(Pronounced 'Lĕh 'nérd 'Skin 'nérd)

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

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Recorded March 27 – May 1, 1973 Artist Lynyrd Skynyrd Producer Al Kooper		Length 43:03 Release date 13 August 1973 Label MCA Records

Released August 13, 1973 (1973-08-13) Studio Studio One, Doraville, Georgia, U.S. Genres Southern rock, Hard rock, Blues rock, Country rock Similar Ronnie Van Zant albums, Southern rock albums

(pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) is the debut album from Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 1973. The album features several of the band's most well-known songs, including "Gimme Three Steps", "Simple Man", "Tuesday's Gone" and "Free Bird", which launched the band to national stardom.

Overview

Bassist Leon Wilkeson left the band during the album's early recording sessions only playing on two tracks. Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist Ed King was asked to fill in for Wilkeson on bass during the remaining sessions, as Wilkeson already wrote many of the bass parts. This left Skynyrd with only six official members at the time of the album's release. Not long after, King remained with the band, and was made a member, so that they could replicate the triple-guitar lead during live performances. Wilkeson returned to the band when it was time to take the photo for the album cover and embark on the tour for the album. It was certified gold on December 18, 1974, platinum and 2x platinum on July 21, 1987, by the RIAA. The album also peaked at 27 in the Billboard 200 in 1975.

The album was re-released in 2001 as an expanded version with bonus tracks, including demos of many of the songs on the album.

Cover art

The men in the photo are all the band members, from left to right: Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington (seated), Bob Burns, Allen Collins, and Ed King.

The album cover photograph was taken on Main Street in Jonesboro, Georgia. Coincidentally the photo of the band is only a few feet away from what would be the film scene where Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed loaded the Coors beer onto the tractor trailer rig in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit four years later.

Reception

In 2003, the album was ranked number 403 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and has sold an estimated 2 million units internationally.

Personnel

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals, lyrics

Gary Rossington – lead guitar on "Tuesday's Gone", "Gimme Three Steps", "Things Goin' On", "Poison Whiskey", "Simple Man", rhythm guitar on the others, slide guitar on "Free Bird"

Allen Collins – lead guitar on "I Ain't The One", "Simple Man" & "Free Bird", rhythm guitar on the others

Ed King – lead guitar on "Mississippi Kid", bass on all tracks except "Mississippi Kid" and "Tuesday's Gone"

Billy Powell – keyboards

Bob Burns – drums except on "Tuesday's Gone"

Leon Wilkeson – bass for the group up until the album was cut, rejoined shortly thereafter

Additional personnel

Al Kooper (Roosevelt Gook) – bass, Mellotron and back-up harmony on "Tuesday's Gone", mandolin & bass drum on "Mississippi Kid", organ on "Simple Man", "Poison Whiskey" and "Free Bird", Mellotron on "Free Bird"

Robert Nix – drums on "Tuesday's Gone"

Bobbye Hall – percussion on "Gimme Three Steps" and "Things Goin' On"

Steve Katz – harmonica on "Mississippi Kid"

Technical

Al Kooper – Producer, Engineer

Bobby Langford – Engineer

Rodney Mills – Engineer

Thomas Hill – Photography

Michael Diehl – Design

Songs

1I Ain't the One3:53
2Tuesday's Gone7:32
3Gimme Three Steps4:30

References

(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA