They may have been dominating the charts since 1964, but numerous Lynyrd Skynyrd enthusiasts remain completely unaware of what the rock group’s name actually means.
Established in Jacksonville, Florida, the band initially consisted of Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom, and Bob Burns.
The ensemble spent four years performing at small venues under different names, including My Backyard, The Noble Five, and The One Percent, before adopting the handle Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1968.
Several of their most beloved tracks released over the decades include Free Bird, Tuesday’s Gone, Simple Man, Gimme Three Steps, Call Me the Breeze, Sweet Home Alabama, That Smell, The Needle And The Spoon, and The Ballad of Curtis Loew.
Yet despite their enormous success, certain followers are only now discovering what Lynyrd Skynyrd genuinely represents and how this title originated.
One puzzled Quora user enquired: “How did Lynyrd Skynyrd choose their name?”
According to their official website, the designation was partly influenced by a PE teacher at the lads’ secondary school who was notorious for his rigid stance prohibiting lengthy hair on boys.
Elaborating on this, one supporter explained: “Lynyrd Skynyrd’s name is a play on the name of Leonard Skinner, a high school gym teacher at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida.
“The band members, particularly Ronnie Van Zant, had a bit of a rebellious streak and were known for their long hair, which didn’t sit well with Skinner, who enforced strict dress codes.
“As a joke, the band decided to name themselves after him, altering the spelling to ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ to give it a more distinctive and memorable twist.
“The name stuck, and they went on to become one of the most iconic Southern rock bands in history.”
Another added: “They came up with the name as a bit of a joke. When they were in high school, they had a gym teacher named Leonard Skinner.
“He used to give them a hard time about the length of their hair. It wasn’t especially long by today’s standards, but it was for the time.
“Skinner stated in an interview that he wasn’t the only one who gave them grief, but he’s the one they remembered.”
A third user said: “As a kid I always thought it was pronounced Lie Nerd Sky Nerd.”
One more user added: “Imagine knowing Lynyrd Skynyrd was based on your dad.”
PE teacher Leonard Skinner died at aged 77 on September 20, 2010, after battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
When discussing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s moniker, he remarked in a 1996 interview: “I just went along with the flow. There was not much I could do about it.”
He rekindled his relationship with his former pupils after they achieved stardom in the 1970s.
Following Skinner’s death, Gary Rossington paid tribute, saying: “Coach Skinner had such a profound impact on our youth that ultimately led us to naming the band, which you know as Lynyrd Skynyrd, after him.
“Looking back, I cannot imagine it any other way. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.”
