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.

[trumandogz]

Air Crash Museum
by
The Dead Milkmen

Went out to feed the cattle
And to my surprise
My lawn was full of bodies
Just a gatherin’ up the flies
A big ol’ jet liner
Had dropped from out of the sky
Well I was so darn happy that
I couldn’t believe my eyes
We’re gonna stuff ‘em
Put ‘em on display
‘tween Patsy Cline and Buddy Holly
Loadin’ up my tractor
Gonna take the bodies inside
Betty Lou will bring the sawdust
And I’ve got the formaldehyde
I’m callin’ up my neighbours
Tell ‘em all to drop by
A body stuffin’ party
And we’ll bake some kidney pie
We’re gonna stuff ‘em
Put ‘em on display
‘tween Patsy Cline and Buddy Holly
We’ll have our own air crash museum
People lined for miles just to see ‘em
Jim Croce’s in the corner
The Big Bopper’s by the stairs
Ricky Nelson’s in the kitchen
But nobody cares

[KosmicKitty]

Don’t forget Patsy Cline = March 5, 1963

[Lancey Howard]

How about a singer/songwriter who was killed in a car crash?
Here is one of the most unbeliveable things I ever saw. Check out who is on stage with the featured performer. Pay attention to the MC as he introduces the people in one of the bands:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBdC8lORHh8&mode=related&search=

[Delacon]

Nice to know for us Philly football fans that our fellow citizens can be obnoxious in other venues. Consistency is everything. :)

[ConservativeStatement]

Just, wow. That is all I can say.

The day after my 10th birthday, in 1973, there was a Delta plane crash in Boston that killed 89 people. My brother worked at the airport at the time and he still has first hand memories of the scene.

[Lancey Howard]

I remember Aerosmith would’t come back to Philly for a long time after one of the guitarists got a finger blown off by an M-80 somebody threw on stage.

[Delacon]

Are you talking about Harry Chapin?

[Lancey Howard]

Yes.

[Lancey Howard]

By the way, speaking of Aerosmith, check this out:

In 1977, the band wanted to rent a Convair 240 that had been previously used by southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Aerosmith's flight crew inspected the plane for possible use in the early summer of 1977, but it was rejected because it was felt that neither the plane nor the crew were up to standards. In an interview in the book Walk This Way, Aerosmith's assistant chief of flight operations Zunk Buker tells of seeing pilots McCreary and Gray trading a bottle of Jack Daniels back and forth while Buker and his father were inspecting the plane. Unfortunately, the plane that they wanted to rent crashed, killing three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and severely injuring most of the rest of the band. When Aerosmith's crew heard of their tragic misfortune, they were shocked, but not necessarily surprised. Aerosmith's touring family was also relieved because the band, specifically Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, had been trying to pressure their management into renting that specific plane.

[Guenevere]

Not to be unkind, but I saw them (Moody Blues)..in concert last year, and they need younger, musically adept back-ups to help get them through their songs.

I've always loved them....have all their oldies...

..but honestly, I saw Al Stewart LIVE a few weeks ago...(Year of the Cat, On the Border, etc)...

..and he looks, sounds GREAT..voice is still strong!

[Leisler]

Graduate? I never found the library.

[rabidralph]

I was in HS when it happened and a lot of kids were upset that day when we heard the news on the radio. I still love their music.

[Delacon]

Wow. Maybe Philly rock fans have football fans beat. I’d don’t recall any incidents involving Eagles fans using explosives. Is Philly still the only city with its own court and jail located right inside its stadium I wonder?

[cbkaty]

Isn't that the band that did "Precious and Few?"

Wasn't that "Feelongs..woah woah woah...Feelings? Or was it Loving You....didn;t they duet with Minnie Ripperton?

[Lancey Howard]

(( ping )) to post #89.

[Lancey Howard]

Is Philly still the only city with its own court and jail located right inside its stadium I wonder?

Nope. That all went away when Veterans Stadium was demolished a few years ago.

[Into the Vortex]

Please tell me what what music group does endorse the 2nd amendment to your satisfaction. Please stick to rock though...most country and rap makes me feel like using MY 2nd amendment rights on the offending audio system.

[Lancey Howard]

LOVE Al Stewart. My wife (then fiance) used to go see him at The Tower Theater (Upper Darby, outside of Philly) in the late ‘70s. Saw him there a couple of times, sold out. Awesome shows. About two months ago he was in a fairly small bar near us in Doylestown (capacity <100?). He played solo (I’m sorry I missed it), but people who went said he sounded great.

[Delacon]

I looked it up. Actually, Lincoln Field did have a jail for its first two years. I just found out they removed it because of the success of security there.

[ConservativeStatement]

About five years ago, I saw Robert Plant, on one of his solo tours, open for The Who. I had front row seats. Two rock legends on the same bill. This guy behind me kept yelling “Stairway...” I could see Plant trying to concentrate, on what was a subpar performance, but the fan’s behavior was getting to him.