According to the group’s official site, the band name was inspired by a PE teacher at the band members’ high school who “was known for his strict policy forbidding long hair on boys.” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s rise to fameĪfter spending years perfecting a unique blend of country, blues and rock that the band would soon become known for, Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded its first demo with Muscle Shoals Sounds Studio in 1970, per the group’s website. The band went by My Backyard, The Noble Five and One Percent before finally landing on the name Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969. After they officially formed in 1964, the band “began entertaining Jacksonville audiences” and become one of the top bands in Jacksonville. Where is Lynyrd Skynyrd from?Īll five founding members met in, and are from, Jacksonville, Florida. The three formed the band after a casual band practice in Burns’ house, and shortly thereafter, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom joined. In 1964, founding members and then-teens Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Burns crossed paths when playing on rival baseball teams in Florida, according to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s official site. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s history is controversial and turbulent - I wouldn’t expect a band that’s been around for 40 years to be anything less - but is equally as hopeful and important to remember. With founding member Gary Rossington’s death on Sunday - he was 71, according to CNN - I’ve been revisiting Lynyrd Skynyrd’s place in my past and in what they symbolized for the South. While my family seemingly had an aversion to any other country music, I have very distinct memories of dancing (very badly) with my parents in our kitchen, singing along to “Gimme Three Steps” and “That Smell.” Somewhat surprisingly, Lynyrd Skynyrd was part of the mix. Growing up, we listened to Celia Cruz, Otis Redding, Fleetwood Mac, Toni Braxton, Marc Anthony, Led Zeppelin and much, much more. Every one of them could have lived a longer life had we gotten proper therapy.I often credit my parents for my extensive and eclectic taste in music (but they might say otherwise!). It eventually killed a lot of my friends, Leon, Billy, Allen. There was always somebody there to provide. And it wasn’t weed, but the heavy stuff - cocaine, distilled alcohol, that kind of thing. Our counseling was the local bar and some moron drug dealer.

Today, if there’s a plane crash, immediately there’s grief counseling. Teresa Gaines losing Steve - they were so in love. There was plenty of money, and everybody was feeling real sorry for themselves, some people rightly so. We were all drowning in a sea of drugs and alcohol. None of us had grief counseling, therapy or anything like that.

I would drink a bunch of alcohol - I’m not a good drinker, I’m a cheap date - with the wrong people. Go to the hospital, you’re severely injured.”Ĭlash: I’m sure you’ve experienced some sort of survivor’s guilt? Finally someone said, “Artimus, we know where your friends are. Then I saw like, 200 people headed into the woods with lights, jaws of life and medical bags. I said if you throw a baseball from home plate to centerfield, you’ll start seeing wreckage. I said, “No, no, I’ve got to show you where the crash is.” One cop said to leave me alone, that I had been in the crash. Two cops tried to wrestle me into their car, like they were going to take me into custody or something. Johnny put me in his car seat on the passenger’s side, and said, “You point, and I’ll drive.” We went out of the driveway, through a ditch, up a bank and into the field via a fence, across from where I had just walked. The locals thought we were a train wreck, it had made so much noise.

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