Leonard Skinner: Free As A Bird

Leonard Skinner, the most important gym teacher in the history of rock, passed away yesterday at 77 years of age in Riverside, FL. Skinner was a by-the-book educator who taught in Jacksonville, FL where one of his students was Gary Rossington. Leonard sent Rossington to the principal’s office for having long hair and Rossington repaid the favor by borrowing Skinner’s name for his band. Lynyrd Skynyrd went on to fame and fortune and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

According to The Florida Times Union, Skinner wasn’t a big fan of his namesake band at first…

Years later, though, his son was listening to the band’s 1973 debut album, “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd.” The younger Skinner recalled that his father was not impressed, asking him: “What the hell kind of noise are you listening to?”

Around that time, his family said, a relative called after hearing a radio show on which the band told how it had come up with its offbeat name. And so Mr. Skinner became something of a celebrity — forever having to show his ID to people who didn’t believe that Leonard Skinner was his real name.

As time went by Skinner and his family became friends with the band and Skinner introduced them years later at a concert in Jacksonville. Leonard taught until retiring in 1969. He went on to open bars, sell real estate and even sold cars. Through it all, the former curmudgeonly gym teacher continued to make a big impact on those he met…

In 2009, friends organized a tribute to Mr. Skinner at the National Guard Armory on the Westside. There were three bands and a couple of hundred people in attendance, including Lynyrd Skynyrd fans, former students and friends from that big part of Mr. Skinner’s life that had nothing to do with the rock band.

Rosemary Skinner said her husband was touched by the event.

“On the way home, Leonard said, ‘You know, we sure have a lot of friends.’ I said, ‘Yes we do, Leonard. We do have a lot of friends.’ ”

R.I.P Leonard Skinner, your name will live on forever.

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