OBITUARIES / PASSINGS / Donald ‘Ean’ Evans

Donald “Ean” Evans, 48, bassist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died Wednesday at his home in eastern Mississippi after a battle with cancer.

In a statement posted on lynyrdskynyrd.com, the band said, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Ean Evans. Ean put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans.”

Evans was born in Atlanta and moved to Columbus, Miss., after marrying his wife, Eva. He joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2001 and had been touring regularly with the band until being diagnosed with cancer in 2008, when he cut back on performances.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based band was formed in 1966 by a group of high school students. Famously, it took its name from a physical education teacher they disliked, Leonard Skinner.

The band’s first album was “Pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd.” The band became one of the South’s most popular rock groups and gained national fame with such hits as “Free Bird,” “What’s Your Name” and especially “Sweet Home Alabama,” which reached the top 10 on the charts in 1974.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.