A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. Everyone knows him as "Governor." We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. ", "I never cared about flying in an airplane," he said. Most of the 20 survivors were taken to Southwest Regional Medical Center in McComb, where the lobby had been transformed into a makeshift emergency treatment center to quickly deal with the onslaught of plane crash victims. Aerosmiths management passed on the opportunity to call this plane their own. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. ", "And everybody says they were the first one there. "Why, yes I do," I said, thinking about my roots, my old buddies and the high school dances. On one occasion after a show, he approached Billy Powell who was the bands keyboard player, and punched him so hard in the mouth he knocked his two front teeth out. The other two members were JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins. Tremendous physical pain overwhelmed the group as did mental exhaustion. There are just too few physical landmarks. She was famous for being part of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The single "What's Your Name" reached #13 on the single airplay charts in January of 1978. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The albums that followed featured a plain black background. With the tree tops approaching fast and just eight miles short of the air strip, the plane was headed for a Mississippi swamp and nothing could be done to save them now. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. As medical personnel triaged the scene, he helped carry the litters of the injured and the dead across the creek to a waiting 4-wheel-drive pickup truck. Pianist Billy Powell survived, but his nose was nearly torn off and he suffered severe facial lacerations. Mother of Lynyrd Skynyrd members Cassie Gaines and Steve Gaines. she asked me as we talked. Especially with the song That Smell. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. Owners emphasize that trespassers can be prosecuted. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. The tour is scheduled to run through mid-September. The tree where the cockpit came to rest has long-since died. All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. Photo: Pinterest. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. The band has sold an estimated 35 million records. We'd move one and there would be another one laying there." On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 Among them were Lacy Van Zant, Ronnies Father, and .38 Specials Guitarist Dan Barnes. She was born on 9th January 1948 in Missouri, USA. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. [2] The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Cassie Gaines, Steve Gainess sister who were both bound for death in the crash, would routinely ride on the equipment bus rather than the plane. He says he first came in the 80s after he graduated. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. It is a cautionary song about drug abuse that fans believed was aimed at one of the members. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. So on the prow of this small boat, plowing the coastal water on the other side of the world, he and I abandoned inhibition with an unabashed air guitar jam. Despite this faux pas, Powell has been on good terms with the remaining band members since the incident. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. Deceased people hanging from trees, the other survivors moaning for help of any kind, and completely surrounded by a black swamp whose canopy is blocking the only light that is trying so desperately to shine through. Where Did We Find This Stuff? The death of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gains of the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was a massive blow to many. Cassie Gaines, Steve Gainess sister who were both bound for death in the crash, would routinely ride on the equipment bus rather than the plane. Some were screaming and moaning for help, but they were all limp. Cassie Gaines mother was LaRue, while her father was Bud. Photo: Pinterest. What happened to the Menendez brothers' money? Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and singer Cassie Gaines were all killed in the crash, and the band stopped performing and recording. The years after the crash would be difficult in its own right for surviving members, most of which would experience tragedy and early death themselves. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. He, like me, was 21-years-old at the time. In 1982 he would form the Allen Collins band but shortly after would wreck his new Ford Thunderbird, killing his then girlfriend and paralyzing Collins. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Cassie Gaines Birthday and Date of Death. Unfortunately, their plane ran short of fuel. A small plane with 40 seats and two props the plane was anything but extraordinary. Totaled, decimated, and left for dead. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. The whole scene tore him apart. I had a small studio, making a living mostly painting signs for local businesses. Birthday: January 9, 1948. Ronnie Van Zant, drunk and laying in the middle of the aisle, simply pulled himself together, sat up, and quietly chose a seat up front. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. I marked my calendar and made arrangements. Part of the preparations required contacting landowners and securing permission to be there and a guide to lead me in. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. "May the free bird fly on," read one message. As we walked through the woods, Governor and I agree that nothing looked or felt the same. We knew every word. Truth be known, after 38 years, Martin is a little tired of talking about the whole thing. From the commercial hits of Free Bird and Simple Man to less mainstream songs like The Needle And The Spoon and T Is For Texas, Lynyrd Skynyrd and their driving southern sound quickly cut their way to the top of the charts and into the hearts of many across the states and around the world. But we were both enjoying it. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. And the hardest-working rock 'n' roll band in America was about to run out of gas. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. Photo: obviousmag.org. Toxicology tests were also ordered to determine whether there were drugs in his system at the time. Steven Earl Gaines (September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977) was an American musician. Last of the two surviving original member of the band, Gary Rossington, with Johnny Van Zant to his left and guitarist Rickey Medlocke to the right. So, we're both southerners.". Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Some blame it on the planes age and poor design, weighing in on its smaller fuselage and compact wingspan. ", "I expected to see all dead people looking at these woods. