3 Rock Bands From the 1970s That Don’t Have a Single Original Member Left

A lot of rock bands from the 1970s have since faded away. Some, though, are still rockin’ hard, but with very different lineups from their 1970s heydays. Let’s take a look at a few stellar rock bands from the 1970s that still sound great today, but don’t actually feature any of their original members.

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Heart

The rock band Heart first formed in the late 1960s and scored quite a few hit albums during their heyday, including their No. 7 debut from 1975, Dreamboat Annie. When anyone thinks of this band, they think of sisters Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson. However, you might not know that neither of these powerhouse musicians is actually an original member of the band. Rather, Heart began in 1967 and was formed by guitarist Roger Fisher, drummer Mike Fisher, and bassist Steve Fossen. Those early years included quite a few lineup changes and even name changes. “Hocus Pocus” and “White Heart” were just a couple of such changes. Fossen left in 1982, and Roger Fisher would leave in 1979. It’s not clear when Mike Fisher left the band.

The Wilson sisters didn’t show up until 1971 (Ann) and 1974 (Nancy). Though, just about everyone would agree that Heart belongs to the Wilson sisters.

Thin Lizzy

Irish rock band Thin Lizzy formed in 1969 and was, during its heyday, undeniably Phil Lynott’s band. The original lineup was made up of Lynott, Brian Downey, Eric Bell, and Eric Wrixon. The lineup changed a bit through the 1970s, but Lynott remained as the heart of the band. When Lynott tragically passed in 1986, three years after the band broke up, it seemed as though the original lineup would never exist again. After reforming in 1994, the band is now made up of Scott Forham, Darren Wharton, Ricky Warwick, Damon Johnson, Scott Travis, and Troy Sanders.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

This famous Southern rock band released their debut album way back in 1973. They enjoyed quite a lucrative career through the 1970s. The band would eventually break up in 1977 before reforming briefly in 1979, then again in 1987. Lynyrd Skynyrd remain together today, but this entry on our list of rock bands from the 1970s with no original members left has a very different lineup. When they first formed as My Backyard in 1964, the band was made up of Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom, and Bob Burns, all high school friends. Today, the lineup is made up of Rickey Medlocke, Johnny Van Zant (younger brother of the late Ronnie), Dale Krantz-Rossington, Carol Chase, Michael Cartellone, Mark Matejka, Peter Keys, Damon Johnson, and Robbie Harrington.

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