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| Lynyard Skynard - FreeBird 2003 |
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Lynyard Skynyrd web-site links |
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Lynyard Skynyrd - Bio |
Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, this US boogie/hard
rock band took their (slightly corrupted) name from their Physical
Education teacher, Leonard Skinner.
The line-up initially comprised
Ronnie Van Zant (b. 15 January
1948, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, d. 20 October 1977; vocals),
Gary Rossington (b. 4 December 1951, Jacksonville, Florida,
USA; guitar),
Allen Collins (b. 19 July 1952, Jacksonville,
Florida, USA, d. 23 January 1990; guitar, ex-Mods),
Larry Jungstrom
(bass) and
Bob Burns (drums, ex-Me, You & Him), the quintet
meeting through minor league baseball connections. They played
together under various names, including Noble Five, Wildcats,
Sons Of Satan and My Backyard, releasing one single, "Need All
My Friends", in 1968, before changing their name to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
After playing the southern states during the late 60s they released
a second single, "I've Been Your Fool", in 1971, after recording
demos in Sheffield, Alabama. The bands were discovered in Atlanta
by Al Kooper in 1972 while he was scouting for new talent for
his Sounds Of The South label. Signed for $9000, their ranks
were swollen by the addition of Leon Wilkeson (b. 2 April 1952,
USA, d. 27 July 2001, Florida, USA; bass), who replaced Jungstrom
(who went on to work with Van Zant's brother, Donnie, in . 38
Special).
Kooper produced the band's debut album, Pronounced
Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, which also featured former Strawberry Alarm
Clock guitarist Ed King (originally standing in on bass for
Wilkeson, who dropped out of the band for six months) and Billy
Powell (b. 3 June 1952, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA; keyboards).
Their three-guitar line-up attracted a great deal of attention,
much of it generated through support slots with the Who, and
the combination of blues, honky tonk and boogie proved invigorating.
Their momentous anthem, "Free Bird" (a tribute to Duane Allman),
included a superb guitar finale, while its gravity and durability
were indicated by frequent reappearances in the charts years
later. In 1974 the band enjoyed their biggest US hit with "Sweet
Home Alabama", an amusing and heartfelt response to Neil Young
who had criticized the south in his compositions "Southern Man"
and "Alabama".
After the release of parent album Second Helping,
drummer Bob Burns was replaced by Artimus Pyle (b. Thomas Delmer
Pyle, 15 July 1948, Kentucky, USA). The band were by now renowned
as much for their hard living as their music, and Ed King became
the first victim of excess when retiring from the band in May
1975 (Van Zant's name was also regularly to be found in the
newspapers, through reports of bar brawls and confrontations
with the law).
Gimme Back My Bullets arrived in March of the
following year, with production expertise from Tom Dowd. In
September 1976 Rossington was injured in a car crash, while
Steve Gaines (b. 14 September 1949, Seneca, Missouri, USA, d.
20 October 1977; guitar) became King's replacement. With their
tally of gold discs increasing each year and a series of sell-out
tours, the band suffered an irrevocable setback in late 1977.
On 20 October, Van Zant, Gaines, his sister Cassie (one of three
backing singers) and personal manager Dean Kilpatrick were killed
in a plane crash near McComb, Mississippi, en route from Greenville,
South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Rossington, Collins,
Powell and Wilkeson were seriously injured, but all recovered.
That same month the band's new album, Street Survivors, was
withdrawn as the sleeve featured an unintentionally macabre
design of the members surrounded by flames.
With their line-up
devastated, the band dispersed and the remaining members went
on to join the Rossington Collins band (with the exception of
Pyle). In 1987, the name Lynyrd Skynyrd was revived for a "reunion"
tour featuring Rossington, Powell, Pyle, Wilkeson and King,
with Ronnie's brother Johnny Van Zant (vocals) and Randell Hall
(guitar). One of their performances was later issued as the
live double set, Southern By The Grace Of God. Collins had earlier
been paralyzed and his girlfriend killed during an automobile
accident in 1986. When he died in 1990 from pneumonia, this
only helped to confirm Lynyrd Skynyrd's status as a "tragic"
band.
However, members continued to perform and record after
disentangling themselves from legal complications over the use
of the name caused by objections from Van Zant's widow. The
most spectacular aspect of this was a 20th anniversary performance
live on cable television in February 1993, with Rossington,
Powell, Wilkeson, King and Johnny Van Zant joined by guests
including Peter Frampton, Brett Michaels (Poison), Charlie Daniels
and Tom Kiefer (Cinderella), the latter having also written
new songs with Rossington. The Rossington led line-up, which
also features Rick Medlocke (guitar, vocals; ex-Blackfoot),
Hugh Thomasson (guitar, vocals; ex-Outlaws), and Michael Cartellone
(drums; ex-Damn Yankees), has continued to release worthy recordings
on the CMC International label into the new millennium, and
remains a huge draw on the live circuit. |
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Lynyard Skynyrd - A second bio |
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text justifiedFormed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, this US boogie/hard
rock band took their (slightly corrupted) name from their Physical
Education teacher, Leonard Skinner.
