History Music / LynyrdSkynyrd

Tragedy struck on October 20, 1977, three days after the band recorded their ''Street Survivors'' album, when their chartered plane crashed in Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff were killed. The band disbanded after the tragedy, with the group reuniting at Charlie Daniels's Volunteer Jam V to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" accompanied by Daniels and some of his band members (bassist Charlie Hayward and keyboardist Joe [=DiGregorio=]). Rossington, Collins, Wilkeson and Powell formed the Rossington-Collins Band, but Collins was prone to alcoholism and drugs. The band reformed in 1987 with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood.

Although the group never topped charts (their biggest hit, "Sweet Home Alabama", topped out at #8 on Billboard), Skynyrd remains beloved by tons rock fans, especially in the South, where fans embraced the band as a counter to the "protest bands" that popped up in the '60s. ("Sweet Home Alabama" even took a few direct [[TakeThat shots]] at Music/NeilYoung for some of his protest songs, despite the off-stage friendship between Young and Van Zant.)

* AntagonisticGovernor: ''Sweet Home Alabama'', whilst a fiery defence of Southern values, does accept that Alabama having one of these (George wallace) and the fact he was loved by enough people to ensure he remained Governor, was not an especially helpful or progressive thing. It's the only part of the song that comes close to admitting Neil Young might have a point - although the lines about the regressive Wallace are followed up by a dig at the fact a bigger political scandal, Watergate, did ''not'' happen in the South.

* CoolOldGuy: The titular Curtis of "The Balled of Curtis Loew". A fun loving Bluesman who'd play for a sip of wine.

* ''Johnny Colt (born Charles Brandt)'' – bass, backing vocals (2012–present)

* ''Peter Keys (born Peter Pisarczyk)'' – keyboards (2009–present)

Tragedy struck on October 20, 1977, three days after the band recorded their ''Street Survivors'' album, when their chartered plane crashed in Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff were killed. The band disbanded after the tragedy, with the group reuniting at Charlie Daniels's Volunteer Jam V to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" accompanied by Daniels and some of his band members (bassist Charlie Hayward and keyboardist Joe [=DiGregorio=]). Rossington, Collins, Wilkeson and Powell formed the Rossington-Collins Band, but Collins was prone to alcoholism and drugs. but reformed ten years later with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood.

Allen Collins died in 1990 of pneumonia resulting from a serious car accident four years earlier. In 2015, Bob Burns was killed in a car accident at his Georgia home. Larry Junstrom plays bass for ''.38 Special'' (led by Ronnie's other brother Donnie - yes, the brothers' names are [[ThemeNaming Ronnie, Johnny and Donnie]]) and Rossington is the only founding member still performing with the band.

!! The band Lynyrd Skynyrd and its music provide examples of the following tropes:

If you live in the South, you damn well better know '''''Lynyrd Skynyrd'''''.

* ''Johnny Colt'' – bass, backing vocals (2012–present)

* Ean Evans – bass, backing vocals (2000-2009)

* ''Peter Keys'' – keyboards (2009–present)

* Artimus Pyle – drums (1974–1977, 1979, 1987–1991)

!!Principal Members (Founding members in '''bold'''):

* Michael Cartellone – drums (1999–present)

* Johnny Colt – bass, backing vocals (2012–present)

* Peter Keys – keyboards (2009–present)

* Rickey Medlocke – drums, mandolin, guitar, backing vocals (1971–1972, 1996–present)
* Mark Matejka – guitar, backing vocals (2006–present)

* '''Gary Rossington''' – guitar (1964–1977, 1979, 1987–present)

* Johnny Van Zant – lead vocals (1987–present)

Jacksonville friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom, Gary Rossington, and Bob Burns formed the band in [[TheSixties 1964]] under the name "The Noble Five". They later renamed themselves "My Backyard" in 1965, "Leonard Skinner" (a rather authoritarian teacher at their former high school who disapproved of male students with long hair) in 1970, and "[[XtremeKoolLetterz Lynyrd Skynyrd]]" in 1972. The band released its first album, ''(pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)'', in 1973 -- and, in the process, forever cemented the song "Free Bird" as a permanent part of the rock'n'roll lexicon. (The next time you hear someone shout "Play 'Free Bird'!" at a concert, you now know who to blame).

