Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. . In 1975, he recorded several songs with Crawdad atCapricornstudios inMacon, Georgiawhich were released byMCAin 1988 asOne in the Sun(when the present day Lynyrd Skynyrd band began touring) and is listed as his only official solo album. A block up Woodcrest from the Van Zant house is the former Woodcrest Grocery, where Ronnie worked as a kid and also sat out front listening to older men (including Shorty Medlocke, Rickys father) play and sing the blues. Prior to the show, members of the band told the sound technician that, Cassies brother is going to come up and play with us, if he does not have the level, unplug him.. Also, several of the band interviews in Freebird: The Movie were filmed on the dock. He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). This was reflected in his sole studio album with the band, Street Survivors (1977). was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie were buried. Gaines and Van Zant were 29 years old when they died in the 1977 plane crash. The final resting place of backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steves sister) and their parents, at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. Among the six who died were Van Zant, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, and guitarist Steve Gaines. Only three days later on October 20, tragedy struck when the plane carrying the band crashed in a Mississippi countryside, leaving vocalists Ronnie Van Zant and Cassie Gaines, as well as guitarist Steve Gaines, dead. Age of Death. Kurt Cobain: Visiting the final resting place of Kurt Cobain's ashes involves several trips. The group ended up recording at the well-known Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. After his and Van Zants graves were damaged by vandals in 2000, Gaines family reportedly removed his ashes to a private location. On October 19, they performed a concert in Greenville, the last song they performed being Free Bird.. Ms visi esam niecga sastvdaa cilvces vstur, kuru aicinm rakstt kop. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter forsouthern rockbandLynyrd Skynyrd, and is the younger brother ofCassie Gaines, who was a back up vocalist for the band's live performances. On October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the bands crew were flying to a tour date in Baton Rouge when the plane ran out of fuel and crashed in the Southern Mississippi woods. A few months later, Gaines was invited to join the band for the production of their live album, One More from the Road. Portions of the Nirvana front man were scattered in a dozen places, including the muddy banks of the Wishkah River, in various ceremonies. Justino said a heavy object evidently had been used to shatter the stone wall on the front of the marble mausoleum containing Van Zant's casket. Interestingly, Ed King and Steve Gaines were both born on September 14, 1949. from the fact that the carbon contained in the fish caught is released as CO 2 into the atmosphere instead of remaining buried in the seabed," the researchers said. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, The Alice Cooper Fact Sheet 5 Things You Need To Know. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Leslie Hawkins sustained a concussion, broke her neck in three places and had severe facial lacerations. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". What date did Steve Gaines join Lynyrd Skynyrd? Steve's contributions included his co-lead vocal with Ronnie on the co-written "You've Got That Right" (a solid hit single released after the plane crash) and the rousing guitar boogie "I Know A Little" which he had written before he joined Skynyrd. It was Steve Gainess only solo album. As the astonished band members quickly drove away, no one said a word. Many in Florida believe that Ronnie's spirit is just roaming the swamps Florida while enjoying his favorite hobby. Steve Gaines was cremated and buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but was relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zant's tombs on June 29, 2000. Van Zant and the Gaines siblings were originally laid to rest in nearby plots at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, Florida, with Van Zant entombed in a marble mausoleum. "I hope they [the vandals] get help, because they have to be twisted to do what they did," Morris said. They soon formed what would become Lynyrd Skynyrd. However, Kevin Elson, the sound technician, had been listening intently through headphones. Do you need underlay for laminate flooring on concrete? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. (The two musicians were killed in a 1977 plane crash.) It sums up Ronnies life perfectly. Ronnie Van Zants grave at Riverside Memorial Park. Gaines was cremated and his ashes were buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but were relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zants tombs on June 29, 2000. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. The Jaxson is produced by Modern Cities in association with WJCT. Ronnie Van Zant Ronnie was the lead singer for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Sept. 14, 1949 - Oct. 20, 1977. Burial. Members of the band party with friends in 1975. privacy policy. To me, this was the most somber, heart-wrenching site on my entire trip. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. To complete the sign up process please verify your email address by clicking on the link that has been sent to you previously speficifed email. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. "I had never seen it," said Marsh, who was trying to snap pictures of the tomb as deputies shooed her and Carpenter away. The intruders may have been frightened off by the first deputy who arrived on the scene shortly after someone telephoned the Sheriff's Office about 3 a.m. and reported hearing unusual noises coming from the cemetery. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Although initially reluctant, the band relented and on May 11, 1976 Steve joined Skynyrd on stage for one song. In a bizarre twist to the case, 40-year-old David Jennings of Jacksonville was arrested and charged early Monday with damaging a temporary, plywood wall on the rear of Van Zant's Mausoleum, Justino said. Johnny's widow Linda has his actual remains in her keeping. Stiv Bators: One of punk rock's most important voices was Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys and the Lords of the New Church. Other fatalities included the band's road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the pilot, and co-pilot of the aircraft. In December 1975, Steve's older sister,Cassie, became a member ofLynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers,The Honkettes. Following her death in the 1977 plane crash, Gaines was buried just behind her brother Steves grave in Jacksonville Memory Gardens. But the break-in at the mausoleum has left the family particularly shaken, Justino said. It's disrespectful.". Steve Gaines. . They also found a bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes on the ground. On February 15, 1979, the mother of Steve and Cassie, also named Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie are buried. I have posted a few pictures here and there, always with the promise of one day publishing all of them, along with the stories history behind them. