In December 1975, Steve's older sister, Cassie, became a member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers, The Honkettes. Gaines was born inSeneca, Missouri, and raised inMiami, Oklahoma. Do you need underlay for laminate flooring on concrete? Register here, by continue you accept our What kind of guitar did Steve Gaines play? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The group ended up recording at the well-known Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. His two brothers also became notable Southern rock musicians: Donnie Van Zant was a member of fellow Jacksonville band 38 Special, while Johnny became lead singer for the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987. At the time, the band was in need of a new guitarist to replace the position of Ed King who departed from the band in the middle of 1975. Burial. This is a very lengthy, detailed post. The mausoleums at Jacksonville Memorial Gardens in Orange Park will remain there as memorials to Van Zant and Gaines, the Clay County, Fla., Sheriffs office told the Associated Press. A woman asked Ronnie to dance, and he obliged. On October 20, 1977, three days after the albumStreet Survivorswas released (and five dates into the band's most successful tour yet), a plane carrying the band between shows fromGreenville, South CarolinatoBaton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed outside ofGillsburg, Mississippi. Muse, Evanescence Bring Big Goth Energy to Toyota Center, Jason Roberts Keeps the Music of Bob Wills Swinging. 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. When Steve was 15 years old, he sawThe Beatleslive in Kansas City. Five years later, the Strawberry Fields Memorial was dedicated on the approximate spot, and more or less serves as Lennon's official gravesite. Three days after the release of Street Survivors and five dates into their highest selling tour, a tragedy happened. To open the vault would . fishing, seafood, and live music. Memorial bench for Ronnie Van Zant at Riverside Memorial Park. Funding for the park and its ongoing operations is provided by The Freebird Foundation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Today Gary Rossington is the last surviving member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup. Lynyrd Skynyrd was next up, and by 1973 had joined the Allman Brothers as standard bearers for the Southern rock sound. Steve Gaines, the 28-year-old guitarist so full of promise that Van Zant once claimed the band would "all be in his shadow one day," was buried along with his sister Cassie on October 23rd . 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 first of three shows recorded for the album was Gaines' third gig with the band. He was an actor, known for A Way Back In (2010), Locked in! He was standing beside a road on the other side of a row of trees separating the cemetery property from the mall. 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. As reported by Rolling Stone, Wilkeson was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. Kurt Cobain: Visiting the final resting place of Kurt Cobain's ashes involves several trips. This is that day. All rights reserved. Sept. 14, 1949 - Oct. 20, 1977. Houston's independent source of Other fatalities included the band's road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the pilot, and co-pilot of the aircraft. He also appeared in the 2006 motion picture DVD, An American Haunting, starring Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland. 7. . As his family returned back home, he pleaded with his father until he bought him his own guitar. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. In 1988, MCA Records released the recordings Steve Gaines had made with John Ryan (producer) in the album titled One in the Sun. The remains of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, lead singer and guitarist for the 1970s rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, have been moved by family members to an undisclosed and private burial site. The bands bassist, Leon Wilkeson, was one of the survivors of the plane crash. Per Rolling Stone, the surviving members of the band weren't immediately told about Van Zant's death to allow them to heal from their grave injuries before hearing the devastating news. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. 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. It's disrespectful.". (1964) and Surfari (1967). When Lynyrd Skynyrd wasn't busy with their music, Van Zant's go-to activity was fishing. Steve Gaines. We would be grateful if you would support our work by recording your loved ones, preserving their memory for future generations. 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. They soon formed what would become Lynyrd Skynyrd. How were Steve and Cassie Gaines related? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The original tomb remains in place. Cause of Death. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Burial. Although the band themselves couldn't hear Steve's playing onstage, soundman Kevin Elson was listening through headphones and told the band that Steve was an outstanding player. . Musician. Members of the band party with friends in 1975. Lynyrd Skynyrd graves vandalized - The Florida Times-Union In 1975, his sister, Cassie, whose group had been hired to sing back. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In his final days, Adrian Rogers told those gathered around him, 'I am It has some of my favorite things in life. His family requested supporters to make contributions to the Musician's Assistance Program instead of giving flowers. Interestingly, Ed King and Steve Gaines were both born on September 14, 1949. