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History of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Profile of ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ Band


welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the history of Lynyrd

taking a look at the history of Lynyrd

taking a look at the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd

rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd formed in

rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd formed in Jacksonville Florida in 1964 after going

Jacksonville Florida in 1964 after going

Jacksonville Florida in 1964 after going through numerous band names vocalist and

through numerous band names vocalist and

through numerous band names vocalist and primary lyricist Ronnie Vanzant

primary lyricist Ronnie Vanzant

primary lyricist Ronnie Vanzant and guitarists alan collins and gary

and guitarists alan collins and gary

and guitarists alan collins and gary rossington settled on the stylized

rossington settled on the stylized

rossington settled on the stylized Lynyrd Skynyrd as their moniker in honor

Lynyrd Skynyrd as their moniker in honor

Lynyrd Skynyrd as their moniker in honor of their high school gym teacher who

of their high school gym teacher who

of their high school gym teacher who hated long hair with drummer Bob burns

hated long hair with drummer Bob burns

hated long hair with drummer Bob burns bassist Leon Wilkeson and keyboardist

bassist Leon Wilkeson and keyboardist

bassist Leon Wilkeson and keyboardist Billy Powell Lynyrd Skynyrd was

Billy Powell Lynyrd Skynyrd was

Billy Powell Lynyrd Skynyrd was discovered in 1972 and soon began

discovered in 1972 and soon began

discovered in 1972 and soon began recording their debut with guitarist

recording their debut with guitarist

recording their debut with guitarist Edie King along for the ride

Edie King along for the ride

Edie King along for the ride three guitars became a trademark of

three guitars became a trademark of

three guitars became a trademark of Skynyrd sound and distinguished them

Skynyrd sound and distinguished them

Skynyrd sound and distinguished them from southern rock contemporaries like

from southern rock contemporaries like

from southern rock contemporaries like the Allman Brothers set against music

the Allman Brothers set against music

the Allman Brothers set against music inspired by British Invasion bands Van

inspired by British Invasion bands Van

inspired by British Invasion bands Van Zant’s unpretentious and honest lyrics

Zant’s unpretentious and honest lyrics

Zant’s unpretentious and honest lyrics tended more toward country than

tended more toward country than

tended more toward country than straight-up

straight-up

straight-up rock and roll their blend of blues rock

rock and roll their blend of blues rock

rock and roll their blend of blues rock and country featured prominently on

and country featured prominently on

and country featured prominently on 1973’s pronounced Leonard Skynyrd many

1973’s pronounced Leonard Skynyrd many

1973’s pronounced Leonard Skynyrd many of that records tracks became signature

of that records tracks became signature

of that records tracks became signature songs for the band but it was the epic

songs for the band but it was the epic

songs for the band but it was the epic rock standard Freebird that made Lynyrd

rock standard Freebird that made Lynyrd

rock standard Freebird that made Lynyrd Skynyrd a household name

that tribute to the recently deceased

that tribute to the recently deceased Duane Allman went to number 19 on the

Duane Allman went to number 19 on the

Duane Allman went to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later called

Billboard Hot 100 and was later called

Billboard Hot 100 and was later called the most requested song in the history

the most requested song in the history

the most requested song in the history of rock music

skynyrd soon became famous for their

skynyrd soon became famous for their hard living and hard rockin attitudes

hard living and hard rockin attitudes

hard living and hard rockin attitudes and as a stellar live band thanks to an

and as a stellar live band thanks to an

and as a stellar live band thanks to an opening gig on the whose 1973

opening gig on the whose 1973

opening gig on the whose 1973 Quadrophenia tour they moved forward

Quadrophenia tour they moved forward

Quadrophenia tour they moved forward with 1974 s second helping that record

with 1974 s second helping that record

with 1974 s second helping that record was certified platinum multiple times on

was certified platinum multiple times on

was certified platinum multiple times on the strength of their most famous song

you

you as a playful retort to songs by their

as a playful retort to songs by their

as a playful retort to songs by their friend Neil Young that track peaked at

friend Neil Young that track peaked at

friend Neil Young that track peaked at number eight in the US and reinforced

number eight in the US and reinforced

number eight in the US and reinforced Lynyrd Skynyrd’s place as the kings of

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s place as the kings of

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s place as the kings of southern rock

