40 years ago today (10/17/77), Lynyrd Skynyrd released their fifth and final studio LP Street Survivors. The LP is the last Skynyrd album recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and is the sole Skynyrd studio recording by guitarist Steve Gaines. Three days after the album’s release, the band’s chartered planed crashed killing Van Zant, Gaines, and Gaines’ older sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines. The original cover for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band in flames, but the band changed the cover later out of respect. The album of course contained some of the band’s most hard-charging songs including “What’s Your Name.” “That Smell” and “You Got That Right.” Watch “That Smell” live from ’77.
