'', (Greg Richter of The Birmingham News contributed to this report.). Live from Freedom Hall was released on the same label in 2010. White toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd for three and one-half years before departing the Florida-based group in August 1977. Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top have announced 22 dates for their first co-headlining tour across North America. Their hard rocking and hard living escapades have made this group what they are no point glossing the truth but midst the excesses lies a body of classic work that keeps Lyn Skyn vital and vibrant and we are proud to feature their thrilling music and urge you to discover it again. JoJo Billingsley , who was a backing singer for LYNYRD SKYNYRD from 1975 for two years, has died from cancer at the age of 58. Posts on the signature song "Sweet Home Alabama", Lynyrd Skynyrd biographer Mark Ribowsky talks about the band, Which Lynyrd Skynyrd song are you? It did on Oct. 20, killing lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and others. Remember them that way in their early pomp and also seek out Legend for the 1977 era demos. She was invited to rejoin the group two months later when she warned the band about having a dream about its plane crashing. Gary Rossington is the only group member that has appeared in every period of the band. With drummer Bob Burns, Lynyrd Skynyrd began playing throughout the South. Billingsley lived with her husband, Tim, and her daughter, Destiny, in Cullman, Alabama where they attended Spirit Life Church. Jonny is a die-hard fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars! The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991, and for the remainder of the decade, the band toured frequently, putting out albums occasionally. Lineup changes, included roadie-turned-keyboardist Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson on bass, and a final name change to the more phonetic Lynyrd Skynyrd, preceded the band's apprenticeship on the Southern club circuit, where it earned a following for its mix of country, blues and rock. Three days later, a privately chartered plane carrying the band between shows in Greenville, South Carolina and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sixth album, Street Survivors, on October 17, 1977. On October 20th, 1977, a chartered plane carrying the band Lynyrd Skynyrd in the midst of a Who Is The Lead Singer Of Lynyrd Skynyrd? Bob Burns helped a lot to form the band in 1964. After battling lung cancer, guitarist Ed King died in Nashville, Tennessee in August 2018. Chase records as a solo artist when she's not on the road with Skynyrd. She was best known for her work with The Honkettes, backing vocalists for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Notable: Keys, 51, succeeded Billy Powell, a beloved band member who'd been with Skynyrd since the early 1970s. However, they also needed to deal with some internal issues. After the plane crash, are any original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd still alive? motorhead, review Gaines & JoJo Billingsly, and Leslie Hawkins. During the mid-'90s, Van Zant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern rock veterans to Skynyrd's guitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaws Hughie Thomasson. The band only had two lead singers till now, one of them died in a plane crash. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The bands record label scrambled to replace the new albums cover, which eerily forecasted the accident by portraying the members engulfed in flames. Ronnie Van Zant in 1975, onstage with Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta. In April 2015, original Skynyrd drummer Bob Burns died in a single-car accident in Bartow County, Georgia. Quite a beginning! After battling lung cancer, guitarist Ed King died in Nashville, Tennessee in August 2018. Who's in the band now, as it moves into 2017? In the New The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. On a suitable roll, they released Gimme Back My Bullets in 1976 with producer Tom Dowd, an icon to the band, and effectively created a quasi-conceptual suite of Southern songs that hit home hard and still sound magic. The lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd is John Roy Van Zant who is a famous American singer. Try Skynyrds First And Last, that contains their legendary Muscle Shoals sessions from 1971-1972 with selections from the Box Set and priceless attempts at Free Bird Preachers Daughter and the rocking spiritual Lend a Helpin Hand. Qobuz is also the worldwide leader in 24-Bit Hi-Res downloads. Throughout the band's early records, frontman Ronnie Van Zant demonstrated a knack for lyrical detail and a down-to-earth honesty that had more in common with country than rock & roll. Although Wilkeson died one year later, Lynyrd Skynyrd regrouped and recorded Vicious Cycle for a 2003 release. was the former lead singer of the same band. