RIP Billy Powell Of Skynard Fame

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=113327

LYNYRD SKYNYRD keyboardist Billy Powell died Wednesday morning at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. The cause of death has not been revealed. He was 56.

Orange Park police told WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, Fla., Powell called 911 just before 1 a.m. complaining he was having trouble breathing, but paramedics arrived to find him unresponsive.

It is believed the musician suffered a fatal heart attack, but an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of his death, Ross Schilling, a publicist with Vector Management, told WJXT. Powell had skipped an appointment with his cardiologist Tuesday, police said.

Powell's death was confirmed on the band's web site. "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," reads a message posted on the site.

Powell joined LYNYRD SKYNYRD in 1973 and stayed with the band until 1977 when he survived a plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines and other crew members. He suffered critical injuries, but was the only band member able to attend the funerals.

He joined the Christian rock band VISION in the 1980s. Powell reunited with LYNYRD SKYNYRD in 1989 and remained with them until his death.

Guitarist Gary Rossington is now the only surviving original LYNYRD SKYNYRD member.



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"We had decided the night before that we would definitely get rid of the plane in Baton Rouge. So we started partying to celebrate the last flight on it. The right engine started sputtering, and I went up to the cockpit. The pilot said they were just transferring oil from one wing to another, everything's okay. Later, the engine went dead. Artimus [Pyle] and I ran to the cockpit. The pilot was in shock. He said, 'Oh my God, strap in.' Ronnie [Van Zant] had been asleep on the floor and Artimus got him up and he was really pissed. We strapped in and a minute later we crashed. The pilot said he was trying for a field, but I didn't see one. The trees kept getting closer, they kept getting bigger. Then there was a sound like someone hitting the outside of the plane with hundreds of baseball bats. I crashed into a table; people were hit by flying objects all over the plane. Ronnie was killed with a single head injury. The top of the plane was ripped open. Artimus crawled out the top and said there was a swamp, maybe alligators. I kicked my way out and felt for my hands -- they were still there. I felt for my nose and it wasn't, it was on the side of my face. There was just silence. Artimus and Ken Peden and I ran to get help, Artimus with his ribs sticking out." -- BILLY POWELL

"Guitarist Gary Rossington is now the only surviving original LYNYRD SKYNYRD member."

isnt artimus pyle (the original drummer) still alive?

harman said:

"Guitarist Gary Rossington is now the only surviving original LYNYRD SKYNYRD member."

isnt artimus pyle (the original drummer) still alive?

Click to expand...

Alive

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Billy Powell


Biography

Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Powell grew up in a military family (his father was in the navy) and spent several years of his childhood living in Italy where his father was stationed. After his father died of cancer in 1960, he moved with his family back to the United States and settled in Jacksonville, Florida. His mother enrolled him at the Sanford Naval Academy in Sanford, Florida. While at Sanford, Billy's interest in music began to grow. He began taking piano lessons from a local teacher named Madeleine Brown. She swore he did not need her, claiming that Billy was a natural and picked things up well on his own.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference">[1]</sup>

Musical career

Billy returned to Jacksonville where he enrolled at Bishop Kenny High School. It was here that he met Leon Wilkeson, future bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. The two soon became close friends. When he graduated in 1970, he enrolled briefly in a community college, majoring in Music Theory. Around this time he found work as a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Powell remained a roadie for Skynyrd until 1972, when the band was hired to play the Bolles School prom. After setting up the band's equipment, Billy sat down at a piano in the corner of the room and began to play his own version of 'Free Bird'. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant was impressed, and invited Powell to join Lynyrd Skynyrd officially as their new keyboard player.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference">[2]</sup>
In 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd was signed to MCA Records and received national exposure in with the release of their first album, (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd). The bands popularity soared in 1974 with their follow-up album, Second Helping, which featured their highest-charting single, "Sweet Home Alabama". The band enjoyed great popularity over the next three years, culminating in the 1977 release of Street Survivors, which many considered to be their strongest effort to date.
However, three days after the release of Street Survivors, Skynyrd's chartered plane crashed into a forest near McComb, Mississippi. The crash took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick. The remainder of the band suffered injuries ranging from mild to severe. Powell suffered severe facial lacerations, almost completely losing his nose but was otherwise relatively uninjured. He was the first to be released from the hospital, and the only member able to attend the funerals of his fallen bandmates.
During the time between the plane crash and the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion in 1987, Powell briefly joined a Christian rock band named Vision. His keyboard playing was often spotlighted in Vision concerts. Powell also spoke during the concerts about his newly found faith in Jesus Christ.
Powell rejoined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987 for a tribute tour, and remained with the band until his death. Guitarist Gary Rossington is the only member from the classic lineup who continues to record and perform with the reunited band today.
His son Brandon Powell is a guitarist in the Jacksonville based rock band Syntenic.

Death

The day of January 27th, 2009, Powell missed an appointment for a cardiac evaluation. On January 28, 2009, Powell died at his condo in Orange Park, Florida.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference">[3]</sup> He had dialed 911 just before 1am complaining of difficulty breathing. Paramedics found him unresponsive in his bedroom still holding the phone. A heart attack is suspected. Orange Park Police reported Powell had a history of heart trouble, and that his cardiologist would sign the death certificate, negating the need for an autopsy. <sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference">[4]</sup>

"That smell" was written about/to rossington, who had the "smell of death" due to his evil ways and now he is the only one left alive, kind of ironic.