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? ", But with no experience he morphed from a dairy farmer to a rescuer. Stinky! I've not looked at them since. Powells nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. We just had released an album that went gold almost overnight. His luck, however, was on the short end of the stick as he would have his throat slit while on the Lynyrd Skynyrd tour bus in the early 90s. "I saw the blond hair," he said. I'm from southern Thailand. MCA Records, out of courtesy, withdrew the sleeve and replaced it with a cover of the band striking a similar pose against a plain black background. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. The famous music band Lynyrd Skynyrd is considered to have one of the most gruesome band histories after losing several people in an aerial accident. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. After the death of three of their members, the band decided to change the cover photo of the album, which initially featured a picture of the band engulfed in flames. It was suggested on the VH-1 Behind The Music profile on Skynyrd that this was the case, or that the pilots, panicking when the right engine failed, accidentally dumped the remaining fuel. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. "He didn't want to talk about it for years.". For many years, a dozen red roses have been carefully placed around the base, much like the mysterious unfinished bottle of Martell cognac at the grave of Edgar Allen Poe in Baltimore. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. The site is hard to access. Also Known As: Cassie LaRue Gaines Died At Age: 29 Family: mother: Cassie LaRue Gaines Died Young Rock Singers Died on: October 20, 1977 place of death: Gillsburg, Mississippi, United States U.S. State: Oklahoma Cause of Death: Plane Crash Recommended Lists: American Celebrities Film & Theater Personalities American Women Women Singers "But using a phone out here is worthless," he said, and even with his expertise, he had trouble finding the exact spot of the crash site. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. I admired his ability to tell gripping stories with his camera, so I began considering a career change. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. Johnny headed for the crash site to see if he could help. Mote hopped into his pick-up to get back to his house, told his wife to get back in the house, then proceeded to grab his gun and stand guard. The band got its name as a way of mocking Leonard Skinner, a gym coach at Robert E. Lee High School known for punishing his long-haired students specifically band co-founders Gary Rossington and Bob Burns. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. Photo: thetv.info. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. Powell also claimed that Ronnie Van Zant's head had been smashed. Governor said, "I'm bad about leaving an empty beer bottle and a full one for Ronnie and the boys" each year. Both Steve and Cassie Gaines were killed in the crash. Photo: Pinterest. He had been impaled by a part of the fuselage and it pushed through his body and projected out of his back. It sounded great to us. Four of the passengers were killed including bandleader and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines and assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. The album had a very controversial cover when released. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. Here Are Our Sources: Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrds Deadly 1977 Plane Crash, Jordan Runtagh, The Rolling Stones, What Happened To The Surviving Members Of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash?, Micheal Cristopher, Ultimate Classic Rock.com, Falling Free Bird: The Truth About The Infamous Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Is Stranger Than Fiction, Phil Gibbons, Ranker.com, The Joplin Globe Steve and Cassie Gaines to be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate flight planning and an engine malfunction of undetermined nature in the right engine which resulted in higher-than-normal fuel consumption." It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. I began the classic guitar lick. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. Some of the guys were playing poker. The only thing left was a trail of debris and people. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. 100+ love and trust messages for her to rekindle the passion, 100+ miss you sister quotes, messages, and texts to show your love, EU parliament chief urges Ukraine membership talks this year, UN chief condemns rich countries 'vicious' tactics against poor, Meet Empress Esi the 13-year-old GH girl building schools and giving joy to the needy through her foundation, Christian Atsu's family releases date, venue and other details about his final funeral rites, "Beauty and talent": Gorgeous young lady displays exceptional drumming skills in church, viral video melts hearts, What teams have never been to the super bowl. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. With a newly-released album, "Street Survivors," they were flying from a concert in Greenville, S.C. to the next night's show at LSU in Baton Rouge in a substandard charter plane. The flight was going good so far and other than Ronnie getting severely intoxicated while on the flight, all seemed to be setting up to be another routine flight. I didn't know where this was going. Apparently, Artimus had been quoted saying that Ronnie got up, went to the back of the plane and gave him a hippy handshake but Gene was quite persistent on the fact that it was complete bull. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. When Aerosmith's crew heard of Skynyrd's misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. The flight was going good so far and other than Ronnie getting severely intoxicated while on the flight, all seemed to be setting up to be another routine flight. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. He was known as Papa Ronnie. I photographed their wedding. It would be another hour before I heard the big news. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. Pyle maintains in the Howard Stern interview that the fuel gauge in the older model plane malfunctioned and the pilots had failed to manually check the tanks before taking off. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. No one that hit the ground alive died. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. The cover would quickly be changed to a more bland blacked-out background with the band in the same pose after the accident. Most of the 20 survivors were taken to Southwest Regional Medical Center in McComb, where the lobby had been transformed into a makeshift emergency treatment center to quickly deal with the onslaught of plane crash victims. Any debris left on the ground has long been buried. Ronnie Van Zant, drunk and laying in the middle of the aisle, simply pulled himself together, sat up, and quietly chose a seat up front.
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