Before "Sweet Home Alabama," a no-nonsense high school gym teacher in Florida gave Lynyrd Skynyrd its edge.
Leonard Skinner, whose rule against boys in his class having long hair stuck in the band members' craw and ultimately inspired their singular name,
died in his sleep Monday at a nursing home in Jacksonville, according to his daughter.
He was 77 and had Alzheimer's disease.
In an interview with the Florida Times-Union last year, the retired teacher and basketball coach admitted to sending Gary Rossington
and a few shaggy-headed others to the principal's office because they were violating the school's no-long-hair policy.

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