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. In 2007, JoJo appeared at Jam-A-Que (a southern rock get-together) with members of the Play It Again Jam in Pleasant view Tennessee. During the mid-'90s, Van Zant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern rock veterans to Skynyrd's guitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaws Hughie Thomasson. However, the band retained their following through constant touring, which was documented on the double-live album One More from the Road. Allen Collins, 33, a guitarist in the Skynyrd band, was listed in serious condition Thursday at University Hospital. Featuring the hit single "Sweet Home Alabama" -- a response to Neil Young's "Southern Man" -- Second Helping reached number 12 and went multi-platinum. The double-album compilation Gold & Platinum was released in 1980. This song began as a ballad without the guitar solos at the end, and Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded it that way for the first time in 1972. Collins wrote the music long before Ronnie Van Zant came up with lyrics for it. The lyrics are about a man explaining to a girl why he can't settle down and make a commitment. More items © 2023 XANDRIE SA - 45 rue de Delizy, 93692 Pantin CEDEX, France. See Skynyrd rock the stage with @zztop this summer. The majority of the rest were severely injured and horribly traumatised. Deborah Jo Billingsley (May 28, 1952 June 24, 2010) was an American singer, soloist, songwriter and recording artist. With drummer Bob Burns, Lynyrd Skynyrd began playing throughout the South. A previous update from Roadrunner Records states: In celebration of the band's Live From Freedom Hall CD/DVD, we've got a sneak peak of one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's most classic staples in their live show repertoire - 'Gimme Three Steps'. Thomasson left the band to re-form his band Outlaws in 2005, dying two years later in 2007. Kooper again bosses the board and the band blow a storm on Saturday Night Special and Made in the Shade, Van Zant gems both that are improved by the addition of funky percussion and a side order of Barry Harwoods Dobro and mandolin. Skynyrd Dale Krantz/Rossington and Carole Chase, my friend Michelle was one of the singers. ("The touring, the recording, the constant motion was too much," he told the Freebird Foundation, a fan group.) In the process, he helped to create the band's triple-threat guitar sound. With ex-Damn Yankee Michael Cartellone bringing stability to the drum chair, the reconstituted band signed to CMC International for the 1997 album Twenty. Van Zant had thrown down the gauntlet regarding certain excesses on That Smell and theyd already endured car smashes and excess all areas behaviour that threatened the internal brotherhood. The new sextet released Nuthin' Fancy in 1975, and it became the band's first Top Ten hit. CookiePolicy In 2018, after decades of performing and recording, the band embarked on a farewell tour, which was chronicled on the 2020 concert LP and film Last of the Street Survivors Tour Lyve! His credits include the Black Crowes, Brand New Immortals and Train. His spot in Skynyrd was taken by Mark "Sparky" Matejka, formerly of Hot Apple Pie, in 2006. ''I thought it was kind of funny. During the '90s, Lynyrd Skynyrd were made honorary colonels in the Alabama State Militia, due to their classic rock staple "Sweet Home Alabama." Lynyrd Skynyrd's longtime admirers might argue about the greatest songs, their favorite albums or key aspects of Skynyrd lore. You can keep on reading further to learn more about the, Ronnie was an American singer and was best known as the original vocalist of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Trouble began for the hard-partying band a year before the plane crash, when guitarist Gary Rossington plowed his brand-new car into a tree along a Jacksonville, Florida road. He filled a guitar spot vacated by Ed King, and made major contributions to the band's 1977 album "Street Survivors." While in high school in Jacksonville, Florida, Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins (guitar), and Gary Rossington (guitar) formed My Backyard. He is the younger brother of the former Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Jan Zant. In 1977, a plane carrying the band members ran out of fuel outside Gillsburg, Mississippi. "Free Bird" and an opening slot on the Who's 1973 Quadrophenia tour gave Lynyrd Skynyrd a devoted following, which helped their second album, 1974's Second Helping, become its breakthrough hit. The Facts in The Early Life of Stevie Ray Vaughan | Society of Rock The origins of the band go back to teenage school years when singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington formed garage acts like My Backyard and The Noble Five in their native Jacksonville. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Shortly before the Rossington-Collins band was slated to go on its debut tour in 1980, Collinss wife Kathy died unexpectedly from a miscarriage-related hemorrhage. Released in late 1976, the album featured the band's new guitarist, Steve Gaines, and a trio of female backup singers, and it became Skynyrd's second Top Ten album. Along with Cassie Gaines and Leslie Hawkins, she joined Skynyrd in December 1975; the trio became known as THE The lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd is also the brother of Donnie Van Zant. In many ways an unreconstructed product of their environment they still dont lack for subtlety on tracks like Dont Ask Me No Questions and turn in a terrific version of J.J. Cales Call Me The Breeze. heavy metal She was best known for her work with The Honkettes, backing vocalists for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Pitched over four sides of vinyl in the old money it contains the total work out version of Free Bird and all the hits youd expect to hear as well as a scintillating interpretation of Jimmy Rodgers T For Texas and a sweetly nuanced attack on Robert Johnsons Crossroads. Role in band: Keyboard player (third from right in photo). A new studio album, Last of a Dyin' Breed, produced by Bob Marlette, recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, and featuring a new bass player, Johnny Colt (formerly a bassist for the Black Crowes), appeared in 2012. Skynyrd have endured until the