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01-28 Lynyrd Skynyrd Keyboardist Die
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Lynyrd Skynyrd was the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern
image and a hardrock 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 earlyrecords, Van Zant demonstrated a knack for lyrica ...read more
Lynyrd Skynyrd was the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern
image and a hardrock 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 earlyrecords, 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, greasyblues-rock. Sadly, it wasn't until
he was killed in a tragic plane crash in 1977 along with two other bandmembers that many listeners beganto realize his
talents. Skynyrd split up after the plane crash, but they reunited a decade later, becoming a popular concert act during
theearly '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, amocking 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 theband 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 notoriousfor their triple-guitar attack,
which was showcased on "Free Bird," a tribute to the recently deceased Duane Allman. "Free Bird" earnedLynyrd Skynyrd their
first national exposure and it became one of the staples of album rock radio, still receiving airplay decades after itsrelease.
"Free Bird" and an opening slot on the Who's 1973 Quadrophenia tour gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a devoted following, which helped
their secondalbum, 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 drummerBurns 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 twopredecessors. However, the band retained their following through
constant touring, which was documented on the double live album OneMore 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 carryingthe band between shows in Greenville, SC, and Baton Rouge, LA, crashed outside of Gillsburg, MS. Ronnie Van
Zant, Steve Gaines, and hissister Cassie, one of the group's backing vocalists, died in the crash; the remaining members were
injured. (The cause of the crash waseither fuel shortage or a fault with the plane's mechanics.) The cover for Street
Survivors had pictured the band surrounded in flames; afterthe crash, the cover was changed. In the wake of the tragedy,
the album became one of the band's biggest hits. Lynyrd Skynyrd broke upafter the crash, releasing a collection of early
demos called Skynyrd's First and...Last in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before thecrash. The double-album
compilation Gold & Platinum was released in 1980.
Later in 1980, Rossington and Collins formed a new band -- naturally named Rossington Collins Band -- that featured four
survivingmembers. Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Collins suffered a car crash in 1986 that killed his
girlfriend and left himparalyzed; four years later, he died of respiratory failure. In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King, and Wilkeson
reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, addingvocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randall Hall. The band embarked on a reunion tour,
which was captured on the 1988 double livealbum Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour -- 1987. The
re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991, and for theremainder 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 HomeAlabama." During the mid-'90s, Van Zant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern
rock veterans to Skynyrd'sguitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaws Hughie Thomasson. With
ex-Damn Yankee Michael Cartellonebringing stability to the drum chair, the reconstituted band signed to CMC International for
the 1997 album Twenty. This lineup went on torelease Lyve from Steeltown in 1998, followed a year later by Edge of Forever.
The seasonal effort Christmas Time Again was released infall 2000. Although Wilkeson died one year later, Lynyrd Skynyrd
regrouped and recorded Vicious Cycle for a 2003 release. The DVD/CDLyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour followed a year later,
2006 saw the release of Face to Face, and 2007 brought Paper Sleeve Box and Lyvefrom Steel Town. But death continued to
haunt the band, and the lineup continued to change, as much from attrition as anything else.Wilkeson, Skynyrd's bassist
since 1972, died in 2001 and was replaced by Ean Evans that same year (Evans in turn died in 2009).Thomasson left the
band to reform his band Outlaws in 2005, dying two years later in 2007. His spot in Skynyrd was taken by Mark"Sparky"
Matejka, formerly of Hot Apple Pie, in 2006. Original keyboardist Powell died at the age of 56 at his home near Jacksonville, Fl
in2009. That year also saw the release of a new studio album, God + Guns, on Roadrunner Records. Live From Freedom Hall
was released onthe same label in 2010. « hide |
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