" If I Leave Here Tommorrow,
Would You Still Remember Me? "

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(including pix of me with Leon and in the Front Row!)

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1965: The core of Lynyrd Skynyrd -- singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Gary Rossington, guitarist Allen Collins, bassist Larry Junstrom, and drummer Bob Burns -- is formed at a high school in Jacksonville, Florida. Initially as the group, "My Backyard". The band initially changes their name to "The Noble Five" and them later to Lynyrd Skynyrd to immortalize school gym teacher Leonard Skinner, a legendary antagonist of long-haired students.

1968: Lynyrd Skynyrd releases their debut single, Need All My Friends, on Shade Tree label based on their hometown.

1970: Although the song wouldn't be released until 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd would produce their first demos of Freebird.

1971: After a few years of touring mainly in the South, Lynyrd Skynyrd releases their second single titled, "I've Been Your Fool". The band goes into recording sessions in Muscle Shoals with guitarist/drummer Rickey Medlocke (who would play drums on two Skynyrd tracks, "One More Time" and "Coming Home") and bassist Leon Wilkeson throughout most of the year. Wilkeson would eventually join the band during the year.

1972: Al Kooper -- who had left Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1968 -- develops a new label called Sounds of the South to be distributed by MCA Records. While touring with Badfinger in support of their hit, "Day After Day", Kooper notices the band at an Atlanta club and subsequently signs them to the label. Keyboardist Billy Powell would join the band.

1973: By the end of the year, the band releases their debut album (produced by Al Kooper) titled, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd. Former Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist Ed King would join the band initially replacing Leon Wilkeson. However, after the album was recorded, Wilkeson would return on bass, with King going to third guitar, giving them a unique three-guitar line up (with founding members/guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins). The album goes Top 40 and earns them gold record honors. The single "Freebird" -- a tribute to the late Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band -- is the single from the album, and will become their signature anthem for years to come. The album becomes so popular that the band gets to tour in support of The Who on their "Quadraphenia" tour beginning in late November.

1974: The band releases their second effort, Second Helping, which spawns their first charting U.S. single, "Sweet Home Alabama". The song is seen as a Southerner's response to Neil Young's 1971 song, "Southern Man". The single reaches #8 on the charts, with the album itself hitting #12 (earning yet another gold disk). Drummer Artimus Pyle will replace initial drummer Bob Burns by the end of the year.

1975: "Freebird" is re-released as a single, and gains notable, national airplay, reaching the Top 20 in the charts. Guitarist Ed King will depart shortly after playing in sessions on the forthcoming album, Nuthin' Fancy, which goes to #9, and will mark the band's third consecutive gold album. The single from the album will be "Saturday Night Special". Shortly after the release of the album, the band will tour the UK for the first time in support of the group Golden Earring.

1976: The new effort, Gimme Back My Bullets -- produced by Tom Dowd -- will reach the Top 20 and become the band's fourth consecutive gold record. The response in the UK is such that the band will perform alongside the Rolling Stones, amongst others, at the Knebworth Festival. In September, guitarist Gary Rossigton is injured in a car crash in Jacksonville, Florida. Toward the end of the year, Steve Gaines will take over on guitar for the departed Ed King on the groups double-live album, One More From The Road. The release becomes the group's largest-selling album of their career thus far, hitting #9 on the charts, and eventually going triple-platinum in sales. The live version of "Freebird" will once again chart.

1977: Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins present a platinum album awarded them for One More From The Road to the Mayor of Atlanta, in appreciation of the band's Atlanta fans. Another album would be presented to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta where the album was recorded. On October 20th, tragedy would strike the band's as Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines (Steve's sister and one of Skynyrd's back-up singers), and road manager Dean Kilpatrick are killed when the band's rented plane (short on fuel) crashes into a swamp in Gillsburg, Mississippi, when en route to a gig at Louisiana University. Rossington, Collins, Powell and Wilkeson are all seriously injured but survive the crash (and eventually fully recover). Out of courtesy and good judgment, MCA Records withdraws the sleeve of the just-released album, Street Survivors, which pictures the group standing in flames. The album will become the band's second platinum-selling album, hitting #5 on the U.S. album charts.

