I would like to think that only one grave robber was involved, but so many items were missing that I have to believe otherwise. It was as if they were back in Noahs time and all but a select few were stricken with greed of mankind and the chance to capitalize on an easy opportunity. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. In the beginning, the singer was reluctant to board the aircraft and had already bought another commercial flight ticket. Pianist Billy Powell survived, but his nose was nearly torn off and he suffered severe facial lacerations. The band had just released their biggest album to date and was riding off of a good high. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. Especially Artimus, who had three broken ribs and multiple large cuts. he said, barely able to get his English to suit his thoughts. Everyone just stood there helpless. Although Steven Tyler and Joe Perry had insisted that they charter the plane, ultimately it was not signed to the band. "It was a lot wetter that night. He could see the circling helicopter from his back yard. 1 on iTunes Charts, 36 songs, no apologies: Morgan Wallen delivers more (much more) of what made him countrys king, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Best coffee city in the world? "Yes, your right," I said, slightly amused. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Pilot Walter McCrearey and co-pilot John Grey were killed on impact. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. I've not looked at them since. I quickly maneuvered free of a crumpled bumper and sped off. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Pyle used the couple's phone to call his wife. However, other band members convinced her otherwise. Photo credits Airplane-Pictures.net. He had been hospitalized since September. How did Cassie Gaines get in Lynyrd Skynyrd? The album cover depicted the band members in an alleyway covered in flames. Despite this faux pas, Powell has been on good terms with the remaining band members since the incident. The tragic story of Lynyrd Skynyrd members death - Rock And Roll Garage 1977 Plane Crash | Lynyrd Skynyrd | Fandom Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. He knew those woods well. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. However, they were apparently talked into using it just one more time which happened to be their last ride. Rock Musician. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. The band was reaching fever pitch with its fans across the South and the nation. There were 24 passengers and two crew members aboard the aircraft. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. Identification was completely hindered as there had been a poker game going on during the flight, and everyones wallets and purses had been strewn throughout the swamp. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. But I couldn't stand it any longer. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. A little after the two-hour mark, however, events started to unfold that would soon make history. Then on the other side, it was Allen in the middle of Dean and Cassie. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. Truth be known, after 38 years, Martin is a little tired of talking about the whole thing. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. "I've been coming for years," he said, "and I've never met anyone who was here that night. Through the woods, yet another seeker appeared. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. The site has drawn visitors over the years. Thats when most of the sober members of the band saw that the right propeller was no longer working. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and singer Cassie Gaines were all killed in the crash, and the . What injuries did Cassie Gaines die from? Guitarists Allen Collins and Steve Gaines, Honkette Leslie Hawkins, bassist Leon Wilkeson, Honkettes Cassie Gaines and JoJo Billingsley, and. At the end of the day, Ronnie and the boys are gone and we lost a rock n roll angel on October 20, 1977. I'm really not sure anymore," he said. The Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. In 1995, while on assignment in Phunket Thailand for the Times-Picayune's series "Oceans of Trouble," I boarded a small fantail fishing boat on the edges of the Andaman Sea with writer John McQuaid to photograph the disappearing mangroves. The Last Flight of Lynyrd Skynyrd It Was the Day the Music Died Johnny headed for the crash site to see if he could help. Cassie Gaines cause of death The talented singer met her death at the young age of 29. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. 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. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. Ronnies mother Marion refused to make the flight, after seeing a horrific plane crash of her own that killed 9 people. Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash site draws a pilgrimage. Willing to lend a hand and stick by his bandmates, he was hard to beat when standing by your side. His post noted that he and many others had made pilgrimages for years to the site to pay their respects. He had already finished a film about the plane crash when Gary and several others stepped in and placed a lawsuit against the film to not be shown to the public. We had to cross a black water slew," he said. Ronnie had died instantly upon impact, his head slamming into a tree. No discernable landmarks remained, save the creek bed. The Vintage News Aerosmith Said No, Lynyrd Skynyrd Said Yes To The Plane. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (1926-1979) - Find a The rest of the group had no idea at the time that they would never see the face of Ronnie again. David Bowie Reveals His Favorite Songwriters, Michael Jacksons Daughter Release New Song, Fans Wants To Cancel Roger Waters Concerts, Ozzy Osbourne Give Update On Possible Touring, Why Keith Richards Was Jealous Of The Beatles, Dave Grohl Reveals His Favorite Paul McCartney Track. 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. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. "The first thing I saw was a bloody hand reaching out from the debris. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. He was more in the image I was pre-visualizing - one of an aging rocker. