Editing Lynyrd Skynyrd (section)

===Member changes and deaths (1996–2019)===
Ed King had to take a break from touring in 1996 due to heart complications that required a transplant. In his absence, he was replaced by [[Hughie Thomasson]]. The band did not let King rejoin after he recovered.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NXdfW9kpokC&pg=PA142|title=SPIN|first=SPIN Media|last=LLC|date=April 1, 1999|publisher=SPIN Media LLC|via=Google Books}}</ref> At the same time, Mike Estes was replaced by [[Rickey Medlocke]], who had previously played and recorded with the band for a short time in the early 1970s. The result was a major retooling of the band's 'guitar army'. Medlocke and Thomasson would also become major contributors to the band's songwriting along with Rossington and Van Zant.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

The first album with this new lineup, released in 1997, was titled [[Twenty (Lynyrd Skynyrd album)|''Twenty'']]. The band released another album, ''[[Edge of Forever]]'' in 1999. By that time, Hale had left the band, and the drums on the album were played by session drummer [[Kenny Aronoff]]. [[Michael Cartellone]] became the band's permanent drummer on the subsequent tour. Despite the growing number of post-reunion albums that the band had released up to this time, setlists showed that the band was playing mostly 1970s-era material in concert.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

The band released a Christmas album, titled ''[[Christmas Time Again]]'' in 2000. [[Leon Wilkeson]], Skynyrd's bassist since 1972, was found dead in his hotel room on July 27, 2001. His death was found to be due to [[emphysema]] and chronic liver disease. He was replaced in 2001 by [[Ean Evans]].<ref name=Evans_death/>

The first album to feature Evans was [[Vicious Cycle (album)|''Vicious Cycle'']], released in 2003. This album had improved sales over the other post-reunion albums, and had a minor hit single in the song "Red, White and Blue". The band also released a double album called ''[[Thyrty: The 30th Anniversary Collection|Thyrty]]'', which had songs from the original lineup to the present, and also a live DVD of their Vicious Cycle Tour. On June 22, 2004, the album ''[[Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour]]'' was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amoeba.com/lyve-the-vicious-cycle-tour-cd-lynyrd-skynyrd/albums/362708/|title=Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour - Lynyrd Skynyrd (CD)|website=Amoeba}}</ref>

Thomasson left the band in 2005 to reform [[Outlaws (band)|The Outlaws]], and [[Mark Matejka|Mark "Sparky" Matejka]], formerly of the country music band [[Hot Apple Pie]], joined in 2006 as his replacement.

On March 13, 2006, Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] (also discussed later in the article), and they reunited with former members Bob Burns (drums), Artimus Pyle (drums), and Ed King (guitar) for a performance of "Free Bird."<ref name="R&RHOF reunion at induction">{{cite magazine |last1=Greene |first1=Andy |title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Reunions That Actually Happened |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/32-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-reunions-that-actually-happened-11011/1-simon-garfunkel-1990-229501/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=March 1, 2024 |date=April 7, 2014}}</ref>

On November 2, 2007, the band performed for a crowd of 50,000 people at the University of Florida's [[Gator Growl]] student-run [[pep rally]] in [[Ben Hill Griffin Stadium]] ("The Swamp" football stadium). This was the largest crowd that Lynyrd Skynyrd had played to in the U.S., until the July 2008 Bama Jam in Enterprise, Alabama where more than 111,000 people attended.<ref name=Kirkland_Bama_Jam>Kirkland, Kay. [http://www.southeastsun.com/home/article_4165accf-6f21-5caf-bd73-496c89dc2dda.html "111,000 jam at Bama Jam with Lynryd Skynyrd, Hank Jr."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704035645/https://www.southeastsun.com/home/article_4165accf-6f21-5caf-bd73-496c89dc2dda.html |date=July 4, 2022 }} Southeast Sun, June 8, 2008.</ref>

On January 28, 2009, keyboardist [[Billy Powell]] died of a suspected heart attack at age 56 at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. No autopsy was carried out. He was replaced by [[Peter Keys]].<ref>[http://ultimateclassicrock.com/lynyrd-skynyrd-pianist-billy-powell-dies/ "The Day Lynyrd Skynyrd Pianist Billy Powell Died"], ''Ultimate Classic Rock'', January 28, 2015</ref>