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. In 1988, MCA Records released the recordings Steve Gaines had made with John Ryan (producer) in the album titled One in the . She was buried near her children. Copyright 2012 by ClickOrlando.com. 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. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and. Though they shipped out for Macon, Georgia just a few weeks later, their impact was immense in their city of origin, with a number of bands following in their footsteps over the next decade. After the death of three of their members, the band decided to change the cover photo of the album, which initially featured a picture of the band engulfed in flames. However, Kevin Elson, the sound technician, had been listening intently through headphones. Gaines and her fellow singers Jojo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins provided a crucial element to the bands distinctive sound. "I used that as a segue to try to sell the lots because it was right next to the people, so I thought, 'OK, somebody might be interested in it just because of that reason,'" Cochran said of why he mentioned Van Zant's burial site in the listing. 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. Age of Death. Steve Gaines - IMDb Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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. Ronnie Van Zant often proclaimed that Whiteys Fish Camp was his favorite restaurant. Ever since, the site has served as a shrine for fans, who often leave flowers, guitar picks, an other tokens in tribute to the band members. Following her death in the 1977 plane crash, Gaines was buried just behind her brother Steve's grave in Jacksonville Memory Gardens. "Investigators said it's unlikely anybody could have broken it with their fist or foot. Ronnie grabbed a pillow from the back of the plane, walked back to his seat, and smiled at Pyle. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. It is adjacent to the ball field where the famous fly ball incident occurred, which became the bands starting point. Steve Gaines: Southern Rock's Magic Man - Rocksoffmag "The bag had a hole in it," Justino said. Chris Soldt, a Boston photographer who spent much of his life in Jacksonville, recently took a tour of the citys Southern rock graves. Steve was the guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. A lonesome railroad track runs through a rural area between Middleburg, Florida, and Doctors lake, in the Brickyard community, where Ronnie Van Zant started a family and spent his last years. 10. In 1977, the body of Steve Gaines was cremated and his ashes buried in Orange Park, Florida. The rock star is buried at Riverside Memorial Park,according to WJXT-TV. The band released the album on October 17, 1977, soon becoming gold certified. But for the year and a half he played with Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were simply untouchable. 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. When I think of Ronnie, I think of trains, probably due to the opening line of his masterpiece, Tuesdays Gone, and another song he penned, Railroad Song. If you really think about it, Ronnies entire life was analogous to a train. 6. Skynyrd Graves Desecrated By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. He has now been laid to rest. Steve Gaines (1949-1977): homenaje de Find a Grave Ive never heard anybody, including any of us, play his picking part quite right. Gary Rossington on Gaines and the track I Know A Little.. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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 plane landed in a swampy area and crashed into trees. Steven Earl Gaines was born on the 14th of September in 1949 in Miami, Oklahoma. What Is The Meaning Of Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelins Amazing 1971 Musical Epic? The final resting places of Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmembers Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines were desecrated by vandals last week at Florida's Jacksonville . They also found a bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes on the ground. Sky Michele written and performed by Jake Fisher (MidniteliteCo) with a beautiful tribute and moving piece to Steve and Cassie Gaines. Pat Fitzhugh is best known for his extensive research and books about the history, legends, and lore of the American South, and his epic investigations of the paranormal. 9. Van Zant's family decided to relocate his remains to Riverside Memorial Park cemetery in Jacksonville. What characteristics allow plants to survive in the desert? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Van Zant openly disclosed his awe and admiration for Steve Gaines, even predicting that the other band members would all be in his shadow one day.. At the height of their fame in the 1970s, the band popularized the Southern rock genre with songs such as Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird. He was 28 years old. Steve Gaines_CROPPED.jpg. Van Zants family decided to relocate his remains to Riverside Memorial Park cemetery in Jacksonville. This store was the inspiration for The Ballad of Curtis Lowe.. But he soon proved his worth and his career thus took off. A plane that had problems the previous year. Steve Gaines, Septembe. Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrd's Deadly 1977 Plane Crash Whiteys Fish Camp. Lynyrd Skynyrd Historic Sites in and Around Jacksonville Also, several of the band interviews in Freebird: The Movie were filmed on the dock. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These alleged sightings also happened at Lake Delancy, one of Ronnie's favored fishing spots. #tbt: A look back at Lynyrd Skynyrd | CNN He is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother" by rock band Drive-By Truckers. Copyright 2012-2022, Pat Fitzhugh; all rights reserved. 