Lynyrd Skynyrd

Original members Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, and Larry Junstrom formed the band in 1964, originally known as My Backyard, the band changed to its famous name in the early 1970s, and became popular in the Jacksonville, FL area, where the original members were from. They signed with Sounds of the South Records in 1972, and released their self-titled disc the following year. The album that featured “Free Bird,” arguably the most-recognized single in the Southern Rock genre, has sold more than 2 million units since its release. Later down the road the band recorded iconic tracks “Sweet Home Alabama” and “What’s Your Name.”

The band’s story took a tragic turn in October 1977 when a plane crash took the lives of Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and several of their road crew. The band took a decade-long hiatus before reuniting for a tour and live album, Southern by the Grace of God. Since then, the band has toured and recorded extensively, with their most recent release being Last Of A Dyin’ Breed. The band’s current line-up includes original member Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Keith Christopher, Peter Keys, Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Chase. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.