Billy Powell joins the Ronnie & Steve & Artimus & Leon

[Scott F.]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Billy Powell, the original keyboard player with
the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, died early Wednesday at his
Orange Park home.

Powell was 56.

Orange Park police said Powell called 911 just before 1 a.m.
complaining of difficulty breathing. Paramedics found him in his
bedroom responsive.

Ross Schilling, a publicist with Vector Management, said they believe
Powell suffered a heart attack, but an autopsy will be conducted to
determine his cause of death.

Orange Park police told Channel 4 Powell had an appointment with his
cardiologist on Tuesday, but he did not go.

Powell moved to Jacksonville as a child and attended Bishop Kenny High
School, where he met Leon Wilkenson, future bass player for Skynyrd.
He originally joined the band in the early '70s as a roadie. Before a
gig playing at the The Bolles School prom, he sat down at the piano
and impressed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant enough to be invited to join
the band as its keyboard player.

Skynyrd went on to sign a national recording contract and become the
best-selling southern rock band in history.

In 1977, Van Zant, along guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister and
backup vocalist Cassie Gaines and assistant road manager Dean
Kilpatrick were killed when the band's chartered plane crashed in
Mississippi.

Powell suffered facial injuries in the crash, but eventually
recovered. He was the only band member well enough to attend the
funerals of those killed in the crash.

In 1987, Powell rejoined Skynyrd for a tribute tour and has toured
with the band ever since. He and guitarist Gary Rossington were the
only two original band members who continued to record and tour with
the band.

Powell is survived by his son, Richard, who was at the family home
early Wednesday morning.

[Mad Mike]

You left out Allen, Cassie and Hughie.

Rest in peace, Billy. Fly high, free bird.

[Mad Mike]

On Jan 28, 3:10 pm, Mad Mike <BassPly...@aol.com> wrote:
> You left out Allen, Cassie and Hughie.
>
> Rest in peace, Billy.  Fly high, free bird.

Besides, Artimus isn't dead.

[Scott F.]

My mistake. I typed Artimus instead of Allen.

[Scott F.]

On Jan 28, 2:10 pm, Mad Mike <BassPly...@aol.com> wrote:
> You left out Allen, Cassie and Hughie.
>
> Rest in peace, Billy.  Fly high, free bird.

I mistakenly write Artimus instead of Allen when I made the original
post. As to Cassie, well, without being disrespectul to her, she was
a back-up singer and didn't really create music the way Van Zant, &
Steve did. As to Hughie, well, he wasn't with Skynyrd until after the
tribute tours and then the reunion. He had nothing to do with LS's
creation, wasn't on the plane. He was a hired gun who needed a job
after leaving The Outlaws.

As to Artimus, I hope he gets past his still continuing legal
problems.

Long live the memory of LS

Scott

[The Nice Mean Man]

When did Artimus go?

[The Nice Mean Man]

On Jan 28, 12:55 pm, "Scott F." <sfe...@aol.com> wrote:

Also remember Allen Collins is gone as well.

[Scott F.]

On Jan 28, 8:07�pm, The Nice Mean Man <hitherand...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> When did Artimus go?-

You may have read that I admitted writing Artimus instead of Allen by
mistake.

Scott

[Johnny Ringo]

Had the time of my life watching Billy play the keys off a piano when I
saw Skynyrd live. The man was awesome. RIP Billy.. God Bless...

[Steven H.]

Ronnie traveled more with his ladies than any others, which included Cassie,
so who's to say that she didn't contribute to the music. I'm sure they were
all an influence.

"Scott F." <sfe...@aol.com> wrote in message
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