Billy Powell of Skynyrd passed away [Archive] - The Diamond David Lee Roth Army

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78/84 guy

01-28-2009, 03:46 PM

Sounds like a heart attack. This band has the worst luck. Not a fan of key's in rock music but the stuff he did was great. RIP Billy.

FORD

01-28-2009, 04:10 PM

Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist dies at Florida home

Wed Jan 28, 1:39 PM EST

A keyboardist for the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd has died at his northeast Florida home.

Keyboard player Billy Powell called 911 about 12:55 a.m. Wednesday saying he was having trouble breathing. Rescue crews performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m., said Orange Park Police Lt. Mark Cornett.

Powell, 56, who has a history of heart problems, missed a Tuesday appointment with his doctor for a cardiac evaluation. A heart attack is suspected. No autopsy will be performed because Powell's cardiologist will sign the death certificate, Cornett said.

The Jacksonville-based band was formed in 1966 by a group of high school students — famously, it took its name from a P.E. teacher they disliked, Leonard Skinner. Powell joined the group around 1972, the year before they released their first album, "Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd."

It became one of the South's most popular rock groups, and gained national fame with such hits as "Free Bird," "What's Your Name" and especially "Sweet Home Alabama," which reached the top 10 on the national charts in 1974.

The band was decimated on Oct. 20, 1977, when their chartered plane crashed in a swamp near McComb, Miss.

Six people were killed — lead singer Ronnie Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; and his sister, vocalist Cassie Gaines; as well as an assistant road manager, the pilot and co-pilot.

Powell was one of the survivors.

Two years after the accident, Powell and fellow members Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Leon Wilkeson formed the Rossington-Collins Band. It broke up in 1982.

Powell was on hand again in 1991 when a revived version of the band put out a new album, "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991" and launched a tour in Baton Rouge, La., where the band was headed in 1977 when the plane crashed. Fans who kept their tickets from the canceled 1977 concert were admitted free.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

So who's left? Rossington's the only one, I think. Well, at least we can hope this puts the fake Skynyrd to rest once and for all. May the REAL Lynyrd Skynyrd rest in peace. :(

FORD

01-28-2009, 04:13 PM

Billy at his best......

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ThrillsNSpills

01-28-2009, 04:20 PM

RiP Billy Powell

Excellent piano shredder whose style really fit that band well. (thinking of the I Know a Little solo)

Guitar Shark

01-28-2009, 04:25 PM

(thinking of the I Know a Little solo)

excellent example!

RIP.

78/84 guy

01-28-2009, 04:27 PM

Drummer Bob Burns who played on the first couple albums & Artimus Pyle who replaced Burns are still alive, and guitarist Ed King who wrote Sweet Home Alabama. Pyle & King played with the reformed band from 1987 through the 90's then were replaced. They did play at the hall of fame in 2006 with the band. Rossington & Powell were the only original members playing in the band lately. Unless you want to count Rickey Medlocke who took over as one of the guitarists in the 90's. He was their drummer on their early demo's. He went on to form Blackfoot in the 70's. I agree with Ford this should end the new version of the band, I did like all the newer disc's but you can't keep replacing people forever !!

FORD

01-28-2009, 04:35 PM

Actually I'm surprised Bob Burns IS still alive. He was a total fucking train wreck at the Hall of Fame gig, which probably explains why he's never played with Fake Skynyrd. Ed & Artimus sounded good though. In fact it was the closest thing to real Skynyrd since the plane crash, but at this point they really should just call it a day.

Full Bug

01-28-2009, 04:49 PM

This band has the worst luck.
Considering he survived the plane crash his luck wasnt too bad....

78/84 guy

01-28-2009, 05:00 PM

True !!

ELVIS

01-28-2009, 05:45 PM

excellent example!

RIP.

I couldn't find a vintage live version, but Billy plays his ass off in this 2003 version...

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R.I.P. Billy Powell

:elvis:

ELVIS

01-28-2009, 05:48 PM

but at this point they really should just call it a day.

Yeah, I kinda hope they do...

VanHalener

01-28-2009, 06:00 PM

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm85/ZNETTECLARK/RESTINPEACE.jpg

:cato2::daisy::cato2:

Va Beach VH Fan

01-28-2009, 07:07 PM

Wow.... The bass player died a few years ago as well...

cadaverdog

01-28-2009, 07:24 PM

I seem to remember some deal where they had to have
three origanol members to continue using the name.

78/84 guy

01-28-2009, 07:30 PM

Leon died about 7 years ago and Hughie Thomasson who replaced King died a few years ago after he left the band. He is playing the white Strat in the 03 video Elvis posted. I don't know, that's alot of people dying off before 60 !!

