Lynyrd Skynyrdare an American southern rockband, described by All Music Guideas "the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious, Southern image and a hard rock swagger." The classic line up is generally considered to be: * Ronnie Van Zant - lead vocals * Gary Rossington - guitar * Allen Collins - guitar * Ed King - guitar * Leon Wilkeson - bass, backing vocals * Artimus Pyle - drums * Billy Powell - keyboards The band reached prominence during the mid 1970s carving a reputation with their irreverant, unique and enduring take on southern rock rooted in many of the early US blues players and according to (but paraphrasing) Gene Odoms author of 'Lynyrd Skynyrd' influences from the English school of rock by acts such as Free, Jethro Tull, The Stones and Eric Clapton. They are probably best known now for their hit song (reprised in at least two films as sound clips)'Sweet Home Alabama' (Jul 74) and the anthemic and soaring 'Free Bird' from Nov 74 which was later to appear as the final song of the hit console game Guitar Hero II. These recordings were amongst only five Skynryd 7" releases to make the top 40 in the U.S. (the others being Saturday Night Special in May 75, a live version of 'Freebird' (Nov 76) and 'What's Your Name' (Nov 77). Their August 21st appearance at the UK's Knebworth Festival of 1976 is perhaps the definitive live performance of a band who were at their zenith when their leased Convair 240 crashed on October 20th 1977, killing lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.
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