On several occasions, the latter shined through. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. He remembered seeing bodies everywhere. He rushed to his truck and headed in. Cause of death: Car accident. 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. Cassie Gaines Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death - Dead or Kicking Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. It wasn't a Cessna; it was a Convair CV 240, a twin engine, 40-passenger plane that was down in heavy woods near Gillsburg. Especially with the song That Smell. Gary continues on the band with Ronnies brother, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Ricky Medlocke. All the surrounding land is privately owned and prominently marked with "No Trespassing" signs. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. Photo: Pinterest. I worked the scene for about 30 minutes before a veteran photographer approached me and asked if I knew where the local paper "The Enterprise Journal" was located. Band confidant, Gene Odum, is privately interviewed to share his story on what happened on this awful day in history. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. A medical examiner said on Sunday that Wilkeson suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, and most likely died of natural causes. But I loved the bonding. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. Minutes later he was guiding an ambulance through an overgrown trail. The tour is scheduled to run through mid-September. All he could think was that they must be from a recent a jailbreak," she said. The band would be marked for strife as just before their inaugural tour, Allens wife would bleed to death due to a miscarriage. Who died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash? "Seems like everyone is writing a book. Rescuers look over the wreckage of the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Before long, he noticed three men emerge from the dense woods along the pasture. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. So we came out here and got busy. Lewis was on emergency room call that night at McComb's Southwest Regional Medical Center. He pulled the lifeless body of Cassie Gaines up by her belt. Wilkeson would play in both Rossington Collins Band and the Allen Collins band. 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. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. As they, too, were succumbing to the sub-par standards of the plane and crew. For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. He was only 39, but was no rookie. 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. So, we're both southerners.". 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. While the site is duly remembered, it is on private property and is not open to the public. Band members Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell entered the cockpit to get an idea of what was happening. I was just taken aback by it " but then his friend continued, "don't worry, Lynyrd made it out.". The band had just released their biggest album to date and was riding off of a good high. The album would go through several cover changes and would mark a new era for the guys. Artimus Pyle, drummer for the band, stops for a quick picture while en route to the next 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. It was there where he was found dead in his room on July 27. The plane had completely disintegrated. The plane was produced from 1947-1954. We were shocked, as were most others hearing the news. Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrds bodyguard, recalls: They took my watch, my wallet, my ring, and my money as I lay bleeding on the ground. Photo: Pinterest. The pilots would have to make an emergency landing. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. memorial page for Cassie LaRue Hatfield Gaines (26 Nov 1926-15 Feb 1979), Find a Grave Memorial ID 37010431, citing Jacksonville Memory . We had a friendly translator whose command of the English language was poor at best. 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. 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. It was there that he struck up a fractured conversation. Almost as mysteriously, the full bottle is never seen again. Don't look like they can afford a ticket. 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. Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. The will to carry on was strong, however, Pyle being a US Marine, would live out the phrase Semper Fidelis which means always faithful. No one that hit the ground alive died. In addition to his fractured ribcage, Artimus Pyle was treated for numerous abrasions and contusions. Johnny Mote and his ragtag team were first on the crash site. Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948 and died on October 20, 1977. That farm belonged to a young dairy farmer named Johnny Mote. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. 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. "I had expertise on what to do and growing up in Amite County, Mississippi didn't hurt. I was a young graphic artist at the time. Both brother and sister were killed in the airplane crash that also took the life of Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant. 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). The band decided that once they had landed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, they would acquire a Learjet to replace the severely outdated 30-year-old plane. Soon after the plane would begin to jerk and shake violently. I knew I could take photographs if I could get there. By then, a Coast Guard helicopter was hovering overhead. Marc Frank, a 24-year-old roadie traveling with the band, noticed what seemed to be fuel spewing from the right engine. 