present day and survived awful tragedies and terrible bad luck on the way but the Van Zant dynasty and their comrades Rossington and Collins remain an American institution. She was 58. John is mostly known as Johnny Van Zant. This video is now played at every Jaguars home game on the EverBank Field video board. During the height of Skynyrd's popularity in the mid-'70s, they adopted a more muscular and gritty blues-rock sound that yielded the classic rock standards "Sweet Home Alabama," "Simple Man," "What's Your Name," "That Smell," "Gimme Three Steps," and "Free Bird." Deborah Jo Billingsley White, ex-backup singer for Lynyrd Leslie Hawkins Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Read recent and archived obituaries and memorial notices from The Cullman Times", Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour, Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album, 20th Century Masters: The Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=JoJo_Billingsley&oldid=1092332793, People from Lafayette County, Mississippi, Articles needing additional references from August 2008, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 June 2022, at 17:06. You can keep on reading further to learn more about the original lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and his sister Cassie, one of the group's backing vocalists, died in the crash; the remaining members were injured. It was 45 years ago when a plane crash claimed the lives of Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Vant and guitarist Steve Gaines, among others. His incredible talents did not go unnoticed by his bandmate, Ronnie Van Zant. Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1976. The modestly titled Nuthin Fancy (1975) maintains a hard-working lifestyle and by now the Lyn Skyn gang are a major live attraction with new drummer Artimus Pyle becoming a star in his own right. JoJo, Leslie and newcomer Donna Basile, rounded out the Honkettes. Several other musicians have been part of the Lynyrd Skynyrd dynasty, including bassist Ean Evans (pictured); guitarists Hughie Thomasson, Randall Hall and Mike Estes; drummer Kurt Custer; and bassists Larry Junstrom and Robert Kearns. When Lynyrd Skynyrd rose to prominence in the mid-70s, they immediately stood out with their Southern rock sound successfully blended with blues and country. Notable: Rossington, 65, is the last original member left in Lynyrd Skynyrd. heavy metal What Happened To The Lead Singer Of Lynyrd Skynyrd? Their big break came when the producer and musician Al Kooper saw them in his guise as a member of Blood, Sweat & Tears. It was found that Johnnys surgical site was infected with cellulitis which required hospitalization and IV/Antibiotic treatment. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Notable: Van Zant, 57, upholds the legacy of his late brother, Ronnie Van Zant, the original frontman of Skynyrd. The distinctive Lynyrd Skynyrd spelling came into use in early 1970 by which time roadie Billy Powell was hired on keyboards. Her final CD was titled I Will Obey. Tickets & VIP packages at lynyrdskynyrd.com www.lynyrdskynyrd.com Posts Reels Videos Tagged However, the band retained their following through constant touring, which was documented on the double-live album One More from the Road. Cassie Gaines, JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins are the female backup singers of the band. Notable: Medlocke, 66, played drums for Skynyrd during his first go-round. In 2011, Johnny was hospitalized due to complications from previous surgery. VisitSingerbioand read everything about the singer. Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Koopers immaculate production and the boys innate abilities make this disc shine but there is more to them than simply Southern rock boogie. Jo Jo. WebReleased in late 1976, the album featured the band's new guitarist, Steve Gaines, and a trio of female backup singers, and it became Skynyrd's second Top Ten album. Unfortunately, Steve Gaines was also there in the bands tragic plane crash, separating him from this world. LYNYRD SKYNYRD The legacy began some 41 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, and halted for a decade by the 1977 plane crash that killed three band members, including Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines. Since then, the band tragically lost Allen Collins, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson and Hughie Thomasson, yet Lynyrd Skynyrd rocks on with original member Gary Rossington joined by Johnny Van Zant Later, his body started displaying signs of a staph infection and other symptoms related to the infection. While in high school in Jacksonville, Florida, Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins (guitar), and Gary Rossington (guitar) formed My Backyard. A spokesman for Cullman Funeral Home confirmed her death Thursday and said arrangements are pending. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Do you know how the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd died? Now, you must be wondering who are the female backup singers for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Deborah Jo Billingsley (May 28, 1952[1] June 24, 2010) was an American singer, soloist, songwriter and recording artist. The remastered CD 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is worth the extra cash too since you get far more than double your money in terms of time and value and the chance to become acquainted with newcomers Steve and Cassie Gaines. The family soon moved to Senatobia, Mississippi from Harmontown, Mississippi, where she was raised. His bandmates, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines including other passengers were also killed. The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991, and for the remainder of the decade, the band toured frequently, putting out albums occasionally. To read different topics visit https://findingceo.com/. and Annie Clements. Kooper produced the group's 1973 debut, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, which was recorded after former Strawberry Alarm Clock guitarist Ed King joined the band. Her name was being withheld until relatives are notified. alice cooper, review These members were Cassie Gaines JoJo Billingsley, and He joined Skynyrd after Hot Apple Pie released a debut album for DreamWorks Nashville and the label folded. Instead, they were a hard-living, hard-driving rock & roll band. He was well-known for the famous song Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama. ''It's like I was singing a prophecy to myself,'' she said. hard rock During their tour to support the album, the bands guitarist Ed King abruptly departed from the group, and they started to look for a replacement. Backup singers come to the fore 14 photos She started her "thing" back in 1966, when Ray Charles hired Clayton as one of his Raelettes. 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Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up after the crash, releasing a collection of early demos called Skynyrd's First andLast in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before the crash. Do you know how many lead singers has Lynyrd Skynyrd had? On October 20th, 1977, a chartered plane carrying the band Lynyrd Skynyrd in the midst of a headlining tour and fresh off the release of their sixth album crashed in a Gillsburg, Mississippi swamp. King left the band before the fateful plane crash, and returned when Skynyrd reunited in 1987. The group underwent a number of name changes, including The Noble Five and One Percent, until settling on Leonard Skinner, a name borrowed from their high school physical education teacher, who was notorious for hassling students with long hair. And, she sang "Sweet Home Alabama" at Lynyrd Skynyrd's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Three days after release a plane crash took the lives of those original souls as well as the Gaines siblings. Last of the Street Survivors Tour Lyve!, a concert album and film documenting the tour, was released in 2020. Skynyrd, formed in 1964, has a long, rich history that's been marked by triumph, tragedy and many lineup changes. The surviving members took a lengthy hiatus before splintering into various solo acts until 1987, when Rossington, Powell, Wilkenson and Pyle reformed Skynyrd with Van Zandt's brother, Johnny, in place as singer and chief songwriter. She was the lead singer of the Rossington Collins Band, 1979-1982. ? Burns left the group in 1974. June 28, 2010, 12 years ago. Her son, Justin, is in the US Navy. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. delain, review document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Best Music Documentaries: 59 Essential Watches For Music Fans, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top Announce Co-Headlining Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour, Southern Rock: An Introduction To The Genre And Its Key Bands, A Southern Rock Tragedy: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Disaster Of 1977, What Happened When The Rolling Stones Played Knebworth, Marcus King Shares Confessional New Single, Blues Worse Than I Ever Had, Come As You Are: The Story Behind The Nirvana Song, Glen Campbell, Shaggy, And Lil Wayne: Currently Trending Songs, Weighty In The Eighties: When Prog Rock Went Pop. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time In 1977, a plane carrying the band members ran out of fuel outside Gillsburg, Mississippi. After the plane crash, which claimed the lives of Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines (Gainess sister and backup singer Cassie, the bands road manager, and the planes pilot and co-pilot also died), the remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded to recover from their extensive injuries. He even recorded a video along with the remaining. Required fields are marked *. As might be expected, the album that was released just three days before the tragedy, Street Survivors, became one of their greatest hits in the wake of the spotlight on the events. An October 20, 1977 airplane crash killed several members of the band and road crew, but Billingsley was the only band member not on the flight. Not just a classic Southern Rock group a classic rock group, period. Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sixth album, Street Survivors, on October 17, 1977. I'm interested in rock music, literature, cinema, and doing research in Cultural Studies. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He sustained injuries to both arms, legs, wrists, ankles, and pelvis in the ill-fated plane crash. Later, the guitarist also performed in the groups fifth studio album, 1977s Street Survivors.. In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King, and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, adding vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist Randall Hall. He shows no signs of retiring, but the band canceled or rescheduled several shows in July 2016 while Rossington recovered from heart surgery. He continues to record and perform with them even today. Ian Dickson/REX Shutterstock. Support. Lets face it; their triple-guitar attack and evocative Southern rock vocals are a part of the history of their locale. Editors picks Here's our look at the musicians of Skynyrd, present and past. The band began in 1964, when teenaged friends Ronnie Van Zandt, Bob Burns, Allen Collins and Garry Rossington formed My Backyard, which drew on the British Invasion for its sound. The concert film and LP Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour followed a year later, 2006 saw the release of Face to Face, and 2007 brought Paper Sleeve Box. In 2011, Johnny was hospitalized due to complications from previous, how many lead singers has Lynyrd Skynyrd had, ? Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sixth album, Street Survivors, on October 17, 1977. In late 1975, Gaines, Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins formed The Honkettes, a female gospel vocal trio for Skynyrd. WebLynyrd Skynyrd , American rock band that rose to prominence during the Southern rock boom of the 1970s on the strength of its triple-guitar attack and gritty working-class CULLMAN -- Former Lynyrd Skynyrd backup singer Deborah Jo White, who performed under her maiden name "Jo Jo Billingsley," has died at her Cullman home after a bout with cancer. 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Wilkeson, Skynyrd's bassist since 1972, died in 2001 and was replaced by Ean Evans that same year (Evans, in turn, died in 2009). WebReleased in late 1976, the album featured the band's new guitarist, Steve Gaines, and a trio of female backup singers, and it became Skynyrd's second Top Ten album. Gaines was invited by JoJo Billingsley and Ronnie Van Zant to join Lynyrd Skynyrd as a backup singer. The group became notorious for their triple-guitar attack, which was showcased on "Free Bird," a tribute to then-recently deceased Duane Allman. Skynyrd re-formed in 1987 with Ronnie's younger sibling Johnny Van Zant on vocals, and guitarist and co-founder Gary Rossington, who would serve as the group's sole constant member over the years. Second Helping (1974) is miraculously every bit as emphatic. He even recorded a video along with the remaining original members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Skynyrd reformed a decade later, carrying on a Southern rock tradition that has lasted to this day. The venerable Southern rock band visits our state fairly often, performing for cheering crowds at venues that have ranged from the Mobile Civic Center to the Rock the South festival in Cullman. Then we offer Southern by the Grace of God, the live album that reunites them with old guitar pal Ed King and pushes young Johnny Van Zant into the mic spotlight. Lynyrd Skynyrds lead singers age of death at that time was 29. In 1975, he left the band as he was exhausted from touring and then Artimus Pyle replaced him. The reunited Skynyrd frequently switched drummers, but it had little effect on their sound. Two other bandmates, a road manager and two pilots were killed as well. WebLynyrd Skynyrd is the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern image and a hard rock swagger. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Live from Freedom Hall was released on the same label in 2010. hard rock The seasonal effort Christmas Time Again was released in fall 2000. Lynyrd Skynyrd is the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious Southern image and a hard rock swagger. Jonny is a die-hard fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars! news Classic Rock reports:JoJo Billingsley , who was a backing singer for LYNYRD SKYNYRD from 1975 for two years, has died from cancer at the age of Who Is The Lead Singer Of Casting Crowns. Steve Gaines jammed with Lynyrd Skynyrd informally a couple of times on the stage, and then they invited him to the recordings of the bands live album, One More from the Road. They were genuinely impressed by his outstanding performance and unique contribution to the bands sound. Lynyrd Skynyrd. The extra live stuff from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia makes this package one of the greatest live documents Southern rock has graced us with. He survived the incident and admitted he was under the influence at the time, prompting bandmates Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins to write That Smell an ominous tune warning Say youll be all right come tomorrow, but tomorrow may not be here for you. (Ironically, the 60-year-old Rossington is the sole member of the original lineup still performing in the band.). They also have three female backup singers. Instead, they were a hard-living, hard-driving rock & roll band. Legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd discusses its history and legacy as it embarks on a farewell tour. John Roy Van Zant (Johnny Van Zant) is the current lead vocalist of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Lynyrd Skynyrd has confirmed a new series of dates for the 2022 edition of the bands Big Wheels Keep On Turnin Tour, which kicks off April 9 with a previously announced performance in Scottsdale, Arizona, as part of the 25th anniversary Arizona Bike Week event. Throughout the band's early records, frontman Ronnie Van Zant demonstrated a knack for lyrical detail and a down-to-earth honesty that had more in common with country than rock & roll. The plane never reached its destination, crashing in a wooded area outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi and killing Van Zandt, Steve Gaines and his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines and several crewmembers and leaving their bandmates in serious condition. ''I love it here. After being recommended by Cassie Gaines, a member of Lynyrd Skynyrds female backup singers, the Honkettes, Steve Gaines joined the band as the new guitarist.