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. Pat Fitzhugh - Author / Researcher / Paranormal Adventurer. Van Zant was buried in Jacksonville, Florida, with his signature Texas Hatters hat and his favorite fishing pole (via Mental Floss ). While Van Zants casket was not opened, the urn containing Gainess ashes was, and his ashes were spilled. They didn't leave until around 4 p.m., 12 hours later. "And at the family's request, the cemetery will pay off-duty officers to provide additional security as well for the next couple of weeks," she said. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. He died in his sleep later than night. Original grave of Steve Gaines How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? Where is Steve Gaines buried at? When the tampering was discovered, investigators found Van Zant's coffin on the ground amid broken pieces of marble from the rear wall of a mausoleum. But as the years passed, the songs and sounds of Steve Cropper and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio served as his influence. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The listing claims the value is at $8,780, but Cochran is selling it for $4,000. Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd who have died - Peoria Journal Star Steve used a Fender Standard Stratocaster as his main guitar when playing with Lynyrd Skynyrd and can be seen in this source image with one from a live performance. It runs past the site of his last home, which is a quarter-mile down a modest rural lane just behind the camera. He is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother" by rock bandDrive-By Truckers. A few months later, Gaines was invited to join the band for the production of their live album, One More from the Road. The guys were in shock and the car was silentwell, except for Allen Collins, who started muttering something to the effect of I was cuttin the rug down at a place called the jug. The rest is history. 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. Their father worked for the Illinois Central Railroad and retired in 1976 as a track supervisor. Next thing, her husband bolts through the front door and threatens Ronnie with his life. Ronnie Van Zant - Biography - IMDb Cochran said he's been trying to see the lot for a couple of months now. "They don't understand why, after almost 23 years, anybody would go to this extent to do something like this.". The program provides counseling about different issues including depression, stress, anxiety, and relationships. Two weeks later, Steve Gaines received a phone call from Ronnie Van Zant inviting him to join the band. Just beyond the bridge wall and under the power lines is the train trestle where the main photo for the Nuthin Fancy album was made. Theres no telling what he would have developed cause he kept progressing. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Gaines headstone stands just in front of the graves of his sister and parents, and nearby other members of the Gaines family and the former tomb of Ronnie Van Zant. Originally, he was buried at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, but due to vandalism, was moved from there to Riverside Memorial Park on Normandy Boulevard. The street will retain its former name to prevent residents from. Go get yourself a six-pack, kick back, and start reading. The relocation was prompted by a June 29 break-in at the crypts for Van Zant and Gaines at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, where fans had gathered to pay tribute to the band for more than 22 years. Musician. "Their remains were moved sometime over the weekend. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)-Even in the face of death, friends say, Adrian Rogers exemplified the Christian faith he spent a lifetime sharing. Gaines skill with the guitar and his talent in writing lyrics strengthened the band in the recording studio as well as on stage. She was buried near her children. He has been in the band from day one and his six-string slinging has been featured on every one of the bands releases. Many in Florida believe that Ronnie's spirit is just roaming the swamps Florida while enjoying his favorite hobby. Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). It was a Lynyrd Skynyrd that hadnt been seen before, blowing the Rolling Stones out of the water. 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. Winehouse had her grandmother's name tattooed on her arm, and her ashes were mixed in with Cynthia's after cremation. His guitar-picking and songwriting skills were a major revelation to the band, as proven on his one studio album, 1977'sStreet Survivors. 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. Vandals Smash Open Tombs Containing Lynyrd Skynyrd Members JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. As of yesterday, donations from fans had increased the reward to $22,000. Steve Gaines, Cassie's younger brother, was 28. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It does not store any personal data. 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. Can a leprechaun get away if you look at him? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Leon Wilkeson, the band's bassist, is buried right across from Van Zant and his family. 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. Musician. After his and Van Zants graves were damaged by vandals in 2000, Gaines family reportedly removed his ashes to a private location. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Meanwhile, she said, auxiliary deputies will be assigned to guard the mausoleum grounds for the next two weeks from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. "should anybody get any ideas to do a copycat vandalism or anything like that.".