![]() ![]() After almost a decade of playing with the southern brotherhood, Bob was replaced by drummer Artimus Pyle in ’74 and only rejoined the band’s side for one performance in 2006, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. With some complications over time, Bob experienced homelessness, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, stayed in the dreaded hell house and struggled with life on the road with his mental stability. Convinced he had murdered the guy at their baseball game, Ronnie ran over to Bob to check on him and left the conversation with a drummer, good friend and brother. Legendary drummer Bob Burns took some blows over time, including one to the head the day he met Ronnie Van Zant in ’64. In the following years, Billy joined band Vision until his presence was requested at the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion in 1987 where he remained until his devastating heart attack in 2009, that unfortunately took the piano prodigy from this world. He shook the man and said “You mean to tell me you’ve been playing the piano like that and you’ve been workin’ for us for a year….” and they never looked back.Īs a result of the plane crash, Powell suffered several facial injuries that almost cost the man his nose. via ĭuring a break at an event in ’72, just one year after Powell started working for the band, Billy sat down and performed a stunning rendition of “Free Bird” that blew Ronnie away. Ironically, even though Billy made contact with Skynyrd through friend Leon early on, Billy traveled with the band on tour for a year as a roadie before anyone ever realized they were missing his signature sound. Billy was an indispensable part of the band, linking together the guitar work and vocals with consistently sweet melodies against softly pitched key notes that tied the whole southern musical motif together. The key(s) to Skynyrd was none other than pianist and keyboard master Billy Powell. Forever will the world remember the musical mark and impact Steve Gaines left as a part of this historical legacy. Only being able to rock the southern stage for a year, Steve Gaines’ life was lost with the crashing blow of the plane on October 20, 1977. Unfortunately for the band and world, Steve’s presence on Skynyrd was beyond short-lived as the possibilities were practically endless with the combination of him and Ronnie on stage. Whether you are looking at the solo work that Steve Gaines accomplished before Ronnie got his hands on him, or his incredibly brilliant composition and guitar work on Street Survivors, all Skynyrd fans will agree that Steve pushed every single member of the band to be better with hard work and passion. ![]() Very rarely does a rock artist come around that has the ability to command as an unstoppable powerhouse with a soft, smooth vocal texture that can rock you to sleep Ronnie was just that. From the minute Ronnie auditioned for the band’s vocalist position in high school, to wowing the world and stealing the show at the Who’s Quadrophenia tour, Ronnie was always a strong-willed force to be reckoned with.Īs the moving voice of the southern legacy, Ronnie fabricated true and beautiful stories without ever once putting a pen to paper he was a born lyricist and legend and every single member knew it. What needs to be said about Ronnie Van Zant? Other than the fact that he was Lynyrd Skynyrd: the heart, soul and voice of the brotherhood and the enforcer of all things perfection the loss of Ronnie Van Zant still hurts. ![]()
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