Died On This Date (October 21, 2009) Walt Andrus / Engineer; Worked With 13th Floor Elevators
themusicsover Walt Andrus
February 1, 1937 – October 21, 2009
Walt Andrus was a recording engineer for Austin, Texas based label, International Artists. While working with International Artists, Andrus engineered numerous psychedelically charged groups as Red Krayola, Golden Dawn, and most famously, 13th Floor Elevators whose Andrus produced Easter Everywhere is considered by many to be the most truly psychedelic album ever recorded. Walt Andrus, 72, died of melanoma.
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 was part of gospel trio who, in 1975 were invited to join Lynyrd Skynyrd as back-up singers. Her brother, 
Henry Vestine is best remembered as a guitarist for boogie blues rock band, Canned Heat. His original tenure with the band ran from 1966 to 1969. Prior to that, he played in 