On this day in history, October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates die in tragic plane crash
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: On this day in history, October 20, 1977, a harrowing plane crash occurred on the Louisiana-Mississippi border.
The crash resulted in the tragic deaths of three prominent musicians from the legendary American rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Gene Odom, Lynyrd Skynyrd's security manager and a survivor of the crash, lamented the profound loss inflicted by the tragic event, stating, "The crash took away one of the great American musicians.
Who all died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash?
The lead singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines died in the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash.
The small Convair CV-240 passenger plane, which met a devastating fate, also claimed the lives of assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray.
In the midst of the tragedy, twenty individuals managed to survive the crash.
Among the band's surving memebers were keyboardist Billy Powell, Allen Collins, Artimus Pyle, Gary Rossington and Leon Wilkerson with Rossington playing guitar with the reincarnated version of the band and other dying later due to health complications.
What caused the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash?
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation concluded that the likely cause of the tragic plane crash was fuel exhaustion at about 10,000 feet, leading to a complete loss of power from both engines.
It all happened following a performance at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in South Carolina, the Jacksonville, Florida-based band embarked on a fateful journey.
They boarded a chartered plane destined for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where their next scheduled performance awaited them at Louisiana State University the following night.
Little did they know that this routine travel would culminate in a tragic plane crash on the Louisiana-Mississippi border, forever altering the course of the band's history.
Why is Lynyrd Skynyrd so famous?
Lynyrd Skynyrd, a prominent American rock band, ascended to fame amid the Southern rock surge of the 1970s, distinguished by its formidable triple-guitar prowess and a resolute working-class ethos.
Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to stand as one of the monumental acts in the history of music, arguably holding the title of the top American rock band of all time.
Their iconic song 'Sweet Home Alabama', a tribute to "the Southland", remains a powerhouse with nearly 1 billion plays on Spotify, a testament to its enduring popularity nearly 50 years after its recording in 1974.
The band's rock epic, "Free Bird," originating from Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album in 1973, has transcended the realm of music to embed itself in broader pop culture.
With decades of touring under their belt, featuring Johnny Van Zant, the younger brother of the band's founder, on lead vocals, Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to perform songs penned and first performed by Ronnie Van Zant over half a century ago.
"Old Lynyrd Skynyrd still sells a couple million albums a year," said Odom.