Lynyrd Skynyrd: From Early Success to Tragedy
Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama Brought Platinum Albums in First Era
Apr 23, 2009
Lynyrd Skynyrd will begin a new tour in May 2009 and this article provides some essential information about their formative years and early successes up to the tragic plane crash that took the lives of several members.
The Forming of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Four of the main members of the band: vocalist Ronnie Van Zant; guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins and bassist Leon Wilkeson formed a band called My Backyard in school.
Their gym teacher did not tolerate long haired males, and his name was Leonard Skinner. So the band later became Lynyrd Skynyrd to immortalise their nemesis.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s First and Second Albums
The band’s first album was titled Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-herd and released in 1973. It featured the classic song, Freebird, and was an instant success, going gold.
They followed that up with Second Helping the next year. Sweet Home Alabama was released as a single and became a top ten Billboard hit, and this propelled the album itself up to number twelve on the album chart.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Third and Fourth Albums
Nuthin’ Fancy and Gimme Back My Bullets were the next two albums, and both also went gold. However, they were not considered classic albums like the first two opuses.
Steve Gaines was added to the line-up as a third guitarist to freshen up the band and provide another dimension.
The Peak of Success for Lynyrd Skynyrd
Live album, One More for the Road, released in 1976, sold a million copies and was the first Lynyrd Skynyrd record to go platinum. A live version of Freebird charted. It is fitting that Lynyrd Skynyrd achieved such success from being on the road and singing about it, as they had several road songs with lyrics full of travel philosophy.
Fifth studio album, Street Survivors, was released the following year, and also went platinum.
The Plane Crash
Tragedy struck soon after the release of Street Survivors when a plane taking the band to a gig in Louisiana ran out of fuel and crashed.
Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines were killed, along with Cassie Gaines and Dean Kilpatrick. Cassie Gaines was Steve Gaines’s sister and one of the Honkettes; the bands’ backing singers. Dean Kilpatrick was their manager.
Other members of the band and their entourage were injured in the crash but survived.
The Aftermath
Two singles from Street Survivors charted. The surviving members also released another album that went platinum: Skynyrd’s First and Last contained unreleased tracks from their early years.
Their record label, MCA, which was of course the topic of Lynyrd Skynyrd track Working for MCA released a double compilation, Gold and Platinum the following year.
Lynyrd Skynyrd would be in mourning for the next decade, but would then reform and return to the road.
For further information about Lynyrd Skynyrd see their official fan club.
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