At the height of their fame during the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird”.
Burns would later be replaced by Artimus Pyle, and King by Steve Gaines.
The band released their first album in 1973, having settled on a lineup that included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell and guitarist Ed King. The band spent five years touring small venues under a variety of different names and with several lineup changes before finally deciding on “Lynyrd Skynyrd” in 1969.
The group was originally named My Backyard and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass guitar) and Bob Burns (drums). Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964.