Lynyrd Skynyrd

Formed in the mid-1960s in Jacksonville, Florida, Lynyrd Skynyrd established themselves as one of the defining bands of Southern rock, blending blues rock, hard rock, and country inflections within a multi-guitar lineup. After early stints under various names on the local club circuit, Lynyrd Skynyrd coalesced in the early 1970s around Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, and Allen Collins, adopted its final name as an ironic nod to a gym teacher, and in 1973 recorded its debut, Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd, highlighted by "Free Bird." The following years brought Second Helping (1974), Nuthin’ Fancy (1975), Gimme Back My Bullets and the live set One More from the Road (both 1976), during which the band cemented a style built on bluesy riffs, extended guitar solos, prominent piano, and lyrics rooted in the everyday life of the American South, epitomized by "Sweet Home Alabama." Lynyrd Skynyrd’s career was abruptly cut short in 1977 by a plane crash shortly after the release of Street Survivors, which claimed several members. The name Lynyrd Skynyrd resurfaced in 1987 around Johnny Van Zant and survivors of the classic lineup, yielding new studio albums such as Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991, The Last Rebel (1993), Vicious Cycle (2003), and God & Guns (2009), while a constantly evolving lineup sustained touring focused on the band’s historic catalog.