Biography

Albums

Lyrics

Pictures

Web Rings

Home

Links

Guestbook

Sign - View

..........After winning a Battle of the Bands Contest in Jacksonville, they landed a spot opening for Strawberry Alarm Clock and went on their first tour! In 1970, they cut their first demos at the Quimvy Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This was where the first recordings of Freebird originated. The song had little response until Allen Collins added a frenetic guitar ending. Freebird eventually became Lynyrd Skynyrd's Anthem.

Jimmy Johnson of Quinvy Studios was sure that Lynyrd Skynyrd had a sound worth promoting and talked them into going to the studio in Sheffield, Alabama to begin recording again. Later, in the fall of 1971, they were joined by Rick Medlocke (Blackfoot) and Leon Wilkinson. The songs One More Time, Freebird, and Gimme Three Steps were among the ones they recorded. Returning to Jacksonville, the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band found the booking agents cold to their brand of music. They eventually commuted to Atlanta to play, borrowing gas money and then repaying the loans.

Enter Producer/Performer Al Kooper, who realized the Southern Rock scene was taking off, and Lynyrd Skynyrd seemed like the right choice. His contacts with MCA Records enabled Kooper to start the "Sounds of the South" Label. They had 3 groups already, and with the endorsement of Mose Jones, Lynyrd Skynyrd was added to the list as the fourth group to sign.

At this point, Leon Wilkinson leaves the band, and they round up bassist Ed King to replace him. Utilizing Al Kooper's abilities as a producer, Lynyrd Skynyrd learns a few tricks of the trade and release their debut Album: "Pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd". Shortly after the release of their album, Lynyrd Skynyrd was re-joined by Leon Wilkinson and moved Ed King to guitar. It was a way to bring the recorded music to life by reproducing the double guitar effect added in the studio by Allen Collins. Sweet Home Alabama was a message to Neil Young after his slander of the Southern was of life on his "Harvest" album (Southern Man). It was meant as a joke, really, because they were actually big fans of Neil Young!

Continue