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. Pyle did confirm (from Pyle's interview on the The Howard Stern Show on Sirius Satellite Radio, Feb. 12, 2007) that Van Zant's cause of death was trauma to the head caused by equipment, such as Betamax tapes and Trinitrons, flying forward in the plane's cabin. There were 26 people on that fateful flight. In Genes interview, he mentions that he ran to the cock pit and to alert the pilots of the exploded engine and their response was Nothins wrong. Allen Collins, another guitar player for the group, had cracked two vertebrae, and the cut to his right arm was so severe, that it almost required amputation. He suffered a heart attack . I knew I had no business going, and my wife told me so. Everyone on the flight, except for Ronnie Van Zant, was feeling uneasy and restless. I'd deal with that later. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Both of which helped the album climb to the No. The pilots were still in their seats, but were laying upside down in nearby trees. Tuesday October 20, 2015 marked the 38th anniversary and drew several veterans from the night of the crash. The album had a very controversial cover when released. It would also be the first album that guitarist Steve Gaines would be the sole guitar player on. Making the original release cover more valuable to collectors than the second cover released just a few weeks after the album hit the shelves. A little after an hour of trudging through a creek and at one point burrowing underneath a barbed wire fence they found themselves staring at a small, dim light in the distance. 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. Ronnie Van Zant enjoying a stog before a show. Powell's version of events has been discounted by both Artimus Pyle and Judy Van Zant Jenness, who posted the autopsy reports on the band's website in early 1998 in order to set the record straight. Musician. I began the classic guitar lick. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. The guys hit the dirt and yelling out with what they had left Hey! 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. Over the ridge, a World War II vintage Willis Jeep crawled down a dusty logging trail. On October 20, 1977, Cassie Gaines died of non-communicable disease. She was brought up in Miami, Florida, alongside her brothers, Bob and Steve. She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Wilkeson Found Dead - ABC News On several occasions, the latter shined through. (Photo by Ted Jackson). 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. I admired his ability to tell gripping stories with his camera, so I began considering a career change. The plane had completely disintegrated. In this video you will see the true story behind the tragic passing of Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Dean Kilpatrick, and Steve Gaines on October 20, 1977. He didn't know who the victims were. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. After a shorter-than-normal day of bow hunting, he received a phone call about a plane crash in the area. July 30, 2001 -- Leon Wilkeson, bass player and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, is dead at age 49. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a FANDOM Music Community. According to Powell, Cassie Gaines' final moments were particularly painful as she bled to death in his arms and that her throat had been cut from ear to ear, which gave more indications of execution than an accident. You all just better get some rest. Dan Barnes recalls saying This man had just been to the funeral home and seen his son dead and decided to keep that to himself for these guys to heal. "He didn't want to talk about it for years.". Artimus Pyle and Gary Rossington are the only two members alive today from the crash. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. It Crashed, Killing 3 Members, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Drinking, Fighting, Hell-Raising: The Classic Skynyrd Lineup In Pittsburgh, Associate Press Mississippi Road Signs For Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash Site, Hollywood Reporter Appeals Court Reverses Ban on Lynyrd Skynyrd Movie, Ronnie Van Zant Of Lynyrd Skynyrd Predicted His Own Death, Groove History, 1977 Missippi Convair CV-240 Plane Crash, Wikipedia, History Collection The Deadliest Plane Crash in Canada Killed 248 Soldiers in 1985, History Collection A Plane Crashed into the Empire State Building (1945). He had been impaled by a part of the fuselage and it pushed through his body and projected out of his back. Collins and other band members were severely injured. Natural causes were to blame. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. In a separate interview, revealing the story of sound man Paul Welch who suffered traumatic injuries in this crash and was sent into a coma, shares that the plane that was utilized during this trip was already catching fire around the engine area and Lynyrd Skynyrd had requested to cease using it. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. Rossington recalls saying It was always weird for Allen and me because we were up front in the plane. Obviously it is hard to dictate the correct story when various opinions and recollections are thrown out, however, it seems to us as though the pilots were aware of the faulty issues of the plane, did not check to make sure that the plane had enough gas, and did not seem to make an attempt to alert the passengers of their timely death. And to Brenda's point, he's writing a book. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. The two men, for a while, were the only able-bodied persons present to help pull people from the wreckage. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? "That solidified that idea. 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. ", "There were plenty of old boys standing around here. "It was the saddest thing," she recalls, 11 years later. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. We knew every word. Allen Collins, who lost fellow members of the rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd in a 1977 plane crash and was paralyzed four years ago in a drunken driving accident, died Tuesday of pneumonia. 35 Years After Tragedy, Lynyrd Skynyrd Still Carries On - Rolling Stone "I was well prepared with advanced trauma life support training," he said, "and (I was) a flight surgeon in the military. The reason behind this? His wife, Lola, and my wife grew up together. On October 20, 1977, a Convair CV-240 carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Her brother was Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines. On several occasions, the latter shined through. