Street Survivors
Lynyrd Skynyrd had already fulfilled a good deal of its promise on definitive Southern-rock albums such asPronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerdand the liveOne More From the Roadwhen they stepped up their ambition a few more notches for this October 1977 release. Fueled by new member Steve Gaines, the Florida band produced its best album. Gaines, Gary Rossington, and Allen Collins interlocked on guitars as if they'd learned it all in the womb together, while singer Ronnie Van Zant came up with his most evocative lyrics yet. The shadow of death he detected on "That Smell" was closer than perhaps even he thought, however: three days after the record's appearance in stores, he was killed along with five others in a Mississippi crash of the group's tour plane.Street Survivorsremains as a classic of American guitar rock.--Rickey Wright