TALENT WE LOST
R.I.P. Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant (LYNYRD SKYNYRD): January 15th, 1948 – October 20th, 1977
R.I.P. Cassie LaRue Gaines (LYNYRD SKYNYRD): January 9th, 1948 – October 20th, 1977
R.I.P. Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines (LYNYRD SKYNYRD): September 14th, 1949 – October 20th, 1977
Following a performance in support of the newly-released Street Survivors album, at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 20th, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered plane with a faulty engine to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After running low on fuel the pilots attempted an emergency landing before crashing in a heavily forested area five miles northeast of Gillsburg, Mississippi. Singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, background singer Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray were killed on impact.
R.I.P. Paul Vincent Raven (KILLING JOKE, PRONG, MINISTRY): January 16th, 1961 – October 20th, 2007
R.I.P. Phil Kennemore (Y&T): October 20th, 1953 - January 7th, 2011
Late Y&T bassist Phil Kennemore would’ve been 68 today (October 20th, 1953). 🎂
HEAVY BIRTHDAYS
Happy 54th
Fred Coury (CINDERELLA) - October 20th, 1967
Happy 76th
Ric Lee (born Richard Lee; TEN YEARS AFTER) - October 20th, 1945
Happy 70th
Alan Greenwood (FOREIGNER, JOE LYNN TURNER) - October 20th, 1951
Happy 56th
Tom Naumann (SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR) - October 20th, 1965
HEAVY RELEASES
Happy 23rd
BLACK SABBATH’s Reunion (live album) - October 20th, 1998