Billy Powell of Lynyrd Skynyrd passes

Billy Powell, the only keyboardist Lynyrd Skynyrd ever had, died last
night at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56.
No cause of death has been announced, and a post on the official Synyrd Website
reads, "A Great Loss — Beloved Pianist for the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band,
Billy Powell, passed away last night. We will post more info shortly.

The family and band request your respect and understanding during this difficult time. Thank you. " The band is canceling upcoming shows and directing fans to its Website for tour updates.


Powell first joined Skynyrd in 1973 after serving as the band's
roadie for a year. His keyboard work features prominently on the
band's debut (pronounced ..leh-'nerd 'skin-'nerd), with Powell
credited for crafting the intro for their epic anthem "Free Bird"
(Number 191 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All Time).
After impressing Ronnie Van Zant with his work on the song, Powell was
officially invited to join the band, and remained a member from their
debut album until 1977's Street Survivors.


Powell survived the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of singer
Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines
and other crew members. Despite suffering injuries including facial
lacerations and nearly losing his nose, Powell was the first to be
discharged from the hospital and was the only member to attend his
bandmates' funerals.

After Skynyrd, Powell joined the Christian rock
band Vision, but reunited with Skynyrd after a decade-long hiatus for
some concerts in 1989, and ultimately remained with the band until
now. In May, Skynyrd played their first-ever gig at New York's
Madison Square Garden with Kid Rock.


Powell and the rest of his Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates were inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. With Powell's death,
guitarist Gary Rossington becomes the lone surviving original Skynyrd
member.

Wow. Is their any original members left of the original incarnation of Lynyrd Skynyrd? That is some sad news.

I think Gary Rossington still tours with Skynyrd and is the only original member Skynyrd will always be one of my favorite bands. There catalog just has too many good songs that never grow old. Billy was a huge part of the Skynyrd sound and will missed.

That sucks!

Billy's keys are one of the highlights of Skynyrd in my book. The guy could really "tickle the ivories".

RIP.

And I forgot about that Vision band...

RIP bro.

RIP.

RIP

RIP.

Quote :

I think Gary Rossington still tours with Skynyrd and is the only original member

I know he's no longer with the band, but was Artemis Pyle an original member? Was there another drummer before him? Him and Gary might be the last 2 orignals still standing. I'm not up on my Skynyrd family history like I should.

Sad news about Billy. 56 is too young.

56? That is sad. That means he was 20 or 21 when he joined the band and also when he wrote and played that beautiful intro to "Freebird". Wow, I never realized that, that piano work does not sound like a guy just entering his 20's.

Lynyrd Skynyrd's music will live on forever and so will Powell's legacy with the band, as well as those who've passed on before.

Wooooaaah! That sucks!

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Quote :

I think Gary Rossington still tours with Skynyrd and is the only original member

I know he's no longer with the band, but was Artemis Pyle an original member? Was there another drummer before him? Him and Gary might be the last 2 orignals still standing. I'm not up on my Skynyrd family history like I should.

Sad news about Billy. 56 is too young.

I think Bob Burns was the drummer on the first couple of records and Artemis joined later. I could be wrong, though.

Leatherface wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Quote :

I think Gary Rossington still tours with Skynyrd and is the only original member

I know he's no longer with the band, but was Artemis Pyle an original member? Was there another drummer before him? Him and Gary might be the last 2 orignals still standing. I'm not up on my Skynyrd family history like I should.

Sad news about Billy. 56 is too young.

I think Bob Burns was the drummer on the first couple of records and Artemis joined later. I could be wrong, though.

Yea, I went and looked it up. Artemis was the 2nd or 3rd drummer. There are still a few ex-original members still alive. Gary Rossington however is the only living original member still with the group.

Sucks big time I know they were about to do a new cd!

Wargod49

A sad day and a big loss of a man way too young. Be at peace Billy.

This one really bums me out! Skynyrd has always been one of my favorites.

Toho mentioned his band "Vision." Anyone ever seen that on CD?

RIP Billy!

Ain't that some . R.I.P.

RIP to another amazing musician, dead way too young. On Wednesday, when the classic rock station in my area announced this sad news, they played the extended version of Freebird right after announcing the news.