Leonard Skinner
Encyclopedia
Forby Leonard Skinner was an American high school gym
teacher, basketball
coach, realtor and bar owner from Jacksonville, Florida
. He gained fame in the 1970s as the namesake of the influential Southern rock
band, Lynyrd Skynyrd
. The New York Times
called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture."
, in 1933 and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School
in 1951. He attended Jacksonville Junior College
on a basketball scholarship before being drafted into the U.S. Army. After his discharge from the Army, Skinner attended Florida State University
, graduating in 1957.
For many years, Skinner was a gym teacher at his alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville. Several members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd
, including Ronnie Van Zant
, Gary Rossington
, and Bob Burns
, were students at the school in the 1960s. Skinner's strict enforcement of a policy against long hair inspired the members to name their band after him. The group reportedly changed their name after Skinner sent Rossington and others to the principal's office for wearing their hair too long. Over time, Burns, Rossington, and other band members developed a series of running in-jokes about Skinner and ultimately decided to pay "tongue-in-cheek homage" to him by renaming themselves "Lynyrd Skynyrd." In 1977, an Associated Press
article described the band's connection to their gym teacher as follows:
Interviewed in January 2009, Skinner said he was just following the rules about hair length. It bothered him that the legend had grown that he was particularly tough on the band members or that he had them kicked out of school. He said, "It was against the school rules. I don't particularly like long hair on men, but again, it wasn't my rule." At the same time, Skinner told The Times-Union of Jacksonville, "They were good, talented, hard-working boys. They worked hard, lived hard and boozed hard." Skinner's son said, "I think he kind of ate it up. He didn’t like it at first, he had mixed emotions later, but I think he kind of liked it eventually."
Skinner later taught at Jacksonville Technical High School, and retired from coaching in 1970. He worked in the real estate business during the 1970s, and in 1975, he allowed the band to use a photo of his "Leonard Skinner Realty" sign for the inside of their third album, Nuthin' Fancy
. After the album was released, Skinner began receiving late night calls from around the country from fans who had seen the sign (and phone number) in the album artwork. Skinner recalled, "They'd say, 'Who's speaking," and I'd say Leonard Skinner, and they'd say 'Far out!' which it really wasn't at four in the morning."
Skinner became friends with some members of the band, and they played at a bar that Skinner opened in Jacksonville called "The Still." Skinner also named a couple of bars after himself, capitalizing on the fame of the name.
In January 2009, the people of Jacksonville held an event called "A Tribute to Coach Leonard Skinner & Southern Rock" at the National Guard Armory. At the time, the Jacksonville newspaper wrote, "He was just a regular Westside guy, a coach and businessman with a strong code of honor, a disciplinarian at home and at school."
On September 20, 2010, Skinner died at a nursing home in Jacksonville, at age 77 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
for several years. At the time of his death, The New York Times
called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture." The Florida Times-Union called him "the no-nonsense, flattopped basketball coach and gym teacher whose name is forever linked with Jacksonville's legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd."
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach, realtor and bar owner from Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. He gained fame in the 1970s as the namesake of the influential Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture."
Biography
Skinner was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, in 1933 and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School
Robert E. Lee High School (Jacksonville)
Robert E. Lee Senior High School is a four-year secondary institution in Jacksonville, Florida. It was named after Confederate States of America general Robert E. Lee. It is one of the two oldest Jacksonville high schools operating in situ, --that is, at their original sites...
in 1951. He attended Jacksonville Junior College
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
on a basketball scholarship before being drafted into the U.S. Army. After his discharge from the Army, Skinner attended Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, graduating in 1957.
For many years, Skinner was a gym teacher at his alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville. Several members of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, including Ronnie Van Zant
Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant was an American lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
, Gary Rossington
Gary Rossington
Gary Robert Rossington is a founding member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He plays lead and rhythm guitar. He is also a founding member of The Rossington-Collins Band along with former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate, the late Allen Collins...
, and Bob Burns
Bob Burns (drummer)
Bob Burns is an American drummer who was in the original line-up of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Burns helped to form the band in 1964 with Gary Rossington and Larry Junstrom and remained until 1974, although by some accounts he left the band for a while during the early 1970s...
, were students at the school in the 1960s. Skinner's strict enforcement of a policy against long hair inspired the members to name their band after him. The group reportedly changed their name after Skinner sent Rossington and others to the principal's office for wearing their hair too long. Over time, Burns, Rossington, and other band members developed a series of running in-jokes about Skinner and ultimately decided to pay "tongue-in-cheek homage" to him by renaming themselves "Lynyrd Skynyrd." In 1977, an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
article described the band's connection to their gym teacher as follows:
It seems a physical education teacher named Leonard Skinner didn't cotton to long hair or loud music. A run-in with him helped get the boys suspended. As a way of getting back, they named the band for Skinner, changing the vowels
to avoid a lawsuit and becoming famous enough to make the story a rock legend.
Interviewed in January 2009, Skinner said he was just following the rules about hair length. It bothered him that the legend had grown that he was particularly tough on the band members or that he had them kicked out of school. He said, "It was against the school rules. I don't particularly like long hair on men, but again, it wasn't my rule." At the same time, Skinner told The Times-Union of Jacksonville, "They were good, talented, hard-working boys. They worked hard, lived hard and boozed hard." Skinner's son said, "I think he kind of ate it up. He didn’t like it at first, he had mixed emotions later, but I think he kind of liked it eventually."
Skinner later taught at Jacksonville Technical High School, and retired from coaching in 1970. He worked in the real estate business during the 1970s, and in 1975, he allowed the band to use a photo of his "Leonard Skinner Realty" sign for the inside of their third album, Nuthin' Fancy
Nuthin' Fancy
Nuthin' Fancy is a 1975 album by Lynyrd Skynyrd, their third studio album, and their first to reach the Top 10, peaking at #9 on the US albums chart. It was certified Gold on 6/27/1975and Platinum on 7/21/1987 by the R.I.A.A.-Side one:...
. After the album was released, Skinner began receiving late night calls from around the country from fans who had seen the sign (and phone number) in the album artwork. Skinner recalled, "They'd say, 'Who's speaking," and I'd say Leonard Skinner, and they'd say 'Far out!' which it really wasn't at four in the morning."
Skinner became friends with some members of the band, and they played at a bar that Skinner opened in Jacksonville called "The Still." Skinner also named a couple of bars after himself, capitalizing on the fame of the name.
In January 2009, the people of Jacksonville held an event called "A Tribute to Coach Leonard Skinner & Southern Rock" at the National Guard Armory. At the time, the Jacksonville newspaper wrote, "He was just a regular Westside guy, a coach and businessman with a strong code of honor, a disciplinarian at home and at school."
On September 20, 2010, Skinner died at a nursing home in Jacksonville, at age 77 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
for several years. At the time of his death, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called him "arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture." The Florida Times-Union called him "the no-nonsense, flattopped basketball coach and gym teacher whose name is forever linked with Jacksonville's legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd."
External links
- Video of Skinner explaining his role in the naming of Lynyrd Skynyrd, San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
- Gene Odom and Coach Leonard Skinner, Coach Skinner and Gene Odom at Robert E. Lee High School and Coach Skinner tells of how he taught gym class with Ronnie and Gary. Also some extra history of Skynyrd and how Coach found out they named the band after him. Video by documentary maker Tony Beazley.