The current members of Lynyrd Skynyrd are Johnny Van Zant (lead vocals), Rickey Medlocke (guitar, vocals), Michael Cartellone (drums), Mark Matejka (guitar), Peter Keys (keyboards), Damon Johnson (guitar), Robbie Harrington (bass), and backing singers Carol Chase and Stacy Michelle. No founding members remain. Gary Rossington, the last of them, died in 2023.
Lynyrd Skynyrd formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964. The band’s career stopped on October 20, 1977, when its chartered plane crashed, killing Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and backup singer Cassie Gaines. The band re-formed in 1987 with Ronnie’s brother Johnny as lead vocalist. Here is the current line-up, with roles and years as the band’s member list gives them.
Johnny Van Zant (1987–present)
Lead vocals. Johnny Van Zant has fronted the band since the 1987 reunion tour, taking the place of his brother Ronnie, the original singer.
Rickey Medlocke (1971–1972, 1996–present)
Guitar and vocals since 1996, plus mandolin. Medlocke first wrote and recorded with the band in 1971 and 1972, when he played drums and sang, and he has been back since 1996.
Carol Chase (1996–present)
Backing vocals since 1996.
Michael Cartellone (1999–present)
Drums since 1999. The original drummer was Bob Burns, who was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974.
Mark Matejka (2006–present)
Guitar and backing vocals since 2006.
Peter Keys (2009–present)
Keyboards since 2009. In the 1970s line-up the keyboard player was Billy Powell.
Damon Johnson (2023–present)
Guitar. Johnson toured with the band from 2021 to 2023 and became a member in 2023, the year Gary Rossington died.
Stacy Michelle (2023–present)
Backing vocals. She toured with the band in 2023 and joined as a member the same year. Some listings spell her first name Stacey.
Robbie Harrington (2025–present)
Bass since 2025, the newest member of the band.
Who Were the Original Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd?
The group started as My Backyard with Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass) and Bob Burns (drums). By the first album in 1973 the line-up included bassist Leon Wilkeson, keyboardist Billy Powell and guitarist Ed King. Steve Gaines replaced King in 1976. None of these musicians is in the current band.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are any original members still in Lynyrd Skynyrd? No. Since Gary Rossington’s death in 2023, no founding members remain in the band.
- Who sings for Lynyrd Skynyrd now? Johnny Van Zant, since 1987.
- Is Lynyrd Skynyrd still touring? The band announced a farewell tour in January 2018 but has kept touring since then.
- What are Lynyrd Skynyrd’s best-known songs? “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.”
See the complete list of Lynyrd Skynyrd band members, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s original band members and the current members of Foghat.
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