(pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd)
| (pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) | ||||
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| Studio album by Lynyrd Skynyrd | ||||
| Released | August 13, 1973 | |||
| Recorded | March 27 – May 1, 1973 | |||
| Studio | Studio One, Doraville, Georgia, U.S. | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:03 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Al Kooper | |||
| Lynyrd Skynyrd chronology | ||||
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| Singles from (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  |
| Robert Christgau | A |
(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.
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.
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.
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Wikipedia