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. Born to parents Edgar and Dorothy Gaines, Steve and his only sibling, Ed, spent most of their youth in the small town of Dyersburg, Tennessee. In December 1975, Steve's older sister, Cassie, became a member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers, The Honkettes. "Investigators said it's unlikely anybody could have broken it with their fist or foot. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". He is widely known as the vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 to October 1977. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Who did Steve Gaines replace? Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Last week, family members established a $5,000 Van Zant and Gaines Reward Fund at Oceanside Bank in Neptune Beach for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. He has now been laid to rest. However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zant's tombs were broken into. His proficiency in rock, blues, and country music, as well as his desire to widen his scope and vision, may have led to significant pieces of work in the future. Apart from this, Gaines had a compilation album of live recordings with Manalive and Crawdad released on CD in 2001 called I Know A Little Live. He is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother" by rock band Drive-By Truckers. Drummer Artimus Pyle said that it seemed Ronnie was aware of his imminent death when they were about to go down. He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. Along with another compilation of live recordings with Detroit and Crawdad released as a CD titled Okie Special. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In June 2000, the graves of Van Zant and Steve Gaines were vandalized. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. In a conversation with Gene Odom, the bands security manager, Van Zant told him, that Steve Gaines is the best thing to ever happen to this band., On October 13, 1977, the band departed on a tour in their old plane to support and promote their new album. "The bag had a hole in it," Justino said. He is best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claimed other band members and crew. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. The longtime pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church in suburban Memphis and the three-time Southern Baptist Convention president died Nov. 15 at the age of 74 following a battle with pneumonia and cancer. After the break-in was discovered, additional deputies, investigators and evidence technicians, including a team from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, were called to the scene. 9. Steve has two other albums, which are known to be very rare bootleg albums from different record companies:I Know A Little(a collection of live recordings with Crawdad) andOkie Special(a collection of live recordings with Crawdad as well asDetroit). Steve Gaines (1949 1977) joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in May 1976. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Original grave of Steve Gaines His girlfriend Caroline followed Bators' wishes to be cremated and spread over the grave of Jim Morrison -- except, according to filmmaker John Waters, for the small amount she snorted. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Some have told me that Derek Trucks, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band and a Jacksonville resident, has also been spotted there a few times with is wife, Susan, and others from their musical camp. He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. It is about a hundred yards down the creek from Hell House, the bands official writing and rehearsal studio. According to Louder Sound, a lot of people claimed to have seen a figure dressed in black holding a yellow fishing pole the same color that Ronnie was buried with. TheJaxsonMag.com She was buried near her children. The original mausoleum remains in place. So confident was Skynyrd's leader of Steve's abilities that the album (and some concerts) featured Steve delivering his self-penned bluesy "Ain't No Good Life" one of the few songs in the pre-crash Skynyrd catalog to feature a lead vocalist other thanRonnie Van Zant. They didn't leave until around 4 p.m., 12 hours later. Bassist Leon Wilkeson is shown wearing his bull horns hat while driving a souped-up dune buggy across the bridge and into the sunset while Freebird is played in the background.This stretch of the highway leads from I-95, and west to Green Cove Springs, FL. 1 What date did Steve Gaines join Lynyrd Skynyrd? He died on October 20, 1977 in the plane crash that also took the lives of Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines. In addition to the Van Zant and Gaines vaults, Justino said, vandals also broke walls of three other small vaults containing cremated remains, but those were not disturbed. He was elected, and was then re-elected for a second one-year term at the 2017 annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. "I hope the Lord will forgive them for what they have done.". How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? When the plane crashed, Ronnie Van Zant instantly died due to blunt force trauma to his head. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Train, roll on. Theirmausoleumsremain as memorials for fans to visit. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This positive aura and thriving energy are not only visible in his songs, but is also reflected in his band members whom he brought a sense of unity to as well as new levels of creativity and inspiration. "The family is extremely upset," Justino said. