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'''Lynyrd Skynyrd''' was a 1970s Southern rock band from Jacksonville that sang hit songs such as "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird." Tragedy struck the band on October 20, 1977 when their plane from Greenville, [[South Carolina]] to [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]] crashed into a swamp in [[Mississippi]]. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, Guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines were killed along with manager Dean Kilpatrick. Both pilots were also killed. Other members of the band suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor. The crash was blamed on the plane running out of fuel.

'''Lynyrd Skynyrd''' was a 1970s Southern rock band from Jacksonville that sang hit songs such as "[[Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd song)|Sweet Home Alabama]]" and "[[Free Bird]]". Tragedy struck the band on October 20, 1977, when their plane from Greenville, [[South Carolina]] to [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]] crashed into a swamp in [[Mississippi]]. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, Guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines were killed along with manager Dean Kilpatrick. Both pilots were also killed. Other members of the band suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor. The crash was blamed on the plane running out of fuel.

"Free Bird" is ranked 407 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's 2021 listing of the top 500 songs of all time.<ref>https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-30065/run-dmc-sucker-mcs-30161/</ref> Both "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" have some tremendous guitar solos in them. Their profound "[[Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd song|Simple Man]]" on their debut album continues to have a large following.

"Free Bird" is ranked 407 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's 2021 listing of the top 500 songs of all time.<ref>https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-30065/run-dmc-sucker-mcs-30161/</ref> Both "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" have some tremendous guitar solos in them. Their profound "[[Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd song|Simple Man]]" on their debut album continues to have a large following.

Currently, the band survives with Van Zant's brother Johnny as its lead vocalist and original members Gary Rossington (guitar) and Billy Powell (piano).

Currently, the band survives with Van Zant's brother Johnny as its lead vocalist and original members Gary Rossington (guitar) and Billy Powell (piano).

While Skynyrd's songs vary from issue to issue politically it is believed by many that the current band, which has moved towards more of a country vibe, is fairly [[conservative]].

While Skynyrd's songs vary from issue to issue politically it is believed by many that the current band, which has moved towards more of a country vibe, is fairly [[conservative]].

With regards to the original band in the 1970s, "[[Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd song)|Sweet Home Alabama]]" has been called one of the [[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs|most conservative songs]] in rock history because of lyrics such as "[[Watergate]] does not bother me" and its criticism of former [[Alabama]] [[Democrat Party|Democrat]] governor and [[segregation]] proponent [[George Wallace]]. The song was written to reject [[Canadian]] rocker [[Neil Young]]'s "Southern Man", in which he paints southerners broadly as "racists". At the beginning of "Sweet Home Alabama", Ronnie Van Zant sang the verses:

With regards to the original band in the 1970s, "Sweet Home Alabama]]" has been called one of the [[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs|most conservative songs]] in rock history because of lyrics such as "[[Watergate]] does not bother me" and its criticism of former [[Alabama]] [[Democrat Party|Democrat]] governor and [[segregation]] proponent [[George Wallace]]. The song was written to reject [[Canadian]] rocker [[Neil Young]]'s "Southern Man", in which he paints southerners broadly as "racists". At the beginning of "Sweet Home Alabama", Ronnie Van Zant sang the verses:

:"Well I heard Mister Young sing about her  

:"Well I heard Mister Young sing about her