Lynyrd Skynyrd

When we think of the sound that defines Southern rock, it's almost inevitable that the guitars of Lynyrd Skynyrd come to mind. Starting in 1964 in Jacksonville, Florida, they began to shape a proposal that combined influences from blues, country, and British rock. The band was formed from musicians who came from other local groups, such as The Mods and The Squires. In those years, the name kept changing: they went from being My Backyard to Conquer the Worm, The Noble Five, and The One Percent, until in 1968 they decided to stick with Lynyrd Skynyrd, a nod to a high school teacher. By 1973, when they released their first album, (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), they already had a solid lineup that included Ronnie Van Zant on vocals, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins on guitars, Larry Junstrom on bass, and Bob Burns on drums. Shortly after, Leon Wilkeson joined on bass, Billy Powell on keyboards, and Ed King on guitar, while Artimus Pyle replaced Burns in 1974 and Steve Gaines took King's place in 1976.

The peak moment for this lineup arrived in the 1970s. With songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird", Lynyrd Skynyrd established themselves as one of the most representative bands of the genre. They released five studio albums and one live album, building a powerful sonic legacy. However, tragedy struck on October 20, 1977, when the charter plane carrying them crashed in Mississippi. The loss of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines abruptly halted the band's career at its peak. The album Street Survivors, which had been released just days before, took on a particular resonance after the accident.