Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne Van Zant (January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977) was an American singer, best known as the founding lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He was the older brother of Johnny Van Zant, the current lead vocalist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Donnie Van Zant, the founder and vocalist of the rock band .38 Special. Early life Ronnie Van Zant was born and raised in Jacksonville, northeastern Florida. His father was Lacy Austin Van Zant (1915–2004) and his mother Marion Virginia (née Hicks) Van Zant (1929–2000). He was of Paternal Dutch heritage. A fan of boxer Muhammad Ali, Ronnie considered a career in boxing, and while playing American Legion baseball considered a career in professional baseball. Career Lynyrd Skynyrd Van Zant formed a band called My Backyard late in the summer of 1964 with friends and schoolmates Allen Collins (guitar), Gary Rossington (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums). The q ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonville Jacksonville Consolidation, consolidated in 1968. It was the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020, and became the 10th List of United States cities by population, largest U.S. city by population in 2023. Jacksonville straddles the St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeastern Florida, about south of the Georgia state line ( to the urban core/downtown) and north of Miami. The Jacksonville Beaches communities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast. The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people, and in 1564 was the site of the French colony of Fort Caroline, one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States. Under B ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bob Burns (drummer)
Robert Lewis Burns Jr. (November 24, 1950 – April 3, 2015) was an American drummer who was in the original lineup of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Biography Burns was born in Gainesville, Florida, on November 24, 1950. He helped to form Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 with Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Larry Junstrom and remained until 1974, although by some accounts he left the band for a while during the early 1970s. Burns played on the band's early recordings, but on the album '' Skynyrd's First and... Last,'' a collection of early demos made in Muscle Shoals, the drum parts of some songs recorded in 1971 were played by Rickey Medlocke. That album also contains songs recorded in 1972 which feature Burns on drums, suggesting that Burns left the band in 1971 and had returned by 1972. During a brief period in the early 1970s, Medlocke occasionally played alongside Burns on drums for live shows, a two-drummer lineup similar to the Allman Brothers B ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Second Helping
''Second Helping'' is the second studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on April 15, 1974. It features the band's biggest hit single, "Sweet Home Alabama", an answer song to Neil Young's "Alabama" and " Southern Man", which reached #8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in August 1974. ''Second Helping'' reached #12 on the ''Billboard'' album charts. The RIAA certified it Gold on September 20, 1974, and Double Platinum on July 21, 1987. Background After the success of their debut album, ''(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)'', Lynyrd Skynyrd's fan base continued to grow rapidly throughout 1973, largely due to their opening slot on the Who's ''Quadrophenia'' tour in the United States. ''Second Helping'' features Ed King, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington all collaborating with Ronnie Van Zant on the songwriting, and cemented the band's breakthrough. Critical reception Reviewing for ''Rolling Stone'' in 1974, Gordon Fletcher said Lynyrd Skynyrd performs a consistent styl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sweet Home Alabama (song)
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on the band's second album '' Second Helping'' (1974). It was written in response to Neil Young's songs " Southern Man" and "Alabama", which the band felt blamed the entire Southern United States for slavery; Young is name-checked and dissed in the lyrics. It reached number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in 1974, becoming the band's highest-charting single. The song remains a staple in southern and classic rock, and, along with "Free Bird", is arguably the band's signature song. The political lyrics of the song compare Richard Nixon and his Watergate scandal with the governor of Alabama George Wallace and his political supporters in Birmingham. The lyrics have been perceived as mocking the American liberals and their outrage at Nixon's conduct. Background and recording None of the three writers of the song were from Alabama; Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington were both born in Jacksonv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Quadrophenia
''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the previous two being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, While He's Away" (1966) and the album '' Tommy'' (1969). Set in London and Brighton in 1965, the story follows a young mod named Jimmy and his search for self-worth and importance. ''Quadrophenia'' is the only Who album entirely written by Pete Townshend. The group started work on the album in 1972 in an attempt to follow up ''Tommy'' and ''Who's Next'' (1971), both of which had achieved substantial critical and commercial success. Recording was delayed while bassist John Entwistle and singer Roger Daltrey recorded solo albums and drummer Keith Moon worked on films. Because a new studio was not finished in time, the group had to use Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. The album makes significant use of Townshend's multi-track synthesizers and sound ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Who