On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Skynyrd had signed a worldwide deal with Roadrunner Records, in association with their label, Loud & Proud Records, and released their new album ''[[God & Guns]]'' on September 29 of that year. They toured Europe and the U.S. in 2009 with Keys on keyboards and [[Robert Kearns (musician)|Robert Kearns]] of [[the Bottle Rockets]] on bass; bassist Ean Evans died of cancer at age 48 on May 6, 2009.<ref name=Evans_death>Kaufman, Gil. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150423200847/http://www.mtv.com/news/1610937/lynyrd-skynyrd-bassist-donald-ean-evans-dead/ "Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Donald 'Ean' Evans Dead"]. MTV.com, May 8, 2009.</ref> Scottish rock band [[Gun (band)|Gun]] performed as special guests for the UK leg of Skynyrd's tour in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gunofficial.co.uk |title=GUN – The Official Site |publisher=Gunofficial.co.uk |access-date=July 15, 2011}}</ref>

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In addition to the tour, Skynyrd appeared at the [[Sean Hannity]] [[Sean Hannity#FreedomConcerts|Freedom Concert]] series in late 2010. Hannity had been actively promoting the ''God & Guns'' album, frequently playing portions of the track "That Ain't My America" on his radio show. The tour is titled "Rebels and Bandoleros". The band continued to tour throughout 2011, playing alongside [[ZZ Top]] and [[the Doobie Brothers]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goldminemag.com/news/lynyrd-skynyrd-zz-top-join-forces-on-tour|title=Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top join forces on tour|date=March 25, 2011|website=Goldmine|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref>

On May 2, 2012, the band announced the impending release of a new studio album, ''[[Last of a Dyin' Breed]]'', along with a North American and European tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/lynyrd-skynyrd-to-release-last-of-a-dying-breed-announce-2012-tour/ |title=Lynyrd Skynyrd to Release 'Last Of A Dying Breed,' Announce 2012 Tour |publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=May 2, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-date=May 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508072613/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/lynyrd-skynyrd-to-release-last-of-a-dying-breed-announce-2012-tour/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> On August 21, 2012, ''Last of a Dyin' Breed'' was released.

Lynyrd Skynyrd used a [[Confederate flag]] from the 1970s until the 2010s, and several criticisms have been raised against them because of this.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title= Rockin' in Time|last= Szatmary|first= David P.|publisher= Pearson|year= 2014|isbn= 978-0-205-93624-3|location= New Jersey|pages= 212}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title= Is country music ready to dissociate from the Confederate flag?|url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/23/country-music-confederate-flag-south-race|newspaper= the Guardian|access-date= December 25, 2015|first= Grady|last= Smith|date= June 23, 2015}}</ref> While promoting the album on CNN on September 9, 2012, members of the band talked about its discontinued use of Confederate imagery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/09/lynyrd-skynyrd-talks-southern-roots/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912045232/http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/09/lynyrd-skynyrd-talks-southern-roots/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |title=Face to Face: Lynyrd Skynyrd Talks Southern Roots |publisher=cnn.com |date=September 9, 2012 }}</ref> In September 2012, the band briefly did not display the Confederate flag, which had for years been a part of their stage show, because they did not want to be associated with racists that adopted the flag. However, after protests from fans, they reversed this decision, citing it as part of their Southern American heritage and [[states' rights]] symbolism.<ref>[https://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/Fans-outrage-prompts-Lynyrd-Skynyrd-to-keep-3892152.php Fans' outrage prompts Lynyrd Skynyrd to keep Confederate flag]. Houston Chronicle, September 25, 2012.</ref> The band would later cease use of the Confederate flag starting with their 2019 tour.

Original drummer Bob Burns died at age 64 on April 3, 2015; his car crashed into a tree while he was driving alone near his home in [[Cartersville, Georgia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/arts/music/robert-burns-jr-first-lynyrd-skynyrd-drummer-dies-at-64.html|title=Robert Burns Jr., First Lynyrd Skynyrd Drummer, Dies at 64|first=Ashley|last=Southall|date=April 4, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2017|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> From 2015 through 2017, the band had periods of being sidelined or having to cancel shows due to health problems suffered by founding member Gary Rossington.<ref>[http://ultimateclassicrock.com/gary-rossington-medical-emergency-2017 "Lynyrd Skynyrd Cancel Concerts Because of 'Medical Emergency'"]. ''Ultimate Classic Rock'', 2017.</ref>

Former member Ed King, who had been battling cancer,<ref name=":0" /> died in his [[Nashville, Tennessee]], home on August 22, 2018, at 68 years of age.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ed-king-former-guitarist-for-lynyrd-skynyrd-who-co-wrote-sweet-home-alabama-dead-at-68 |title=Ed King, former guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd who co-wrote 'Sweet Home Alabama', dead at 68 |last=Gaydos |first=Ryan |date=August 23, 2018 |work=Fox News |access-date=August 23, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>