The line-up initially comprised
Ronnie Van Zant (b. 15 January
1948, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, d. 20 October 1977; vocals),
Gary Rossington (b. 4 December 1951, Jacksonville, Florida,
USA; guitar),
Allen Collins (b. 19 July 1952, Jacksonville,
Florida, USA, d. 23 January 1990; guitar, ex-Mods),
Larry Jungstrom
(bass) and
Bob Burns (drums, ex-Me, You & Him), the quintet
meeting through minor league baseball connections. They played
together under various names, including Noble Five, Wildcats,
Sons Of Satan and My Backyard, releasing one single, "Need All
My Friends", in 1968, before changing their name to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
After playing the southern states during the late 60s they released
a second single, "I've Been Your Fool", in 1971, after recording
demos in Sheffield, Alabama. The bands were discovered in Atlanta
by Al Kooper in 1972 while he was scouting for new talent for
his Sounds Of The South label. Signed for $9000, their ranks
were swollen by the addition of Leon Wilkeson (b. 2 April 1952,
USA, d. 27 July 2001, Florida, USA; bass), who replaced Jungstrom
(who went on to work with Van Zant's brother, Donnie, in . 38
Special).
Kooper produced the band's debut album, Pronounced
Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, which also featured former Strawberry Alarm
Clock guitarist Ed King (originally standing in on bass for
Wilkeson, who dropped out of the band for six months) and Billy
Powell (b. 3 June 1952, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA; keyboards).
Their three-guitar line-up attracted a great deal of attention,
much of it generated through support slots with the Who, and
the combination of blues, honky tonk and boogie proved invigorating.
Their momentous anthem, "Free Bird" (a tribute to Duane Allman),
included a superb guitar finale, while its gravity and durability
were indicated by frequent reappearances in the charts years
later. In 1974 the band enjoyed their biggest US hit with "Sweet
Home Alabama", an amusing and heartfelt response to Neil Young
who had criticized the south in his compositions "Southern Man"
and "Alabama".
After the release of parent album Second Helping,
drummer Bob Burns was replaced by Artimus Pyle (b. Thomas Delmer
Pyle, 15 July 1948, Kentucky, USA). The band were by now renowned
as much for their hard living as their music, and Ed King became
the first victim of excess when retiring from the band in May
1975 (Van Zant's name was also regularly to be found in the
newspapers, through reports of bar brawls and confrontations
with the law).
Gimme Back My Bullets arrived in March of the
following year, with production expertise from Tom Dowd. In
September 1976 Rossington was injured in a car crash, while
Steve Gaines (b. 14 September 1949, Seneca, Missouri, USA, d.
20 October 1977; guitar) became King's replacement. With their
tally of gold discs increasing each year and a series of sell-out
tours, the band suffered an irrevocable setback in late 1977.
On 20 October, Van Zant, Gaines, his sister Cassie (one of three
backing singers) and personal manager Dean Kilpatrick were killed
in a plane crash near McComb, Mississippi, en route from Greenville,
South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Rossington, Collins,
Powell and Wilkeson were seriously injured, but all recovered.
That same month the band's new album, Street Survivors, was
withdrawn as the sleeve featured an unintentionally macabre
design of the members surrounded by flames.
With their line-up
devastated, the band dispersed and the remaining members went
on to join the Rossington Collins band (with the exception of
Pyle). In 1987, the name Lynyrd Skynyrd was revived for a "reunion"
tour featuring Rossington, Powell, Pyle, Wilkeson and King,
with Ronnie's brother Johnny Van Zant (vocals) and Randell Hall
(guitar). One of their performances was later issued as the
live double set, Southern By The Grace Of God. Collins had earlier
been paralyzed and his girlfriend killed during an automobile
accident in 1986. When he died in 1990 from pneumonia, this
only helped to confirm Lynyrd Skynyrd's status as a "tragic"
band.
However, members continued to perform and record after
disentangling themselves from legal complications over the use
of the name caused by objections from Van Zant's widow. The
most spectacular aspect of this was a 20th anniversary performance
live on cable television in February 1993, with Rossington,
Powell, Wilkeson, King and Johnny Van Zant joined by guests
including Peter Frampton, Brett Michaels (Poison), Charlie Daniels
and Tom Kiefer (Cinderella), the latter having also written
new songs with Rossington. The Rossington led line-up, which
also features Rick Medlocke (guitar, vocals; ex-Blackfoot),
Hugh Thomasson (guitar, vocals; ex-Outlaws), and Michael Cartellone
(drums; ex-Damn Yankees), has continued to release worthy recordings
on the CMC International label into the new millennium, and
remains a huge draw on the live circuit. |
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Lynyard Skynyrd Discography |
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Pronounced
Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd (Sounds Of The South/MCA 1973)****,
Second
Helping (Sounds Of The South/MCA 1974)****, Nuthin' Fancy (MCA
1975)***,
Gimme Back My Bullets (MCA 1976)**,
One More From
The Road (MCA 1976)****,
Street Survivors (MCA 1977)****,
Skynyrd's
First And ... Last 1970-72 recordings (MCA 1978)***,
Southern
By The Grace Of God Tribute Tour 1987 (MCA 1988)***,
Lynyrd
Skynyrd 1991 (Atlantic 1991)***,
The Last Rebel (Atlantic 1993)***,
Endangered Species (Capricorn 1994)***,
Southern Knights (CBH
1996)***,
Twenty (CMC/SPV 1997)**,
Lyve From Steel Town (CMC/SPV
1998)***,
Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album
(MCA 1998)****,
Edge Of Forever (CMC/SPV 1999)***,
Then And
Now (CMC 2000)**,
Christmas Time Again (CMC 2000)**,
Collectybles
(MCA 2000)****,
Vicious Cycle (Sanctuary 2003)***,
Lyve (Sanctuary
2004)***. |
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Buy Lynyard Skynyrd Albums and CD's |
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On Wikipedia |
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| Lynyrd Skynyrd on wikipedia |
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| [ link ] |
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