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Other successful bands to emerge from Jacksonvilles fertile scene at this time included Cowboy, Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, and 38 Special. If you can't make the recordings, you can support us by donating. The original tomb remains in place. Joe Carpenter had traveled from Bradenton to Orange Park to show his girlfriend, Jenney Marsh, Van Zant's grave yesterday. When he was 15 years old, he saw the Beatles performing live in Kansas City. Cassie Gaines, the bands backup vocalist, was his older sister. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. What is meant by the competitive environment? Theres no telling what he would have developed cause he kept progressing. The Van Zant family plot at Riverside Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. He has been in the band from day one and his six-string slinging has been featured on every one of the bands releases. Van Zant's resting place was moved after his gravesite was vandalized, but nobody knew where, until Thursday. In December of 1975, Cassie Gaines, Steves older sister, was inducted into Lynyrd Skynyrds The Honkettes, a group of female singers who sang backup vocals for the band. Cause of Death. Gaines was born in Miami, Oklahoma. Ronnie Van Zant often proclaimed that Whiteys Fish Camp was his favorite restaurant. Muse, Evanescence Bring Big Goth Energy to Toyota Center, Jason Roberts Keeps the Music of Bob Wills Swinging. The band had been looking for a new third guitar player to replace departed member Ed King, and gave Gaines an audition at the suggestion of his older sister Cassie. These alleged sightings also happened at Lake Delancy, one of Ronnie's favored fishing spots. Gaines theology is best described as conservative and evangelical.Steve Gaines (pastor). A listing name reads: "Two plots with vaults adjacent to the late Ronnie Van Zant.". ORANGE PARK -- Nearly 23 years after Lynyrd Skynyrd rock singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines were laid to rest at Jacksonville Memory Gardens, vandals broke into a tomb and disturbed their remains yesterday morning. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines . Once you cross this bridge heading west, you are officially in Skynyrd Country. The Lynyrd Skynyrd historic sites will begin at Green Cove Springs (a few miles past this bridge), and extend north some 20 miles into Jacksonville. In the not-too-distant past, I created and took a self-guided tour of the various sites associated with the Lynyrd Skynyrd band. 4. In 1977, the body of Steve Gaines was cremated and his ashes buried in Orange Park, Florida. Cassie convinced him to drive to Kansas City from his small farm just outside West Seneca, Oklahoma. The Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park is on Highway 17 near Green Cove Springs, Florida. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Following her death in the 1977 plane crash, Gaines was buried just behind her brother Steve's grave in Jacksonville Memory Gardens. Some very odd things have occurred with famous ashes, so being the resident morbid person on staff, I've gathered those stories to present them to you. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 28years (19491977) Gaines died from blunt-force trauma to the head; he was 28 years old and likely was killed on impact. Get even more exclusive content on my Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/RNRTrueStoriesToday we take a look at the 2000 news story. His family requested supporters to make contributions to the Musician's Assistance Program instead of giving flowers. According to his story, Van Zant had told him to get himself out of there as it was not his time yet. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Ronnie attended Lee High School in Jacksonville with fellow band members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins. 5. Rocks Off is a digital collection of stories, articles, and music. On February 15, 1979, the mother of Steve and Cassie, also named Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie are buried. However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zants tombs were broken into. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. But as the years passed, the songs and sounds of Steve Cropper and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio served as his influence. The site. When Steve was 15 years old, he sawThe Beatleslive in Kansas City. Steve Gaines' Death - Cause and Date. This is the tiny dock behind the former Hell House. The original, older dock is underneath this oneyou can see it from the edge of the creek. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 28 years. Gaines was cremated and his ashes were buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but were relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zant's tombs on June 29, 2000. "They don't understand why, after almost 23 years, anybody would go to this extent to do something like this.". However, he had his own vision and in 1974 formed his own band, Crawdad. Rossington, Van Zandt, and Collins were the only founding members left in the band. A story that the remaining ashes had been stolen from Courtney Love and were to be smoked in a spliff by Australian artist Natascha Stellmach turned out later to be a hoax. Musician. After recovering, Leon revealed that he had been sitting on a cloud with Ronnie Van Zant and Duane Allman. His older sister Cassie Gaines, a backup vocalist with the band, likewise died in the crash. How many children does Steve Gaines have? Other fatalities included the band's road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the pilot, and co-pilot of the aircraft. Recently, I explored some of the strange things that musicians have been buried with. Don't have an account yet? The Outlaws and Ghosts of The NatchezTrace, Movie Trailer: The Mark of the BellWitch, "From Turkey Creek A Memoir" Fan Page on Facebook, "Ghostly Cries From Dixie" Fan Page on Facebook, "MORE Ghostly Cries From Dixie" Fan Page on Facebook, "The Bell Witch: The Full Account" Fan Page on Facebook, "The Outlaws and Ghosts of The Natchez Trace" Fan Page on Facebook. We've got a gig to do." As of yesterday, donations from fans had increased the reward to $22,000. Getty Images. The plot at Jacksonville Memory Gardens containing the former tomb of Ronnie Van Zant, and the graves of Steve and Cassie Gaines and their parents, along with Steves widow, Teresa Gaines Rapp. Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines(September 14, 1949 October 20, 1977) was an American musician. It does not store any personal data. Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. Security manager Gene Odom was seriously burned on his arm and face and lost the sight in one eye as a result of an emergency flare on board the plane that was activated during the crash. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day.