In 1977, a plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines (who had performed on the band's just-released ''Street Survivors'' album), his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff. (The crash also injured bassist Leon Wilkeson, who needed over two years of physical therapy to recover.) The band disbanded after the tragedy, but reformed ten years later with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood.

Allen Collins died in 1990 of pneumonia resulting from a serious car accident four years earlier. In 2015, Bob Burns was killed in a car accident at his Georgia home. Larry Junstrom plays bass for ''.38 Special'' (led by Ronnie's other brother Donnie - yes, the brothers' names are [[ThemeNaming Ronnie, Johnny and Donnie]]) and Rossington is the only founding member still performing with the band.

In 1977, a plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines (who had performed on the band's just-released ''Street Survivors'' album), his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff. (The crash also injured bassist Leon Wilkeson, who needed over two years of physical therapy to recover.) The band disbanded after the tragedy, but reformed ten years later with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood. Of the original members, only Rossington remains; Van Zant and Collins have both passed on, Larry Junstrom plays bass for ''.38 Special'' (led by Ronnie's other brother Donnie - yes, the brothers' names are [[ThemeNaming Ronnie, Johnny and Donnie]]), and Bob Burns quit after the road life overwhelmed him.

* AlliterativeName: '''B'''ob '''B'''urns and '''M'''ark '''M'''atejka.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: The title of their debut album (''Lynyrd Skynyrd (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)'') notes this.

Although the group never topped charts (their biggest hit, "Sweet Home Alabama", topped out at #8 on Billboard), Skynyrd remains beloved by tons rock fans, especially in the South, where fans embraced the band as a counter to the "protest bands" that popped up in the '60s. ("Sweet Home Alabama" even took a few direct [[TakeThat shots]] at NeilYoung for some of his protest songs, despite the off-stage friendship between Young and Van Zant.)

* EpicRocking: "Free Bird" (naturally), "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Tuesday's Gone" qualify. Live versions of "Free Bird" often run over ''thirteen'' minutes!

In 1977, a plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines (who had performed on the band's just-released ''Street Survivors'' album), his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff. (The crash also injured bassist Leon Wilkeson, who needed over two years of physical therapy to recover.) The band disbanded after the tragedy, but reformed ten years later with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood. Of the original members, only Rossington remains; Van Zant and Collins have both passed on, Larry Junstrom plays bass for [[Music/ThirtyEightSpecial .38 Special]] (led by Ronnie's other brother Donnie - yes, the brothers' names are [[ThemeNaming Ronnie, Johnny and Donnie]]), and Bob Burns quit after the road life overwhelmed him.

In 1977, a plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines (who had performed on the band's just-released ''Street Survivors'' album), his sister Cassie (a member of the band's backup singers, The Honkettes), and several members of the band's production staff. (The crash also injured bassist Leon Wilkeson, who needed over two years of physical therapy to recover.) The band disbanded after the tragedy, but reformed ten years later with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny and a rotating cast of new blood. Of the original members, only Rossington remains; Van Zant and Collins have both passed on, Larry Junstrom plays bass for [[Music/ThirtyEightSpecial .38 Special]] (led by Ronnie's other brother Donnie), and Bob Burns quit after the road life overwhelmed him.

->"'''"[[IconicSongRequest FREE BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRD!]]"'''"

->"'''[[IconicSongRequest FREE BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRD!]]'''"
-->-'''[[MemeticMutation Some guy at every concert you've ever attended]]'''

->''If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?''
-> "Free Bird"

** FearlessFool: Ronnie reportedly died because he didn't like wearing seatbelts and decided to sit in the middle of the plane's aisle.
* PottyFailure: Implied to happen to the narrator of "Gimme 3 Steps" as he's staring down the gun of Linda Lou's boyfriend.
-->Well the crowd cleared away
-->And I began to pray
-->And the water fell on the floor

-->''If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?''
--> ''Free Bird''

* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Steve Gaines sings "Ain't No Good Life" and splits "You Got That Right" with Van Zant

* TheresNoPlaceLikeHome: "Sweet Home Alabama" expresses the joy of being in their home province.