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. The pilots tried an emergency landing, but the plane crashed in the woods near Gillsburg in Mississippi. Shining from what seemed to be a small house on a dairy farm. "That solidified that idea. If a band couldn't play Skynyrd, they didn't get hired for the school dance. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. "I've been coming for years," he said, "and I've never met anyone who was here that night. We always wondered why, you know. The surviving members would grapple with this throughout their days. Van Zant himself "loathed flying," as Rolling Stone. She said her husband grabbed his .243 hunting rifle, ran out and fired a warning shot. When Aerosmith's crew heard of Skynyrd's misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. Updated cover after plane crash, 1977The official NTSB accident report reads, "The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was fuel exhaustion and total loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to fuel supply. 5 spot, it was the bands first No. Yen.com.gh shared an interesting piece on Bianca Lawson age, parents, husband, kids, net worth, and movies. 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. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. News had spread about the crash and before too long an estimated 3,000 people had swarmed to the crash site. At this point, for Artimus Pyle, Marc Frank, and Ken Peden, the only sensible thing left to do was to leave certain death at the crash site, for uncertainty in the swamp. I've not looked at them since. Two bulldozers were dispatched to plow a primitive path off nearby Highway 568 in order to give a ground path available to the first responders. Rock Musician. 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. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. "Are you writing a book?" He was known as Papa Ronnie. Everyone on the flight, except for Ronnie Van Zant, was feeling uneasy and restless. Photo: hu.wikipedia.com. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Marc Frank recalled hearing both engines on the plane then within a matter of minutes, just air passing over the cabin. The accident essentially destroyed one of the unique voices of American rock and roll. It is reported that the pilots whose eyes were full of terror, told them to go back to their seats and prepare for impact. Birthday: January 9, 1948. And then we heard voices. Los Angeles, Billie Eilishs phone is now internet-free: Im like: Ew! Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Wilkeson Found Dead - ABC News His wife, Lola, and my wife grew up together. We had to cross a black water slew," he said. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? However, it is believed that the pilots were trying to transfer oil from one engine to another when they accidentally jettisoned the fuel instead. It would take hours to remove the bodies of the dead and injured from the plane. But sadly when he drank, which was quite often, his demeanor and character qualities changed drastically. The sky is the limit for the talented actress. On 20th October 1977, the Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered Convair CV-240 to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after their performance in Greenville, South Carolina. How did Cassie Gaines get in Lynyrd Skynyrd? 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. A Convair CV-240. Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell would both go on to pursue other musical ventures and both have a hand in several Lynyrd Skynyrd re-boots. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. Then on the other side, it was Allen in the middle of Dean and Cassie. Another 20 were injured, which included keyboardist Billy Powell, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, drummer Artimus Pyle and bassist Leon Wilkeson. She was sick and would meet up with the band in Arkansas to continue the tour. But not all had the intentions of lending a helping hand. On several occasions, the latter shined through. The Last Flight of Lynyrd Skynyrd It Was the Day the Music Died Cassie Gaines - Wikipedia Among them were Lacy Van Zant, Ronnies Father, and .38 Specials Guitarist Dan Barnes. Gary Rossington, one of the bands guitar players, had suffered two broken arms, a broken leg, a punctured stomach and liver. She was requested to join the band as a backing vocalist. The plane had completely disintegrated. Other band members were injured, some very seriously. Billy Powell would be in the new starting line-up of Lynyrd Skynyrd until his death in 2009. 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. Suffocating the people on the bottom from the sheer weight. 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. Everyone was afraid of riding on this plane. 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. At the time of her death she survived by her large extended friends and family. As the three marched on, feet soaking wet from the water, all odds seemed stacked against the trio. As he looked around the scene, his mind went back. The reason behind this? 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 whole scene tore him apart. Bianca is a force to be reckoned with in the American film industry. Ultimate Classic Rock What Happened to the Survivors of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash? "They seemed to be chasing him, trying to flag him down. What happened to the Menendez brothers' money? As the Houston Press reports, the crash took Van Zant's life, as well as the lives of band member Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie; and Dean Kilpatrick, the assistant road manager. Photo: Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader. Headline from a local newspaper reporting the crash. Wilkeson suffered severe internal injuries, including a punctured lung, and had most of his teeth knocked out. 