Question

autobiography of a free bird

Answer 1

"Free Bird", or "Freebird",is a power ballad performed by American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song was first featured on the band's debut album in 1973 and has been included on subsequent albums, including the unfaded-ending version of the original recording (featured on Skynyrd's Innyrds).
Released as a single in November 1974, "Free Bird" entered the BillboardHot 100 on November 23 at No. 87and became the band's second Top 40hit in early 1975, peaking at No. 19 on January 25. A live version of the song reentered the charts in late 1976, eventually peaking at No. 38 in January 1977.

"Free Bird" also achieved the No. 3 spot on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos.

It is considered to be Lynyrd Skynyrd's signature song, is used as a finale during their live performances, and is their longest song, often going well over 14 minutes when played live.

Origins

According to guitarist Gary Rossington, for two years after Allen Collins wrote the initial chords, vocalist Ronnie Van Zant insisted that there were too many for him to create a melody in the belief that the melody needed to change alongside the chords. After Collins played the unused sequence at rehearsal one day, Van Zant asked him to repeat it, then wrote out the melody and lyrics in three or four minutes. The guitar solos that finish the song were added originally to give Van Zant a chance to rest, as the band was playing several sets per night at clubs at the time. Soon afterward, the band learned piano-playing roadie Billy Powell had written an introduction to the song; upon hearing it, they included it as the finishing touch and had him formally join as their keyboardist.

Allen Collins's girlfriend, Kathy, whom he later married, asked him, "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?" Collins noted the question and it eventually became the opening line of "Free Bird".

The song is dedicated to the memory of Duane Allman by the band in their live shows. During their 1975 performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, Ronnie dedicated the song to both Allman and Berry Oakley, commenting, "they're both free birds".