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With their long hair and hot licks, the star-crossed band Lynard Skynard would go on to define Southern Rock. Their mix of driving blues riffs and rebellious imagery was a stark contrast to the psychedelic hippie acts and bloated prog rock bands popular in the early 1970's. In their prime, Lynard Skynard employed the triple guitar lineup of Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Ed King to create their sprawling, American anthems and aspiring lead guitarists can still learn a lot from their riffs today. During their formative years in the 1960's, Lyrnard Skynard began as a five-piece blues-rock band, playing local clubs and parties around the band's home of Jacksonville, Florida. They found an abandoned farm to rehearse at and named it "Hell House." The band took their name from the boys' strict high school gym coach, Leonard Skinner, who was known for enforcing a dress code that forbid long hair. Perhaps as a final insult, long hair and sideburns would be part of Lynard Skynard's trademark look. The band was discovered playing an Atlanta nightclub and recorded their first album Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd in for MCA Records. The album was an instant classic, and included their signature power anthem "Freebird." They went on to tour with The Who and record their second full-length LP, Second Helping, which included their Southern pride classic "Sweet Home Alabama." But tragedy struck Lynard Skynard in 1977 when their chartered tour plane went down, killing lead singer Ronnie VanZant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines.

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