Lynyrd Skynyrd: Ronnie Van Zant (vocals); Allen Collins (guitar, piano); Gary Rossington, Ed King (guitar); Billy Powell (keyboards); Leon Wilkeson (bass instrument); Bob Burns (drums).

Additional personnel: Trevor Lawrence, Bobby Keys (saxophone); Steve Madaio (trumpet); Clydie King, Merry Clayton (background vocals).

Liner Note Author: Ron O'Brien.

Recording information: Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

It was hard to believe that Lynyrd Skynyrd could possibly top its classic, near-perfect 1973 debut, PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-NERD. However, the boys from Florida accomplished the near-impossible with their sophomore release one year later, SECOND HELPING. It's hard to determine the better album of the two, but both proved to be a solid one-two punch that made Lynyrd Skynyrd one of the '70s' biggest (and unfortunately, most tragic) rock bands.

SECOND HELPING also helped define and create the Southern rock movement, as proven by such tracks as the classic anthem "Sweet Home Alabama" (which include the now-famous dig at Neil Young), the cautionary rocker "The Needle & the Spoon," and the biographical tale of "Workin' For MCA." With its fine writing and playing, and scores of hard-hitting Southern rock riffs and grooves, SECOND HELPING assured Skynyrd's ascendancy to rock stardom and FM radio immortality.

Rolling Stone (3/16/00, p.76) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...rock & roll is exactly what Skynyrd are all about. The band's bruising 3-guitar front line provides propulsive support to [Ronnie] Van Zandt's whiskey-cured drawl and easy way with a story line..."