GenresSouthern RockBlues RockCountry RockHard Rock
Artist
89%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 133 of 149 tracks
Did Lynyrd Skynyrd write their own songs?
Yes, and the way they did it changed completely. Ronnie Van Zant has a writing credit on 36 of the 41 tracks across the five albums released before the 1977 plane crash, almost always paired with one guitar player. The band that reformed in 1987 has released nine more albums, on which Johnny Van Zant appears on 83 tracks and 47 different outside writers turn up alongside the core group.
By the Numbers
14
Studio Albums
149
Tracks Credited
89%
Self-Written
more than 78 million
Records Sold
62
Years Active
57
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 133 / 149 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 149 tracks: how many Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
Lynyrd Skynyrd has a writing credit89%
49%
40%
11%
Sole author73tracks49%
Co-written60tracks40%
Outside writers16tracks11%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Lynyrd Skynyrd's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 149 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)89%
Composer (music)89%
Producer17%
Performer100%
Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on
Percentage of all 149 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.
Member
Period
Lyrics
Music
Production
Performance
Ronnie Van Zant Died October 20, 1977
1964-1977 (died October 20, 1977)
30%
30%
0%
0%
Gary Rossington Died March 5, 2023
1964-1977, 1979, 1987-2023 (died March 5, 2023)
60%
60%
0%
0%
Allen Collins Died January 23, 1990
1964-1977, 1979 (died January 23, 1990)
10%
10%
0%
0%
Bob Burns Died April 3, 2015
1964-1971, 1972-1974 (died April 3, 2015)
1%
1%
0%
0%
Leon Wilkeson Died July 27, 2001
1972, 1973-1977, 1987-2001 (died July 27, 2001)
1%
1%
0%
0%
Billy Powell Died January 28, 2009
1972-1977, 1979, 1987-2009 (died January 28, 2009)
1%
1%
0%
0%
Ed King Died August 22, 2018
1972-1975, 1987, 1991-1996 (died August 22, 2018)
19%
19%
0%
0%
Artimus Pyle Former
1975-1977, 1979, 1987-1991
0%
0%
0%
0%
Steve Gaines Died October 20, 1977
1976-1977 (died October 20, 1977)
3%
3%
0%
0%
Johnny Van Zant
1987-present
56%
56%
0%
0%
Rickey Medlocke
1971-1972, 1996-present
36%
36%
0%
0%
Hughie Thomasson Died September 9, 2007
1996-2005 (died September 9, 2007)
23%
23%
0%
0%
Randall Hall Former
1987-1993
1%
1%
0%
0%
Ean Evans Died May 6, 2009
2001-2009 (died May 6, 2009)
1%
1%
0%
0%
Michael Cartellone
1999-present
1%
1%
0%
0%
Carol Chase
1996-present
1%
1%
0%
0%
Mark Matejka
2006-present
1%
1%
0%
0%
Peter Keys
2009-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Damon Johnson
2023-present
0%
0%
0%
0%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Lynyrd Skynyrd's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 89%
100%
88%
100%
89%
88%
100%
100%
92%
85%
100%
36%
93%
92%
91%
1973(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
1974Second Helping
1975Nuthin' Fancy
1976Gimme Back My Bullets
1977Street Survivors
1991Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991
1993The Last Rebel
1994Endangered Species
1997Twenty
1999Edge of Forever
2000Christmas Time Again
2003Vicious Cycle
2009God & Guns
2012Last of a Dyin' Breed
Early · 93% written
Mid · 95% written
Late · 80% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
93%
1970s
(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), Second Helping +3 more
95%
1990s
Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991, The Last Rebel +3 more
76%
2000s
Christmas Time Again, Vicious Cycle +1 more
91%
2010s
Last of a Dyin' Breed
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Lynyrd Skynyrd sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. AK Al Kooper · BM Bob Marlette · BF Ben Fowler · JL Josh Leo
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
The original credit is always Van Zant plus one. He writes the words, a guitar player brings the music, and the sleeve prints two names: Rossington on fourteen tracks, Allen Collins on fifteen, Ed King on eight, Steve Gaines on four. That pattern never varies across the first five albums. The band that reformed in 1987 works the opposite way. Johnny Van Zant lands on 83 of the 108 later tracks and Gary Rossington on 75, but almost none of those are two-name credits. Rickey Medlocke and Hughie Thomasson push the core group to four, and around them sit 47 different outside writers, most of them Nashville songwriters brought in one album at a time. Rossington is the only person on both sides of the line, with 89 credits in total.
Quick Facts
The original writerRonnie Van Zant on 36 of the first 41 tracks
The constantGary Rossington, 89 credits across both eras
After 1987Johnny Van Zant on 83 tracks, 47 outside co-writers
Studio albumsFourteen, from 1973 to 2012
SalesMore than 78 million records worldwide
Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted 2006
Creative Fingerprint
One singer and one guitar player per song for five albums, then a four-man core that co-writes with whoever the label brings in.
The Story
Two bands with one name, and two very different credit lines. Ronnie Van Zant wrote 36 of the 41 tracks on the five albums he lived to make; the band that carried on after 1987 shares its 108 tracks with 47 outside co-writers.
Awards & Recognition
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted March 13, 2006
Grammy Hall of Fame, "Free Bird", inducted 2008
Grammy Hall of Fame, "Sweet Home Alabama", inducted 2009
Frequently Asked Questions Lynyrd Skynyrd
Did Lynyrd Skynyrd write their own songs?
Yes, and the way they did it changed completely. Ronnie Van Zant has a writing credit on 36 of the 41 tracks across the five albums released before the 1977 plane crash, almost always paired with one guitar player. The band that reformed in 1987 has released nine more albums, on which Johnny Van Zant appears on 83 tracks and 47 different outside writers turn up alongside the core group.
Who wrote Lynyrd Skynyrd's songs?
In the original band, Ronnie Van Zant with Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Ed King or Steve Gaines, two names at a time. In the later band, Johnny Van Zant, Rossington, Rickey Medlocke and Hughie Thomasson, usually with outside co-writers.
Who wrote "Free Bird"?
Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant. Collins had the music years before Van Zant wrote the words to it.
Who wrote "Sweet Home Alabama"?
Ed King, Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant. It was the band's biggest hit, reaching number 8 on the Hot 100 in 1974.
How many studio albums did Lynyrd Skynyrd release?
Fourteen. Five with Ronnie Van Zant between 1973 and 1977, and nine more from 1991 to 2012 with Johnny Van Zant singing.
What happened to the original band?
A chartered plane crashed on October 20, 1977, three days after Street Survivors came out. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and backing singer Cassie Gaines were killed, along with the pilot, co-pilot and the assistant road manager.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