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. In this video you will see the true story behind the tragic passing of Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Dean Kilpatrick, and Steve Gaines on October 20, 1977. Governor said, "I'm bad about leaving an empty beer bottle and a full one for Ronnie and the boys" each year. The band leased a new Convair CV-240 to help them get between shows easier. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". "It was stuff I'd been trained to do," he said. she asked me as we talked. That's when Mote connected the dots with the noise he had heard earlier. "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. 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On another occasion, while reportedly on a drunken rage, he even slashed the hands of Gary Rossington, his best friend and guitarist, with a broken beer bottle. The choppers belonged to the Coast Guard, National Guard and Forrest County General Hospital, who were doing their best to ferry people in, and illuminate the crash site. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Losing daylight, the pilots desperately looked for an open field or some kind of saving grace. Here are 10 facts about Lynyrd Skynyrd and their fateful end. Violent, wild, and belligerent, Ronnie was a force to be reckoned with. Cassie Gaines was one of the band members who boarded the ill-fated flight. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. When the group asked Ronnies father how he was, he simply replied Hes fine. Allen Collins kept moving on, eventually getting together with Gary Rossington to form the Rossington Collins Band. My younger brother and I banged out "Freebird" on a cheap set of drums in our bedroom. It was rumored that it was Ed Kings (original guitar player for Lynyrd Skynyrd) wife but it was not confirmed. Cassie Gaines, a member of the backing vocal trio known as the Honkettes and sister of guitarist Steve Gaines, was so petrified that she nearly squeezed in the band's cramped equipment truck. There is some speculation as to why the second engine had ultimately failed. The Convair 240 itself had been inspected by members of Aerosmith's flight crew for possible use in the early summer of 1977, but was rejected because it was felt that neither the plane nor the crew were up to standards. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. That now legendary and near-mythical plane crash killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Honkettes backup singer Cassie Gaines, assistant tour manager Dean Kilpatrick and the pilot and co-p Posted and no trespassing signs are prominently displayed. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next show. Over the weekend, the message boards on the official Web site were flooded with messages of lament for the "living legend," "free bird," and simple man.". Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. We just had released an album that went gold almost overnight. . Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. Gary Rossington broke both his arms and both his legs in the crash, and took many months to recuperate. Buker had noticed the flight crew passing around liquor bottles while aboard the plane. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. But one thing I'm proud of. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Sadly, the band would not make it to Baton Rouge and the plane had been pushed one flight too many. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. Some were screaming and moaning for help, but they were all limp. As soon as it seemed that the worst of the flight was passing, the true nightmare was about to set in for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the crew aboard. Without wanting to cause alarm he thought to himself that maybe the pilots were trying to transfer fuel from one engine to another. A medical examiner said on Sunday that Wilkeson suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, and most likely died of natural causes. Street Survivors became the band's second platinum album, and was the #5 top selling album on the U.S. album chart. "New Orleans is a southern city. I dont know who you think we are but we were on a plane and the plane crashed out there on the other side of that cow pasture. Mote instantly connected the dots to the sound he heard earlier and the men that lay before him. We were shocked, as were most others hearing the news. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. He had already finished a film about the plane crash when Gary and several others stepped in and placed a lawsuit against the film to not be shown to the public. Gene Odom had been thrown from the plane and broke his neck, his skin badly burned and one eye blinded by phosphorus from a de-icing flare that had been aboard. The album would reach gold in ten days after release and it would eventually go double platinum. After claiming his deceased son, Lacy Van Zant went to visit the other members of the band at the hospital. Was there a guest book?". Stinky! Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. Pyle claimed in a February 2007 appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius radio program that Mote had shot him; Mote has always denied shooting the drummer. Lead vocalist and founding member of the southern rock band, Ronnie Van Zant, also lost his life in the accident. Almost four decades later, I noticed a seemingly innocuous post on Facebook. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. 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. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. She was hesitant because she had seen a small fire in one of the engines the previous day. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. It was Steve, and me, and Ronnie and I was in the middle of them. At least one member, background singer Cassie Gaines, had refused to board the flight, but was convinced against her better judgment. Birth Name: Cassie LaRue Gaines Occupation: Rock Singer Place Of Birth: Missouri Date Of Birth: January 9, 1948 Date Of Death: October 20, 1977 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: White Nationality: American Cassie Gaines was born on the 9th of January, 1948.
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