Diamondjimi

01-28-2009, 09:25 PM

Fuck! THis totally sucks.

Billy was crucial to that band. A brilliant keyboard/piano player. A huge loss...

R.I.P.

Diamondjimi

01-28-2009, 10:01 PM

Diamondjimi

01-28-2009, 10:02 PM

FORD

01-28-2009, 10:11 PM

FORD

01-28-2009, 10:22 PM

I hate these fucking dumbasses who rip videos with shitty shareware programs and leave some asshat watermark in the middle of everything..... but sadly, it's the only REAL Skynyrd performance of this song I can find, and I ain't posting the halfass Little Brother Tribute Band crap......

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Matt White

01-29-2009, 11:01 AM

RIP BILLY

that SKYNYRD band in the sky keeps getting better & better.......

cadaverdog

01-29-2009, 07:12 PM

I don't get the hostility towards the band considering the surviving
members and the estates of the deceased all agreed it was cool.

I saw them live and no one there seemed to think they were listening
to some rip - off band.

The song Red White and Blue to me stands up with any of their
early stuff.

78/84 guy

01-29-2009, 10:27 PM

I don't see the problem myself. Smokestack Lightning, The Last Rebel, Workin', Voodoo Lake, Bring It On, Pure & Simple, R.W.Blue & Preacher Man are all great new Skynyrd tunes. If you don't know them and love the original band these are all good tunes !!

Terry

01-30-2009, 10:59 AM

Rossington will keep touring under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd as long as there is a nickel to be made.

Gave 'em a pass in 1987 with the Tribute Tour because, hey, who could say it wasn't fair enough the surviving members would want to reform, do a tour and go out on a positive note? There were enough Skynyrd members at that point (King, Pyle, Rossington, Powell and Leon) who had played with the band before the plane crash that it wasn't a total travesty. Plus, it was billed as a one-off tour at the time.

After the revenues from the tour were realized, well, it became a permanent thing. Slowly but surely, said 1987 legit members died off or quit...by the time it got down to Rossington and Powell, well, it pretty much was picking at a carcass at that point for me. I never bought into the business that because Johnny was Ronnie's brother and Medlocke played drums with the band for a New York minute in the early 1970s that it was legitimate for the band to keep calling itself Skynyrd.

Hey, if others wanna go see the "lynyrd Skynyrd" band featuring Gary Rossington, whatever. Have a good show.

Douglas T.

01-30-2009, 05:47 PM

RIP BP!!!!
I once slid a half full bottle of Jack Daniels across the stage floor bumping it into Billy's foot! he was about three feet away! he looks over angry at first then saw what it was and smiled and scooped it up!

I wish we could of seen more of the Rossington-Collins Band!
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It took balls for Jonny to get up there and cover for his brother! Would have like to have heard more of his solo work too! Which took second to fronting Skynyrd! I was probably at this show! Disclaimer: No Billy in a few of these videos! Forgive me BP!
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Johnny's new stuff with his brother Donnie is some good stuff if you can tolerate the country feel!

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Douglas T.

01-30-2009, 06:11 PM

Considering he survived the plane crash his luck wasnt too bad....

Do ya know who was supposed to be on the plane with them but refused to fly in a plane with a faulty dash board?

Douglas T.

01-30-2009, 06:20 PM

Here ya go:
http://community.lynyrdskynyrd.com/_Billy-Powell-Piano-Solo-LIVE/audio/172747/30191.html

Terry

01-30-2009, 08:17 PM

It's hard to be too critical of them for continuing on with the name, because they went through some shit...far more serious shit than most bands (makes the Van Halen "saga" look like the schoolyard bullshit it really is)...

...Skynyrd for me, or at least the best Skynyrd had to offer, went down on that plane 30 + years ago.

Douglas T.

01-30-2009, 10:58 PM

...Skynyrd for me, or at least the best Skynyrd had to offer, went down on that plane 30 + years ago.

It'd be a whole differant world today had that plane had a bit more gas in the tank!:umm:

Terry

01-30-2009, 11:28 PM

It'd be a whole differant world today had that plane had a bit more gas in the tank!:umm:

Band was getting better with each release, and this is a band that was hot out of the box with their first album. Street Survivors was brilliant...fucking shame...seriously.

ELVIS

01-30-2009, 11:48 PM

Johnny's new stuff with his brother Donnie is some good stuff if you can tolerate the country feel!

I can't, and I think Johnny's voice has always sounded like shit and made Skynyrd sound country compared to the real thing...

I like some country, but not a bit of that overproduced formula bullshit...

:elvis:

Douglas T.

