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The plane crash that muted Southern rock
Florida Times-Union ^ | October 19, 2007 | ROGER BULL,

Posted on 10/19/2007 10:21:26 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement

Thirty years ago today, a rented plane took off from Greenville, S.C., headed for Baton Rouge, La. Just before dark, just before it reached the Louisiana line, the plane ran out of fuel and sank toward the Mississippi landscape below.

It first grazed the tops of the pine trees.

"It was like the sound of a billion baseball bats beating the side of the plane." Lynyrd Skynyrd bass player Leon Wilkeson described in an interview a decade ago.

The plane crashed down through the trees to the ground, breaking apart as it went. In the twisted, broken pieces of that 1947 Convair lay what was left of Jacksonville's greatest musical legacy.

Though there were 26 people on the plane, only six died that evening, Oct. 20, 1977. But killed along with the two pilots were three band members and the road manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd.

(Excerpt) Read more at jacksonville.com ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: lynyrdskynyrd; planecrash; rockandroll; skynyrd; southernrock
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1 posted on 10/19/2007 10:21:36 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

I was stationed in the South for two years (1974-75) and I saw Skynyrd several times. I remember a concert with them and Marshall Tucker where Van Zant came out on stage, drunk on his ass carrying a bottle, and began singing with them.


2 posted on 10/19/2007 10:28:27 PM PDT by DogandPonyShow (America, the Light of the World.)
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

I turned 11 years old that day. I was already a fan for life.


3 posted on 10/19/2007 10:36:20 PM PDT by FearlessFreep (How dare you break wind before me. Sorry, didn't realize it was your turn.)
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To: DogandPonyShow

38 Special was from Jacksonville, too, and they made some pretty good music also.


4 posted on 10/19/2007 10:38:02 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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To: FearlessFreep

Happy Birthday, 2007.


5 posted on 10/19/2007 10:39:18 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

Man, 30 years ago. Amazing.

This was a good read.

LBT
......


6 posted on 10/19/2007 10:39:57 PM PDT by LiberalBassTurds (The Painful Truth: All the World Terrorists are Muslims! -- Abdulrahman Al-Rashed)
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan
“An airplane fell down in Dixie. Lord, how the people cried.
An airplane fell down in Dixie. Lord, how the people cried.
Twenty people was damaged bad. Six crossed over to the other side.

When a mama lose a young un, there ain’t no sadder loss.
When a mama lose a young un, there ain’t no sadder loss.
They’re cursin the name of Jesus, laid aneath a Southern Cross.

I stood on the ground in England, I heard a hard Southern rain.
I stood on the ground in England, I heard a hard Southern rain.
Got a taste of Bourbon whiskey, and Mr J. J. Cale’s cocaine.

Nobody lives forever; some things never die.
Nobody lives forever; some things never die.
Like we did in The Land of Cotton, they tell me that Freebird always flies.”

Ray Wylie Hubbard, “Airplane Fell Down in Dixie”

7 posted on 10/19/2007 10:43:41 PM PDT by decal (This tagline is subject to change without noti........)
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

Thanks for your wishes!


8 posted on 10/19/2007 10:43:58 PM PDT by FearlessFreep (How dare you break wind before me. Sorry, didn't realize it was your turn.)
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To: decal

You have to wonder what would have happened...had no crash occurred. This group would have been the biggest group of the 1980s...and disco might have been stalled out. Just one of them “what if” situations.


9 posted on 10/19/2007 10:51:43 PM PDT by pepsionice
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan
After the crash, they changed this album art.


10 posted on 10/19/2007 10:57:26 PM PDT by LouD
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To: pepsionice
This group would have been the biggest group of the 1980s...and disco might have been stalled out.

Actually disco peaked out in the late '70s and was dead by the '80s. So it looks like disco and Skynard flourished at the same time.

11 posted on 10/19/2007 11:03:01 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: decal
Musicians seem to have problems with airplanes.

Before this there was Ricky Nelson (December 31, 1985), and before that Buddy Holly, Richie Vallens and the Big Bopper (Feb. 3, 1959, The Day The Music Died.)

And of course before either of those, Major Glenn Miller (Dec. 15, 1944)

12 posted on 10/19/2007 11:04:50 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: pepsionice
This group would have been the biggest group of the 1980s...and disco might have been stalled out.

Actually disco peaked out in the late '70s and was dead by the '80s. So it looks like disco and Skynard flourished together.

13 posted on 10/19/2007 11:05:47 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

My favorite band,even today.


14 posted on 10/19/2007 11:06:04 PM PDT by linn37 (phlebotomist on duty,its just a little pinch)
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan

I was lucky to see Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Spectrum in Philly about a year or so before the plane crash. A friend of mine had an extra ticket and asked me to go with him. Unfortunately, although I had heard of the band and knew maybe one of their songs, I really wasn’t familiar with their music.

One thing I remember clearly was the lead singer Van Zant getting testy because people kept yelling “Free Bird” as soon as they took the stage. I know it’s a standing joke nowadays, but it’s based on true fact - - saw it with my own eyeballs. Ronnie finally snapped and said something like, “Yeah yeah - - you know we’ll be doing that at the end!”


15 posted on 10/19/2007 11:21:47 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVHxXAoGz80


16 posted on 10/20/2007 12:26:19 AM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
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To: Lancey Howard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZN4fBC2s00&mode=related&search=


17 posted on 10/20/2007 12:28:12 AM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM .53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart, there is no GOD.)
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To: LouD; All

Yup...I was 15 when this happened and was into them then
(and still now; have the boxed set). Remember hearing the
news on the TV about the crash.

“Sweet home Alabama
Play that dead band’s song
Turn the speakers up full blast
Play it all night long”—Warren Zevon


18 posted on 10/20/2007 12:38:12 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: MassRepublicanFlyersFan
FREEBIRD!!

Freebird

If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on, now,
There's too many places I haven't seen
And if I stayed here with you, now
Things just wouldn't be the same
Well I'm as free as a bird now,
And a bird you can not change.
And a bird you can not change.
And a bird you can not change.
Lord knows I can't change

Bye, bye, its been a sweet love.
And though this feeling I can't change.
Please don't take it badly,
The Lord knows I'm to blame.
And, if I stayed here with you now
Things just wouldn't be the same.
For I'm as free as a bird now,
And this bird you'll never change.
And the bird you can not change.
And the bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can't change.
Lord help me, I can't change.

19 posted on 10/20/2007 12:46:43 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper (ETERNAL SHAME on the Treasonous and Immoral Democrats!)
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To: raccoonradio; All
Does anybody know if the Steve Gaines solo album ever ever made it to CD?

I have cassettes of it , but nothing digital.

20 posted on 10/20/2007 1:07:24 AM PDT by Cheapskate ( Celebrate Sept.8 as Pajamatag , the day the pajamahadeem busted Dan Rather!!)
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