Donnie is most known for his vocals and guitar work with the group.

(The three Van Zant brothers were named Ronnie, Johnny, and Donnie. The band effectively broke up until 1987, when they reunited for a tour, featuring Ronnie Van Zant's brother, Johnny, on lead vocals. Perhaps most notably, the unique songwriting abilities of Van Zant. In yet another irony surrounding the crash, Street Survivors featured an entire song about death: 'That Smell,' written by Ronnie Van Zant.Īlong with those band members died the heart and soul of Lynyrd Skynyrd. For the release of the CD version of the album in 2007, the original cover was reincarnated.

The cover image was replaced with a similar photo of the band, set in front of a plain, black background. Steve Gaines' widow requested that they change the album cover, which they gladly obliged, in respect for all the lost and injured. In a twist of cruel irony, the original cover for Street Survivors, released just days before the crash, pictured the band amid a backdrop of flames. Other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd (including Collins, Rossington, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Powell, drummer Artimus Pyle, and backup singer Leslie Hawkins), along with several of their road crew members, were seriously injured. The emergency landing went awry, crashing the plane, and instantly killing Van Zant, Steve Gaines (guitarist), Cassie Gaines (backup singer and Steve's sister), Dean Kilpatrick (an assistant road manager), and both pilots. Though the pilots received permission to divert to another airport in Mississippi, they weren't able to make it. Their chartered private plane had engine trouble, causing it to run out of fuel. Just three days after the release of Street Survivors, on October 20th, the band left a gig at Greenville Memorial Auditorium in South Carolina headed for another performance at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. From their debut in 1973 until their staggering loss of most of the band in a plane crash in 1977, Skynyrd released an onslaught of successful albums, including Second Helping in '74, Nuthin' Fancy in '76, and Street Survivors in '77. Their hardcore Southern Rock has roots in the Blues and Country, overlaid with a veneer of Southern rebellion and hard rock braggadocio. (The 1980 reincarnation of 'Free Bird,' without lyrics, was a tribute to the late Ronnie Van Zant.) Unsurprisingly, 'Free Bird' became an immediate radio hit, Skynyrd 's own living tribute to predecessor and hero, Duane Allman. While Skynyrd certainly didn't create Southern Rock, they absolutely brought it from regional sensation to mainstream scream. Lynyrd Skynyrd upped the ante with 3 lead guitars. Within a year, they had produced their first album, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, along with session guitar player Ed King.Īt that time, The Allman Brothers Band's signature sound was derived from the 2-lead-guitar assault. Talent scout Al Kooper (of Blood, Sweat & Tears, who was touring with Badfinger at that time) spotted the clan and signed them. The group tacked on a drummer (Bob Burns), a bassist (Leon Wilkeson), another guitarist (Gary Rossington), and keyboardist (Billy Powell), and by 1972, they were playing gigs in an Atlanta watering hole called Funocchio's. Beginning in 1964, they had played under the moniker My Backyard later changing that to The Noble Five, and then One Percent, before settling on the name Lynyrd Skynyrd in '69. This event prompted them to take some liberties with his name, adding a pinch of Southern twang and perhaps a smidgen of sarcasm, when it came time to rename their band. Leonard Skinner (a tough ex-military man with a traditional flattop haircut and penchant for strict, no-nonsense discipline) hassled the boys a bit about their long hair, sending them to the principal's office. Forrest High School (now Westside High School) in Jacksonville, Florida. Founding members Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocals), Allen Collins (guitar), and Larry Junstrom (bass) attended Nathan B.

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