1977-10-17
Street Survivors
Lynyrd Skynyrd
By Maeve C.
Sessions for Street Survivors began at Criteria Studios in Miami in April 1977. Producer Tom Dowd left during the later sessions and the mixing at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, and the band finished the record with Kevin Elson and engineer Barry Rudolph.
“What’s Your Name” opens the album and became a US Top 20 single, and “That Smell” follows it. Steve Gaines sings lead on “Ain’t No Good Life”. Three days after release the band’s chartered plane crashed in Mississippi, and MCA replaced the original sleeve, which showed the group standing in a burning street.
Sources
uDiscover Music (Universal, label-owned editorial) coloured-vinyl reissue story: Street Survivors "was first issued on 17 October 1977".Corroborates "released on October 17, 1977" (MCA); plane crash on 20 October 1977, three days after release; original burning-street cover replaced by MCA.
Recording at Criteria (April 1977), Tom Dowd leaving the later sessions and mixing at Studio One, Doraville; finished with Kevin Elson and Barry Rudolph; "What's Your Name?" US Top 20; Steve Gaines lead vocal on "Ain't No Good Life".