The plane crash that muted Southern rock

Florida Times-Union ^ | October 19, 2007 | ROGER BULL,

[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.

[Mr. Mojo]

My lastest Tele was a mish-mash of parts: custom ash body, Fender '52 reissue neck, and S. Duncan pups.

Is the Highway One American-made? I prefer the fat old U-shaped neck backs on Teles, and most new ones are C-chaped. Makes a world of difference in playability, imo.

I'm not a total Tele snob, though. For instance, alder bodies and rosewood fingerboards are acceptable ;)

[El Gato]

Try Ted Nugent.

That's NRA Director Nugent.

[Drew68]

Is the Highway One American-made?

Yep! American made and nitro finished. I went to Guitar Center to buy a Jimmie Vaughan Strat and walked out with a Highway One because they were practically giving the blonde/rosewood ones away. $539 with gig bag. It is now my #1. It sits between my Epiphone 335 and my Gibson LP Classic. When I feel like jamming out, I always reach for my HW1. It is a 9.5" C neck which compliments the slim neck on my LP nicely.

I really want a classic butterscotch Tele though. I used to have a MIM Standard but I left it at a friend's house before I joined the navy and I doubt I'll ever see it again.

[Mr. Mojo]

A brand new, nitro-finished, American-made Fender for under $550? Nice. Sounds like a helluva deal. In fact, that's how much I paid for my very first (new) guitar back in '76 -- a white Gibson SG Std. at Guitar Center on Sunset in L.A. (which was the only GC in the country at the time). In restrospect I should've bought a late 60s Tele. ...or maybe even a pre-CBS.

I remember walking into Guitars R Us (across from Guitar Center in L.A.) in '87 and they had a bunch of pre-CBS Fenders on the wall for between $800 and $1500. That day a buddy of mine snagged a '60 Strat for a grand. Nowadays? $25 grand. ...miminum. The vintage market is completely out of control.

[neal1960]

Part of a song Charlie Daniels did as a tribute to LS. I have the LS Tribute tour on VHS. I think I’ll take it out and watch it tonight.

It was October in St. Louis town,
When we heard that the Free Bird had fell to the ground;
And we all said a prayer before we went down,
To play
And Ronnie, my buddy, above all the rest,
I miss you the most and I loved you the best,
And now that your gone I thank God I was blessed
Just to know you

repeat Chorus
Charlie Daniels Band

[Drew68]

A brand new, nitro-finished, American-made Fender for under $550?

Yep. All the other finishes were $749. I'm not too fond of the flat finishes but the guitar played like butter.

I remember walking into Guitars R Us (across from Guitar Center in L.A.) in '87 and they had a bunch of pre-CBS Fenders on the wall for between $800 and $1500. That day a buddy of mine snagged a '60 Strat for a grand. Nowadays? $25 grand. ...miminum. The vintage market is completely out of control.

Oh, I know. I remember during the 1980s when everyone wanted pointy guitars, you could get used Norlin-era Les Pauls for $250-400. Now even those are considered "vintage." The market has been taken over by collectors which has artificially driven up the value. I mean, c'mon, '59 sunburst Pauls going for $250,000-500,000? All predictions state that soon they will hit the $1,000,000 mark. Unbelievable for an off-the-rack instrument with no pedigree.

[Mr. Mojo]

The ‘59s Lester Standards are aleady up to a half mil? Incredible. All for a few pieces of wood put together with some glue. ...and the PAFs, of course. And the vintage Fenders were even more simple to build. Not exactly Stradavarius-like workmanship. I keep expecting a market correction, but it never happens. With those prices I suspect there are increasingly sophisticated counterfeit operations.

[Lancey Howard]

Here's my guitar. (Actually, this is a picture of a guitar identical to mine.) It's a Univox copy (circa 1968) of a Gibson 335. I bought it off a friend in 1972 for $50. It's still my favorite guitar:

[Mr. Mojo]

Nice. ...and with minihumbuckers, to boot. Does it have a solid block of maple down the center (like the 335) or is it completely hollow (like the 330)?

[Lancey Howard]

It’s hollow.

[donnab]

They opened that tour (Ironically called the Tour of the Survivors) in Miami, and stayed at a little Holiday Inn just outside of Ft Lauderdale. I happened to be working there in the restaurant and got to wait on them during their couple of days stay. They were sweet and fun and generous.
I can still see Ronnie standing in the lobby, the sun coming in from the front glass doors and making it look like he was in silhouette. He had his guitar case in hand and was just standing there. I remember thinking dang I wish I had my camera...what a great picture that would be. It was a shock to hear the news not that long afterward. It saddens me still.
They pulled the original albums off the shelves because of the flaming artwork and replaced it with a black background. I still have my copy of the original.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Did you know that Alice Cooper ( I am sure that is not his real name ) is a “ BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN “ now ?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" Powell, among others, spoke of seeing flames shooting out of the right engine on a trip just prior to the accident), and that pilots McCreary and Gray had intended to repair the damaged part when the traveling party arrived in Baton Rouge "
If I was the pilot, I would have grounded that plane period ! until it got fixed.
There is no excuse to fly that plane like it was that day..... Stupidity creates accidents.

[RightOnline]

Been slinging rock guitar since about ‘69. Have only a few guitars...primarily an early ‘80’s Les Paul Custom and a late model Carvin DC-400A Anniversary model. Both beautiful guitars. The Carvin is not only gorgeous, but has all the ‘new stuff’.......Floyd Rose tremolo, Sperzel locking tuners, you name it.

Still......nothing touches the Les Paul for playability and tone. Nothing.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" It’s hollow. "
It gives it a unique sound.

[Lancey Howard]

One reason I always liked it was because I could sit (or lay) on my bed and play without having to plug in and screw around with jacks and amps.

[ConservativeStatement]

Where in Ft.L? I lived there in better times.

[nonliberal]

Yeah. Check out his album Brutal Planet and it is evident. He also called Democrats traitors.

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) is a Christian as well. Their new album is United Abominations.

[weegee]

I caught Blue Cheer on tour last year. 2 of the 3 original guys, the one who left was gone by the first year. The musician who has the gig now has been in the band for 20 years.

It “is” the lineup as far as they are concerned.

Worth seeing if you get a chance.

[weegee]

I’ve heard that there was a passenger who survived both the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash AND the Randy Rhodes plane crash but a quick google search didn’t turn up his name.