Lynyrd Skynyrd "Street Survivors" album was released on this date in 1977.

[Ivan May]

The last album to be released by the pioneering Southern rock band until 1991, this is perhaps their most well known album. And in the 45 years since it came out, it has stood the test of time.

 

Having seen guitarist Ed King be replaced by Steve Gaines (who along with younger sister Cassie Gaines, played on the classic 1976 live album One More From The Road), and already at their commercial peak, Lynyrd Skynyrd decided to make Street Survivors in 1977. Peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 charts, the album contained the hits What's Your Name and You Got That Right, on which guitarist Steve Gaines also sang lead vocals on.

 

 

 

 

 

The future looked very bright for the group, but on October 20, 1977, just a few days after it first came out, the group's airplane, nicknamed of course--"Freebird"--ran out of fuel in the swamps of Louisiana, killing guitarist Steve Gaines, vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, and Steve's younger sister, Cassie Gaines, as well as road manager Dean Kilpatrick. ead guitarist Allen Collins was badly injured and nearly had an arm amputated. Gary Rossington, lead guitarist, broke both arms and pelvis as well as numerous other injuries. Pianist Billy Powell nearly had his nose ripped off as his face suffered many cuts, and vocalist Leslie Hawkins converted to Christianity shortly after. The album cover--which showcased the members posing behind a backdrop of flames--was eventually changed to a black cover, due to the tragic plane crash, which killed several members.

 

 

The plane that crashed had been inspected only a few months before by Aerosmith who rejected the plane feeling that it wasn't safe and that the crew weren't fit to pilot.

Obviously, the crash pretty much ended the band. The classic line-up was gone and the surviving members didn't play for years. (The surviving members would reform as the Rossington Collins Band, releasing two albums in the Eighties for MCA Records). These days Lynyrd Skynyrd are touring again, albeit with a hugely different look. Ronnie's brother Johnny is now lead vocals and Gary Rossington is the only original member to still play in the group. (Guitarist Allen Collins died in a car accident in 1990, bassist Leon Wilkeson died of natural causes in 2001, and Billy Powell died of heart failure in 2009).

 

In 2018, a documentary, Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash, supervised by drummer Artimus Pyle, was released, and if you haven't seen it, it is certainly worth watching.

 

As a devoted Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, I felt like asking: Where were you the first time you heard this album? And did you have it in your collection? If so please let me know.

 

I kinda wish I still had some Lynyrd Skynyrd albums in my collection. I got rid of a majority of them years ago.

[desertbluesman]

I really liked Skynyrd from day 1. Southern Rock at it's best.👍

[CEB]

I owe much to the 2 Billys. 

1 Billy Payne

2 Billy Powell

 

I always said if I ever took a tribute band gig it would the keyboardist for Skynyrd tribute.  I later played keys in a Santana tribute though and that was a ton of fun.   But I play like Billy Powell.