1975’s nothing fancy featured new

1975’s nothing fancy featured new drummer artimus pyle and while it was

drummer artimus pyle and while it was

drummer artimus pyle and while it was the first Skynyrd album to crack the top

the first Skynyrd album to crack the top

the first Skynyrd album to crack the top ten it was not as commercially

ten it was not as commercially

ten it was not as commercially successful as its predecessors Kings

successful as its predecessors Kings

successful as its predecessors Kings fatigue soon forced his departure

fatigue soon forced his departure

fatigue soon forced his departure so Skynyrd abandoned three guitar rock

so Skynyrd abandoned three guitar rock

so Skynyrd abandoned three guitar rock 1976 s gimme back my bullets was a flop

1976 s gimme back my bullets was a flop

1976 s gimme back my bullets was a flop steve gaines filled the guitar void and

steve gaines filled the guitar void and

steve gaines filled the guitar void and Skynyrd started planning their next

Skynyrd started planning their next

Skynyrd started planning their next effort and playing some high profile

effort and playing some high profile

effort and playing some high profile shows progress was hindered when both

shows progress was hindered when both

shows progress was hindered when both Collins and Rossington were involved in

Collins and Rossington were involved in

Collins and Rossington were involved in car crashes in 1976 the band released

car crashes in 1976 the band released

car crashes in 1976 the band released the live album one more from the road to

the live album one more from the road to

the live album one more from the road to buy time while some members considered

buy time while some members considered

buy time while some members considered quitting drugs and alcohol singles like

quitting drugs and alcohol singles like

quitting drugs and alcohol singles like that smell explored that theme on 1977 s

that smell explored that theme on 1977 s

that smell explored that theme on 1977 s Street survivors

let’s

let’s in support of that album the band

in support of that album the band

in support of that album the band scheduled their biggest tour yet however

scheduled their biggest tour yet however

scheduled their biggest tour yet however three days after its release on October

three days after its release on October

three days after its release on October 20th 1977 the band’s plane ran out of

20th 1977 the band’s plane ran out of

20th 1977 the band’s plane ran out of fuel and crashed in Mississippi between

fuel and crashed in Mississippi between

fuel and crashed in Mississippi between tour stops along with some crew members

tour stops along with some crew members

tour stops along with some crew members ronnie van zant steve gaines and his

ronnie van zant steve gaines and his

ronnie van zant steve gaines and his sister backup singer cassie were killed

sister backup singer cassie were killed

sister backup singer cassie were killed on impact and the rest of the band was

on impact and the rest of the band was

on impact and the rest of the band was injured following this tragedy Street

injured following this tragedy Street

injured following this tragedy Street survivors shot to number 5 on Billboard

survivors shot to number 5 on Billboard

survivors shot to number 5 on Billboard even so Lynyrd Skynyrd decided to call

even so Lynyrd Skynyrd decided to call

even so Lynyrd Skynyrd decided to call it quits

it quits

it quits during Skynyrd’s 10 year hiatus

during Skynyrd’s 10 year hiatus

during Skynyrd’s 10 year hiatus previously unavailable recordings were

previously unavailable recordings were

previously unavailable recordings were released and remaining members formed

released and remaining members formed

released and remaining members formed groups like the rossington Collins band

groups like the rossington Collins band

groups like the rossington Collins band however Collins was paralyzed in 1986

however Collins was paralyzed in 1986

however Collins was paralyzed in 1986 when he crashed his car while drunk and

when he crashed his car while drunk and

when he crashed his car while drunk and he died four years later in 1987

he died four years later in 1987

he died four years later in 1987 Rossington Powell Wilkinson Pyle and

Rossington Powell Wilkinson Pyle and

Rossington Powell Wilkinson Pyle and Edie King recruited Van Zant’s brother

Edie King recruited Van Zant’s brother

Edie King recruited Van Zant’s brother Johnny for a Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion

that tour success prompted them to

that tour success prompted them to continue releasing albums to the ultra

continue releasing albums to the ultra

continue releasing albums to the ultra loyal fans of Skynyrd nation after a

loyal fans of Skynyrd nation after a

loyal fans of Skynyrd nation after a popular Christmas album in 2000 they

popular Christmas album in 2000 they

popular Christmas album in 2000 they stayed relevant with two more top 40

stayed relevant with two more top 40

stayed relevant with two more top 40 records before decades end

as members have left or passed away the

as members have left or passed away the lineup has changed but Skynyrd indoors

lineup has changed but Skynyrd indoors

lineup has changed but Skynyrd indoors in 2006 they were recognized with a spot

in 2006 they were recognized with a spot

in 2006 they were recognized with a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame around

in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame around

in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame around the release of 2012’s last of a dying

the release of 2012’s last of a dying

the release of 2012’s last of a dying breed the band stirred up controversy by

breed the band stirred up controversy by

breed the band stirred up controversy by announcing their decision to distance

announcing their decision to distance

announcing their decision to distance themselves from Confederate imagery due

themselves from Confederate imagery due

themselves from Confederate imagery due to its potentially racist connotations

to its potentially racist connotations

to its potentially racist connotations we didn’t want that to go to our fans or

we didn’t want that to go to our fans or

we didn’t want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agree with any of

show the image like we agree with any of

show the image like we agree with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things

the race stuff or any of the bad things

the race stuff or any of the bad things nah nothing else we we grew up loving

nah nothing else we we grew up loving

nah nothing else we we grew up loving though blues artists yeah Ray Charles

though blues artists yeah Ray Charles

though blues artists yeah Ray Charles you know it is our fresh yeah yeah yeah

you know it is our fresh yeah yeah yeah

you know it is our fresh yeah yeah yeah say you know what we just didn’t want to

say you know what we just didn’t want to

say you know what we just didn’t want to be associated with that particular thing

be associated with that particular thing

be associated with that particular thing significant fan outcry made them reverse

significant fan outcry made them reverse

significant fan outcry made them reverse this decision after building the

this decision after building the

this decision after building the southern rock genre Skynyrd overcame

southern rock genre Skynyrd overcame

southern rock genre Skynyrd overcame misfortune to remain leaders in redneck

misfortune to remain leaders in redneck

misfortune to remain leaders in redneck rock with their iconic guitar solos

rock with their iconic guitar solos

rock with their iconic guitar solos trademark swagger and hard rock appeal

trademark swagger and hard rock appeal

trademark swagger and hard rock appeal Lynyrd Skynyrd will forever be known as

Lynyrd Skynyrd will forever be known as

Lynyrd Skynyrd will forever be known as the sound of the south

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