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Lynyrd Skynyrd Keyboardist Dead At 56
5:41 PM GMT 28/01/2009
Billy Powell, long-serving keyboardist with Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died at his home in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56.
The band's current vocalist Johnny Van Zant, a man who played with Powell for over 20 years, has been speaking to Jacksonville.com: "You know, they say they've got one hell of a band up in heaven," he said. "My brother Ronnie up in heaven is probably saying, 'Billy, what took you so long?' I'm sure they're catching up on things in heaven."
Powell joined Skynyrd in 1972 having spent a year as the their roadie. He went on to form an integral part of their sound playing on all the band's records from their 1973 debut to 1977's Street Survivors. He is also credited with writing the grand intro for the band's epic Free Bird. He was seriously injured in the legendary 1977 plane crash that killed original singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, back-up singer Cassie Gaines and several of the crew. Powell eventually made a full recovery.
Following the release of Street Survivors, he briefly played keyboards for Christian rock band Vision. Skynyrd reunited in 1987.
The band had recently recorded a series of songs for a new studio album and had gigs booked in Mississippi, Louisiana and Orlando (now all cancelled).
"We've got to lay our brother to rest," added Van Zant. "That old saying, the show must go on, always counts. Unless you die."
Guitarist Gary Rossington is now the only remaining member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd line-up.
To read the post on the band's official site, click HERE.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 5:41 PM GMT 28/01/2009
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"Mozart of the South" indeed. Who elce could stand out so perfectly among three awsome guitarists. We`ll miss you, Brother and "see ya on the next world..."
Posted by Darryl McClure-Nashville, TN at 12:55 AM GMT 30/01/2009 Report Abuse
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Billy Powell was once like Ron Asheton, thin.
I saw Powell and the boys back in '77, when Dickie Betts had a bad day, as sunny Peter Frampton was being dethroned.
Frampton played Junior Walker's Roadrunner, Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered. I'll bet the original Skynard--this was June, three months before the plane crash--agreed w/ me: Frampton kicked ass. But we were the minority.
Iggy Pop didn't follow Peter Wolf out of the gray birthday cake, into Detroit Breakdown. Shucks
.
Posted by Anonymous at 3:59 PM GMT 01/02/2009 Report Abuse
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Anyone know how old this forum is? As in what year it was started?
Posted by orgatlyparo at 8:09 AM GMT 04/04/2009 Report Abuse
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