You, as a person will not live forever, but your music and your work will. “That’s something I think about as a songwriter. There’s something special, too, she says, about seeing music transcend generations. Singer/songwriter Kayleigh Mathews Courtesy of Kayleigh Mathews It’s become a place for fans of the band, fans of Southern Rock, and singers, songwriters, and musicians who want to honor the legacy of Ronnie Van Zant and the band he created, to gather and pay tribute. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument has become one of the most heavily visited sites in Southwestern, Mississippi. Today, black granite walls mark the spot where the plane went down. “People really identify with “Simple Man,” “Freebird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” “Gimme Three Steps.” It’s a phenomena for these songs to be this powerful 45 years after that plane crash.” “It’s the power of Ronnie’s prolific writing,” notes Pyle. The band itself, with three of its members gone, wouldn’t perform for the next 10 years, until Ronnie’s brother, Johnny, took on the role of lead singer.Īnd yet, all of those original Skynyrd songs are just as loved today, as they were all those years ago. Ronnie Van Zant, who wrote the band’s most famous songs – would write no more. The 1977 crash changed the course of rock & roll history. And that my friends, Ronnie and the others, met their deaths very bravely.” “I wanted Lynyrd Skynyrd fans to know what we went through that fateful day and night. He says after all of these years, he felt it was time to tell the story. Pyle, along with his sons, and his Artimus Pyle Band (created in 2010 to honor Lynyrd Skynyrd), wrote the music for the soundtrack. Pyle says the “Street Survivors” film accurately depicts the events of October 20th, although due to budget constraints producers weren’t able able to secure the exact type of plane that crashed. The farmer then rushed to assist Pyle and get help back to the crash site. Then, something tore through my arm, and I yelled, ‘Plane Crash!’ with what I thought was my last breath.” I was stumbling because I had injuries and thought I was dying. There was some discussion as to whether it might have been a ricochet shot. The farmer would later deny shooting Pyle. “He came out of the house, and I looked like Charles Manson all covered in blood, with my long hair and beard. “I know the farmer was only protecting his family,” Pyle says. He would end up getting shot along the way. He headed for a farmhouse he spotted in the distance. Right after the crash, Pyle, whose injuries included broken ribs, helped pull one victim out of the wreckage, then went for help. Of the 26 people on board, miraculously, 20 survived, although many suffered severe injuries. Pilot Walter McCreary and Co-pilot William Gray rounded out the six fatalities. Guitarist Steve Gaines, and Gaines sister and back-up vocalist, Cassie Gaines were also killed, along with assistant road manager, Dean Kilpatrick. Pyle believes he was probably struck by the heavy Sony Trinitron or beta machine they had on board that was loose and flying through the plane along with everything else – upon impact. The doctor told him Van Zant’s body was intact, but he had died from a single blow to the head. Much later, after Pyle was eventually transported to the hospital, Pyle would discover Van Zant didn’t make it. The small plane had 26 people on board, and six were killed in the crash, including three members of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band. The wreckage of a twin engine Convair CV-240 plane lies in a wooded area near McComb, Miss., on Oct. Pyle chokes up and pauses, then through tears, continues. He stopped at my seat, did the old hippie handshake, then gave me a beautiful smile. You’re going to the back of the plane where it’s probably a little safer. “Ronnie went to the back of the plane, and I remember thinking to myself, that’s a good idea. Pyle remembers everything, including his last interaction with Van Zant. I mean everybody was going, ‘Oh shit, we’re going down.” So, there was some anger, but for the most part everybody was calm, cool, and collected. “In the movie, it shows some of the band freaking out because a couple of guys got really mad at our pilot and co-pilot for making the terrible mistakes that got us into this position. Bio-documentary that tells the story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash through the eyes of drummer.
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