The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century, their contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall Stack, Marshall stack, large public address systems, the use of synthesizers, Entwistle's and Moon's influential playing styles, Townshend's Guitar feedback, feedback and power chord guitar technique, and the development of the rock opera. They are cited as an influence by many hard rock, punk rock, punk, power pop and mod (subculture), mod bands. The Who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. The Who evolved from an earlier group, the Detours, and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod (subculture), mod movements, featuring auto-destructive art by Instrument destruction, destr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals), Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jaimoe, Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). Subsequently based in Macon, Georgia, they incorporated elements of blues, jazz and country music and their live shows featured jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals. The band's first two studio albums, ''The Allman Brothers Band (album), The Allman Brothers Band'' (1969) and ''Idlewild South'' (1970), both released by Capricorn Records, stalled commercially but their 1971 live album ''At Fillmore East'' was a critical and commercial breakthrough. It included extended versions of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Whipping Post (song), Whipping Post", showcasing the group's jamming style. Group leader Duane was kille ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Duane Allman
Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American rock and blues guitarist and the founder and original leader of the Allman Brothers Band, for which he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Allman began playing the guitar at age 14. He formed the Allman Brothers Band with his brother Gregg in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. The group achieved its greatest success in the early 1970s. Allman is best remembered for his brief but influential tenure in the band and in particular for his expressive slide guitar playing and inventive improvisational skills. A sought-after session musician both before and during his tenure with the band, Duane Allman performed with King Curtis, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Mann, Wilson Pickett, and Boz Scaggs. He also contributed to the only studio album by Derek and the Dominos, '' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' (1970). Allman died following a motorcycl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Free Bird
"Free Bird", also spelled "Freebird", is a song by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, written by guitarist Allen Collins and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. The song was released on their 1973 debut studio album. Released as a single in November 1974, "Free Bird" debuted on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on November 23 at No. 87 and became the band's second Top 40 hit in early 1975, peaking at No. 19 on January 25. A live version of the song, recorded at Atlanta's Fox Theater and included on the album One More From The Road, re-entered the charts in late 1976, eventually peaking at No. 38 in January 1977. "Free Bird" achieved No. 3 on '' Guitar World's'' list of greatest guitar solos of all time in 2010 and 2016, while placing at No. 8 in their rankings by 2022. It is Lynyrd Skynyrd's signature song, the finale during live performances, and their longest song, often going well over 14 minutes when played live. "Free Bird" was once the most requested song on FM radio, and rem ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd Song)
"Simple Man" is a song by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on their debut studio album, ''(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)'' (1973). The song is one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's most popular. Since the song became available for digital download, it has become Lynyrd Skynyrd's third best-selling digital song after " Sweet Home Alabama" and " Free Bird." It has sold 1,333,000 copies in the U.S. as of November 2013. Musical structure "Simple Man" is written in the key of A minor/C major, though all guitars were tuned down a half step, effectively making it G♯ minor/B. The song begins with an electric arpeggiated chord sequence made up of the chords C major, G major and A minor (though with the tuned-down guitars, effective progression of B major, F♯ major and G♯ minor). This intro is accompanied by a bass line and cymbals before the drums and vocals come in for the verse. Lyrically the song is about a mother talking to her child about life, inspired by the passi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gimme Three Steps
"Gimme Three Steps" is a song by American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released from the band's debut album, ''(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)'' (1973). It was written by bandmates Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant. The single release contains the song " Mr. Banker" as a B-side. Background Band member Gary Rossington based the lyrics on a real-life experience Ronnie Van Zant had at a bar in Jacksonville, Florida, having a gun pulled on him for dancing with another man's woman. While the narrator dances with a girl named Linda Lou at a bar called The Jug, a man (either the girl's boyfriend or husband) armed with a .44 revolver enters and catches them, angrily believing her to be cheating and threatening the narrator's life. The narrator protests that he has not even kissed Linda Lou and begs the man to give him a head start out of the bar: "Won't you give me three steps / Gimme three steps, mister / Gimme three steps towards the door? / Gimme three steps / Gimme th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tuesday's Gone
"Tuesday's Gone" is the second track on Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album, ''(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)''. It also appears on the band's first live LP, '' One More from the Road''. History "Tuesday's Gone" was written by vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Allen Collins. Producer Al Kooper (credited as "Roosevelt Gook") played bass, sang backup vocals, and added orchestral strings with a Mellotron. Robert Nix of the Atlanta Rhythm Section played drums. Gary Rossington Gary Robert Rossington (December 4, 1951 – March 5, 2023) was an American musician best known as a founding guitarist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, with whom he performed until his death. Rossington was also a founding member of the ... played lead guitar, Ed King added guitar fills and Billy Powell played the piano. In ''Counting Down Southern Rock: The 100 Best Songs'', author C. Eric Banister regards the lyric of "Tuesday's Gone" as Van Zant's masterpiece. References {{Author ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |