Skynyrd Trio Killed In Plane Crash

Oct 20, 1977:  Three days after the release of Street Survivors, Lynyrd Skynyrd's fifth album, the Florida band boarded a chartered aircraft to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The flight crashed en route, killing Ronnie van Zant (vocalist and front man), Steve Gaines (guitarist) and Cassie Gaines (Steve's sister, backing singer), group's tour manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.   The remaining band members (Gary Rossington – guitars; Allen Collins – guitars; Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals; Artimus Pyle – drums, percussion; Billy Powell – keyboards) suffered serious injuries.

Gene Odom, was one of the fortunate survivors wand the last person to be with Ronnie Van Zant and the other band members before they were killed.  Gene and Ronnie were best friends since childhood, and he would become the head of security for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Ronnie's personal body guard.

Here is a condensed version of the story of the plane crash, as told by Gene Odom.

Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the crash, though Street Survivors continued to climb the charts and became one of the band's biggest hits.  The original cover sleeve for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band, particularly Steve Gaines, engulfed in flames. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Teresa Gaines, Steve's widow), MCA Records withdrew the original cover and replaced it with a similar image of the band against a simple black background . Thirty years later, for the deluxe CD version of Street Survivors, the original "flames" cover was restored.

Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up after the crash, releasing a collection of early demos called Skynyrd's First And...Last in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before the crash..  The band reunited just once to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam V in January 1979.  Leon Wilkeson, who was still undergoing physical therapy for his badly broken left arm, was in attendance, along with Judy Van Zant (Ronnie Van Zant's widow), Teresa Gaines (Steve's widow), JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins (backup singers).

The double-album compilation Gold and Platinum was released in 1980. Later that year, Rossington and Collins formed a new band which featured four surviving members.  Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Collins suffered a car crash in 1986, which killed his girlfriend and left him paralyzed.

In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King (guitarist who had left the band two years before the crash), and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny as the frontman and primary songwriter.  Due to Collins' paralysis from the 1986 car accident, he was only able to participate as the musical director, choosing Randall Hall, his former bandmate in the Allen Collins Band, as his stand-in.  The band embarked on a reunion tour, which was captured on the 1988 double-live album, Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour -- 1987.  The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991.

The reunited band was meant to be a one-time tribute to the original lineup, captured on the double-live album Southern By The Grace Of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour 1987.  Judy Van Zant Jenness and Teresa Gaines Rapp (widows of Ronnie and Steve, respectively) sued the others for violating an agreement made shortly after the plane crash, stating that they would not "exploit" the Skynyrd name for profit.  As part of the settlement, Jenness and Rapp collect nearly 30% of the band's touring revenues, and hold a proviso which forces any band touring as "Lynyrd Skynyrd" to include at least two from the pre-crash era.

During the '90s, Lynyrd Skynyrd were made honorary colonels in the Alabama State Militia, due to their classic-rock staple "Sweet Home Alabama."  During the mid-'90s, VanZant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern rock veterans to Skynyrd's guitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaw Hughie Thomasson.  With ex-Damn Yankee Michael Cartellone bringing stability to the drum chair, the reconstituted band signed to CMC International for the 1997 album Twenty.  This lineup went on to release Lyve From Steeltown in 1998, followed a year later by Edge of Forever. The seasonal effort Christmas Time Again was released in fall 2000.

Collins died of respiratory failure on January 23, 1990.  Leon Wilkeson died on July 27, 2001, due to emphysema and chronic liver disease.  On January 28, 2009, Billy Powell died, reportedly of a heart attack.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006. Lynyrd Skynyrd had been nominated 7 times.

In October 2008, Lynyrd Skynyrd's song Free Bird's solo was named the 3rd greatest guitar solo by Guitar World.

In September 2010, Lynyrd Skynyrd was named #77 VH1's 100 Greatest Artist of All Time.

Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour and record. Of its original members, only Gary Rossington remains with the band as of 2011.