01-30-2009, 11:55 PM

I can't, and I think Johnny's voice has always sounded like shit and made Skynyrd sound country compared to the real thing...

I like some country, but not a bit of that overproduced formula bullshit...

:elvis:

I don't like country and I don't like deluted Skynyrd!

ELVIS

01-31-2009, 12:19 AM

Could have fooled me from the post I quoted you from...

Douglas T.

01-31-2009, 12:43 AM

Could have fooled me from the post I quoted you from...

Yeah I confuse myself sometimes! I don't like country but like the Van Zant country album only because it has the Van Zant stamp on it! Like not being a bluegrass fan but liking Strummin' with the Devil!

Rikk

01-31-2009, 04:31 AM

Very sad shit.

This is still among my favorite three or so bands. His piano solo on I KNOW A LITTLE, his piano solo on TUESDAY'S GONE (unless that's actually Al Kooper)...very sad.

I personally thought the reformed band should have quit years ago. I think it was classless kicking Ed King out...and it showed the integrity of the whole idea.

But I bet $1000 that they'll replace him within a month or two...

Johnny Van Zant indeed is a polished, new-country style singer. His brother had a ghostly, mournful voice with a real edge to it. He didn't fall back on blues-cliche sounds...he didn't overdo the country drawl...he was amazing. My favorite singer besides Dave and maybe Iggy Pop. But Johnny is a poor man's version...the real redneck that Ronnie really wasn't...

Diamondjimi

01-31-2009, 09:37 AM

Good post there Rikk.

How ya been?

BITEYOASS

01-31-2009, 10:22 AM

It'd be a whole differant world today had that plane had a bit more gas in the tank!:umm:

Or if the roadies decided to pull a prank, take the propellers off the plane and give them to band as gifts at the end of the tour. :D

FORD

01-31-2009, 02:26 PM

Band was getting better with each release, and this is a band that was hot out of the box with their first album. Street Survivors was brilliant...fucking shame...seriously.

Hiring Steve Gaines was the best decision the band ever made. (Or maybe hiring Cassie Gaines was, because they never would have heard of Steve without her)

He brought a lot to the band, and he and Ronnie would have no doubt written some great tunes together, had they not taken that final flight. :(

78/84 guy

01-31-2009, 04:52 PM

You Got That Right has to be one of the coolest Skynyrd tune's of all time. Love the way they trade off vocal's & the break in the middle of the song is killer !!

Diamondjimi

01-31-2009, 05:11 PM

Hiring Steve Gaines was the best decision the band ever made. (Or maybe hiring Cassie Gaines was, because they never would have heard of Steve without her)

He brought a lot to the band, and he and Ronnie would have no doubt written some great tunes together, had they not taken that final flight. :(

Absolutely. Skynyrds "next level" would've been incredible. Gaines brought a lot to the table. Hell of a talent.

You Got That Right has to be one of the coolest Skynyrd tune's of all time. Love the way they trade off vocal's & the break in the middle of the song is killer !!

Great tune. Steve's vocals blended in perfect with the Skynyrd sound....

Rikk

01-31-2009, 05:29 PM

Good post there Rikk.

How ya been?

Doin' great, bro. Teaching...loving work. Living with the GF. Been busy as shit.

Good to see ya!

Rikk

01-31-2009, 05:30 PM

Hiring Steve Gaines was the best decision the band ever made. (Or maybe hiring Cassie Gaines was, because they never would have heard of Steve without her)

He brought a lot to the band, and he and Ronnie would have no doubt written some great tunes together, had they not taken that final flight. :(

When I hear STREET SURVIVORS, as brilliant as it is, I hear it as the "warm-up" for the greatness they were about to achieve...even though they were already great. They would have been unbeatable. Their '78 album would probably have been their best ever.

FORD

01-31-2009, 05:36 PM

You Got That Right has to be one of the coolest Skynyrd tune's of all time. Love the way they trade off vocal's & the break in the middle of the song is killer !!

Yet eerily propehtic with the lyric.... "You won't find me in an old folks home".

Ronnie had made his own predictions about dying before he was 30 and "dying with his boots on". Sadly, he managed to do both.

Funny thing about self-fulfilling prophecies....or actually not so funny.

78/84 guy

01-31-2009, 05:45 PM

All the truly great one's seem to leave us a little to early. Would have love to have seen him.

cadaverdog

02-17-2009, 01:21 AM

Do ya know who was supposed to be on the plane with them but refused to fly in a plane with a faulty dash board?
No idea.
Uhless you're refering to the story that Aerosmith was going to
buy the plane first but their pilot refused to fly it because he
thought it was unsafe.
I heard they fired him for that even though he was supposedly
working for free.
They should have kissed his ass.