1978: A single from the album titled, "What's Your Name", escalates up the charts to the #13 position, while another single, "You Got That Right", follows suit by also charting. The band will release another album, Skynyrd's First and Last, which contains previously unreleased recordings from 1970-1972. It will also go platinum, marking the third consecutive to do so for the band.

1979: Two surviving members of the original band, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, would form a new group, The Rossington-Collins Band. The band will be fronted by female vocalist Dale Krantz, who was a back-up singer for Donnie Van Zant's band, ".38 Special." She would eventually marry Gary Rossington. Drummer Artimus Pyle would also form a group (featuring Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell) called "Alias Contraband". They would go on to put out a self-titled album. Lynyrd Skynyrd will release a double compilation, Gold And Platinum, that will ascend into the Top 15 and also become platinum. This will total four consecutive platinum albums for the band.

1980: The debut album by The Rossington - Collins Band, "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", will feature the single, "Don't Misunderstand Me", and will achieve gold status as well.

1981: The Rossington - Collins Band releases their second album, "This Is The Way", which is dedicated to Allen Collins' wife Katy, who died a year earlier. Although garnering considerable acclaim, the album will be the last by the band, which officially disbands two years later.

1982: In December, Lynyrd Skynyrd releases Best Of The Rest, a compilation of rare tracks and outtakes.

1983: Allen Collins would form The Allen Collins Band, which would put out only one album, "Here, There and Back."

1986: Allen Collins runs his car off the road in a crash that will leave him paralyzed from the waist down. The crash took the life of his girlfriend. Gary Rossington would form The Rossington Band, and soon release its debut, "Returned To Scene of Crime."

1987: A new Lynyrd Skynyrd is formed in September comprising Rossington, Powell, Pyle, Wilkeson, King, Johnny Van Zant (vocals), Randall Hall (a long-time friend of the band and member of The Allen Collins Band on guitar), and Dale Krantz-Rossington and Carol Bristow on backing vocals. The band makes their first public appearance at the Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam XIII and will eventually perform more than 30 dates on a reunion tour, marking the tenth anniversary of the fatal plane crash. Due to the success of the trek, MCA Records would release the album, Legend. The compilation -- produced by Tom Dowd -- will contain previous B-sides, as well as unreleased and uncompleted songs by the original Lynyrd Skynyrd.

1988: Southern By The Grace Of God -- a double live album featuring tracks recorded on the recent tour -- would be released on MCA Records. The Rossington Band would release their second album, "Love Your Man."

1989: Skynyrd's Innyrds -- a greatest hits package -- would be released.

1990: Allen Collins -- who had been hospitalized since September, 1989 -- dies of pneumonia in Jacksonville, Florida.

1991: The band releases Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991, marking their return to the recording studio. Again produced by Tom Dowd, it left no doubt that one of rock'n'rolls' greatest bands was back with a vengeance. It featured the tracks, "Smokestack Lightning", "Keeping The Faith", "Southern Women" and "Pure and Simple". The Lynyrd Skynyrd box set would also be released.

1993: The band releases the album, Last Rebel, which comes out twenty years after their first album.

1994: Lynyrd Skynyrd releases Endangered Species on Capricorn Records, not only marking their debut effort on the label, but marking the first completely acoustic album for the band.

1996: The band (Gary Rossington: Guitars, Johnny Van Zant: Lead Vocals, Leon Wilkeson: Bass, Billy Powell: Piano, Owen Hale: Drums & Percussion, Rickey Medlocke: Guitars, Hughie Thomasson: Guitars, Dale Krantz-Rossington and Carol Chase: Backup Vocals) will take to the road once again performing in front of hundreds of thousands of fans throughout a 50 date tour beginning on May 9th in West Palm Beach, Florida. After the summer trek, the band will return to the studio to record their forthcoming album due out next year in tandem with another tour.

1997: This is what was produced: "Twenty"

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LYNYRD SKYNYRD '97
"Twenty"
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(including pix of me with Leon and in the Front Row!)

You Got That Right!!!!

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