Forged upon a dusty Jacksonville baseball diamond in 1964, we know how we want Lynyrd Skynyrd to be remembered; a finely tuned machine comprised of some of the finest musicians to ever draw breath, who set out to create a fast and furious brand of rock and roll that pulled no punches and always told the truth of their experiences in the world and held fast to that, ultimately taking their rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The thing is, though, that when you’ve achieved what Lynyrd Skynyrd have achieved you’re in a position that many others would kill for: one that allows you to be the master of your own destiny, able to decide for yourself what you want to be remembered for and making it your life’s work to see to it that that’s what’s left when everything is said and done.

Read here how Skynyrd lead singer Johnny Van Zant wants the band to be remembered.

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond / LSBB14 / Getty Images for Blackbird Productions