Angel Deville's video: Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute

Lynyrd Skynyrd had just begun a tour on the heels of a new album when the charted plane they were on went down near McComb, Mississippi on October 20, 1977. About 8 miles outside McComb Airport, after reporting running low on fuel, the Convair 240 skidded 100 yards across treetops, slammed into a swamp and split open in 3 sections. A major obstacle in rescue efforts was a creek that was difficult to cross from the highway to reach victims. Killed in the plane crash ... singer Ronnie Van Zant (29), guitarist Steve Gaines (28) and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines (29), Steve's sister ... and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick (28). Pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray were also killed. Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center: INTENSIVE CARE ... bassist Leon Wilkeson with chest injuries, multiple abrasions, fractured left arm and left leg; roadie Craig Reed with chest injuries, lacerations and abrasions, fractured left arm; roadie James Bracy with chest wound, abrasions, fractured left arm. CRITICAL BUT STABLE ... sound engineer Kevin Elson with fractured right leg and ankle, and fractured pelvis and left leg. McComb Hospital: CRITICAL BUT STABLE ... road manager Ron Eckerman with chest contusion and rib fractures. Also, roadie Kenneth Peden with multiple contusions, roadie Steve Lawler with chest contusions, facial lacerations; roadie Clayton Johnson with fractured right clavicle and left elbow; roadie Don Kretzechman with chest injury, abrasions; roadie Joe Osborn with multiple lacerations of the face, fractured ribs, and right clavicle; roadie Mark Frank with multiple abrasions, cerebral contusion. University Hospital: CRITICAL CONDITION, under close observation ... guitarist Allen Collins with spinal, neck and head injuries. CRITICAL BUT STABLE ... backing vocalist Leslie Hawkins with facial lacerations and broken neck; roadie Gene Odom with eye injuries and deep scalp wound; roadie Paul Welch with head and back injuries. Baptist Hospital: CRITICAL BUT STABLE ... guitarist Gary Rossington with two broken legs, two broken arms and a concussion; pianist Bill Powell with severe facial lacerations and concussion; TV crewman Bill Sykes with multiple fractures; roadie Mark Howard with head and back injuries; drummer Artie Pyle with rib fractures and lacerations. No other band in music history has endured so much tragedy and heartache; yet has managed somehow to carry on as a band -- by the grace of God. As if losing Ronnie, Cassie and Steve wasn't heartbreaking enough, they also lost the following members: Guitarist Allen Collins, January 1990 (co-founder of original band) Bassist Leon Wilkeson, July 2001 (original + re-group) Guitarist Hughie Thomasson, September 2007 (re-group) Keyboardist Billy Powell, January 2009 (original + re-group) Bassist Donald "Ean" Evans, May 2009 (re-group) Mama Van Zant (Marion) passed away in 2000 and Daddy Van Zant (Lacy) passed away in 2004. Lacy's and Marion's three sons -- Ronnie, Donnie (38 Special) and Johnnie were/are major contributors to southern rock. Mama, Daddy and big brother Ronnie must be smiling proudly from above. Leonard Skinner, the boys' tough-as-nails high school teacher/coach and inspiration for Lynyrd Skynyrd name, passed away in September 2010. Despite who came before or after them, Lynyrd Skynyrd epitomized kick-ass, in-your-face, hard-driving southern rock and roll! Ronnie, Cassie, Steve, Allen, Leon, Hughie, Billy and Ean -- all terribly missed. To Johnnie Vant Zant, the only man who could ever and should ever replace big brother Ronnie ... and to Gary Rossington, one of the best American guitarists of all time: "We love you! Keep rockin' and God bless you and yours always!"