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. Sit down. The plane had taken off with a faulty gasoline gauge that fooled the pilots into thinking that the plane was equipped with the appropriate amount of gas to reach their destination. He didn't know who the victims were. Victims were taken to the hospital in McComb, Mississippi by ambulances and other vehicles. Mote recalls the first thing he saw was a bloody hand sticking out from the wreckage. Collins began his rise to success as the lightning-fingered guitarist for the Jacksonville band formed in 1966 by a group of high school students. I threw it in reverse and plowed into my mother-in-law's car. Billy Powell, the bands keyboardist, received extensive facial lacerations and a broken right knee. But we were both enjoying it. He had been hospitalized since September. 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. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fad0cc830fa72 "We didn't know how much gas was on the ground. The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area during an attempted emergency landing. Cassie Gaines was a talented and committed backup singer for the Lynard Skynyrd music band until she died in a plane crash. Ronnie Van Zant was just more than the bands main songwriter, frontman, and singer. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Marc Frank was beaten terribly and was also covered in lacerations and blood. One band member, JoJo Billingsly, was not on the flight. Photo: obviousmag.org. Photo: Pinterest. "Live on my brother. The crash killed singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist/vocalist Steve Gaines, vocalist Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. Lynyrd Skynyrd did not plan on keeping the plane for long. At the beginning of the flight, all was well, amid high tensions. The plane finally slammed into the earth, and Billy Powell recalls saying, We hit the trees at approximately 90 mph. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. With that cue, Governor took the honors and introduced everyone as Gabel's mouth gaped in disbelief. Pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray were fully aware of a fuel shortage before the flight took off. 10 Details About the Fatal Plane Crash that Was the Death of Lynyrd ", "There were plenty of old boys standing around here. 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. The band regularly has different people sit in and play shows with them like Warren Haynes and Dicky Betts. His only help at that moment was his neighbor, Dwain Easley. Small and cramped, it still felt better than lift-off of the Convair CV-240. Cassie Gaines (1948-1977) - Find a Grave Memorial For members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, the weight of what happened seemed to push down on them the most. He had known Easley Creek since his youth. 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. A costly mistake at 9,000ft or so. How do they know? The album had a very controversial cover when released. She was planning to join the tour in Little Rock on October 23, three days after the crash. Rescue vehicles on the ground found no direct path in sight. 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. In the beginning, the singer was reluctant to board the aircraft and had already bought another commercial flight ticket. Steve Gaines - Wikipedia He also knew I had no business there, but his face told me he knew I was beginning a new career that night. Click to reveal 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. Dean Kilpatrick, the bands manager, lay dead and covered in blood. He hopes to publish in time for the 40th anniversary of the crash. In 1977, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Stevie Gaines and Gaines sister, Cassie Gaines, were killed in a plane crash. I told him that it was the strongest thing I had seen a man do.. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. Artimus has had many ups and downs since then, several incarcerations, and a huge falling out with Gary. Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple on rock, classic rock, and southern radio stations. She died from excessive bleeding as her throat had been cut from ear to ear. Rudge chartered three planes for loved ones to identify the bodies. Wilkeson would eventually be found dead in a hotel room in 2001 at age 49. 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. 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. Billy had taken too long on his intro to the song Free Bird and that didnt set well with Ronnie. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990. Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Kilpatrick and the pilots were laid in a temporary morgue at a local high school gymnasium. Her brother was Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines. The 22-year-old had been outside bailing hay in the twilight when he heard the crash in the distance, which he assumed was a car skidding in gravel. But after seeing helicopter searchlights, he started to assume it was a jailbreak instead. Wilkeson cheated death in 1977, surviving a crash of the band's chartered plane. Lynyrd Skynyrd stops for a shot in 1973. Leon Wilkeson, their bass player, had arguably the most harrowing recovery; as he faced many internal injuries, dislodged teeth, and a broken left arm and leg, and his heart stopped twice on the operating table while doctors frantically struggled to keep him alive. Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10/20/77 and a notebook-sized rebel flag are deeply etched into the old bark. As we walked, Easely pointed to a towering pine. Marc Frank remembers seeing complete and total despair. However, they were apparently talked into using it just one more time which happened to be their last ride. He suffered a heart attack while on break from tour. When he was sober, he was a fair and kind person. I'm really not sure anymore," he said. He would eventually succumb to paralytic pneumonia while being treated in a hospital in 1990.
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