Died On This Date (October 20, 1977) Ronnie Van Zant / Lynyrd Skynyrd

Ronnie Van Zant
January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977

Ronnie Van Zant was the singer and main songwriter for southern rock powerhouse, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band he formed in 1964 with fellow high school classmates.  The band slugged it out on the road in and around the southeast region of the U.S. until they got their break by getting signed to MCA Records in 1972.  The following year, they released their debut album, pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd, which included such future hits and Southern rock staples as “Gimme Three Steps,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and of course, “Free Bird.”  The hits continued to roll in and the band soon found them self touring with such bands as the Who and the Rolling Stones.  By late 1977, the band was as popular as any in America, had just completed their Street Survivors album, and were in the middle of what was to be their biggest tour yet.  But then one of popular music’s worst tragedies struck.  On October 20, 1977, while flying between shows in Greenville, South Carolina and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, their small chartered plane experienced engine trouble causing it to crash outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi.  Dead on impact were band members, Ronnie Van Zant (29), Cassie Gaines (29), Steve Gaines (28), road manager, Dean Kilpatrick, the pilot and co-pilot.

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