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. Please enter the adress associated with your account. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Houston's independent source of What kind of guitar did Steve Gaines play? And the music was all I played while learning guitar and for the first 25-30 years of my musical life. Gaines and her fellow singers Jojo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins provided a crucial element to the bands distinctive sound. Steve Gaines was born on September 14, 1949 in Miami, Oklahoma, USA. These alleged sightings also happened at Lake Delancy, one of Ronnie's favored fishing spots. 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. Get even more exclusive content on my Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/RNRTrueStoriesToday we take a look at the 2000 news story. The crash also killedRonnie Van Zant, Steve's sisterCassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray. (The two musicians were killed in a 1977 plane crash.) Members of the band party with friends in 1975. 6. 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. At 90 acres, the park first opened in 1990 and has been continually been added onto. To open the vault would . The Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park is on Highway 17 near Green Cove Springs, Florida. It was on the original dock that Ronnie Van Zant would sit and fish, swat at alligators, and come up with the lyrics to the bands most famous songs. It was a Lynyrd Skynyrd that hadnt been seen before, blowing the Rolling Stones out of the water. Muse, Evanescence Bring Big Goth Energy to Toyota Center, Jason Roberts Keeps the Music of Bob Wills Swinging. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The Van Zant family plot at Riverside Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida. Johnny's widow Linda has his actual remains in her keeping. Van Zant was passionate about fishing, and he used it to relax and escape his busy life as a rock star. In 1977, the body of Steve Gaines was cremated and his ashes buried in Orange Park, Florida. The ashes of her partner, Maria Desiderio, and their dog Ember were later interred with her. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 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. Three kids by the name of Van Zant grew up here. After the crash, the Street Survivors album cover had to be replaced as it was too tragic to see Steve Gaines in the center of the photo surrounded by fire with his eyes shut. In 2001, Steve Gaines was further penned down in the history of music when the band, Drive-By Truckers, wrote the song Cassies Brother about him. In 1977, the body of Steve Gaines was cremated and his ashes buried in Orange Park, Florida. Our content aims to be informative and entertaining, often discussing the lesser-known moments in history. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? . He has been in the band from day one and his six-string slinging has been featured on every one of the bands releases. Ronnie Van Zant, however, brushed it off and said: "Hey if the Lord wants you to die on this plane, when it's your time, it's your time. Laying on the ground, still alive for only a moment, to slowly bleed to death. 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. 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. How many times should a shock absorber bounce? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. His experience in the field spans nearly four decades. Clay County Sheriff's deputies found Van Zant's unopened casket on the ground about 3 a.m. at the rear of a marble mausoleum on the northern edge of the cemetery grounds next to the Orange Park Mall on Blanding Boulevard. 2023 Steven Earl Gaines was an American musician. Memorial bench for Ronnie Van Zant at Riverside Memorial Park. 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. Unlike Kurt Cobain, though, her ashes are all in one place, just not alone. 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. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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 . Authorities did not speculate on a motive, nor whether the intruders may have been deranged fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd seeking a bizarre memento or simply vandals out for a night of destruction. In June 2000, the graves of Van Zant and Steve Gaines were vandalized. Many in Florida believe that Ronnie's spirit is just roaming the swamps Florida while enjoying his favorite hobby. As reported by Rolling Stone, Wilkeson was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. October 20, 1977. The Jaxson He dined there often, and the place was only a stones throw from his last home, just off nearby Brickyard Road. Initially, the band members did not expect a lot from Gaines. In 2000, their graves were vandalized and opened, some say in order to prove whether or not Van Zant had been wearing a Neil Young shirt when he was buried. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Other fatalities included the band's road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the pilot, and co-pilot of the aircraft. Whilst in Manalive, Gaines was playing with his famous Les Paul Black Beauty, which according to friends never left his side. "I had never seen it," said Marsh, who was trying to snap pictures of the tomb as deputies shooed her and Carpenter away. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. He has now been laid to rest. Died: Band's plane wreck. It runs past the site of his last home, which is a quarter-mile down a modest rural lane just behind the camera. Dee Dee has a proper grave, but Johnny sports a cenotaph as a memorial marker for fans to visit. A bit of an old soul who enjoys a good hit of nostalgia! 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. Publicly and privately,Ronnie VanZantmarveled at the vocal and instrumental skill of Skynyrd's newest member, claiming that the band would "all be in his shadow one day". These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Its where part of the 1970s Pepsi Cola Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute video was shot. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. As of yesterday, donations from fans had increased the reward to $22,000. Whenever you saw him, he was always playing the guitar.. "It was broken into about six large pieces found on the ground," she said. The caller had been waiting for someone to pick him up at the mall. He died in his sleep later than night. Embed from Getty Images. King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. Did you like this video? His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Aviation Accident And Incident. He joined the band for their performance of T-For Texas, (Blue Yodel #1) by Jimmie Rodgers in Kansas City, Missouri at the Municipal Auditorium. Steve Gaines_CROPPED.jpg. During surgery, it was said that his heart stopped beating twice. Later on, Steve Gaines formed a band called Manalive. Shortly after, he had started his first high school band, The Ravens. In 1964, when he was just fifteen, he went to see the Beatles live in concert in Kansas City. Where is Steve Gaines buried at? In fact, Southern rock is arguably as popular now as it was in its heyday, and more recent Jacksonville bands, including JJ Grey and Mofro and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, continue to carry on its legacy. The secret was leaked through Craigslist. Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. The ash remains of Cassie Gaines, Steve Gaines' sister and a vocalist with the band, were undisturbed. Pat Fitzhugh - Author / Researcher / Paranormal Adventurer. Others sustained grave injuries but otherwise survived the accident (via Taste of Country). In the not-too-distant past, I created and took a self-guided tour of the various sites associated with the Lynyrd Skynyrd band. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. His first band, The Ravens (a local High School rock band that Steve's friends formed), made its first recording at the famousSun RecordsStudio inMemphis, Tennessee. In December 1975, Steve's older sister,Cassie, became a member ofLynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers,The Honkettes. Their father worked for the Illinois Central Railroad and retired in 1976 as a track supervisor. However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zants tombs were broken into. Family members gathered at the cemetery yesterday morning but declined to discuss the incident with reporters. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. "We were lucky that they were not able to pry open the casket. When Lynyrd Skynyrd wasn't busy with their music, Van Zant's go-to activity was fishing. Original grave of Steve Gaines What is causing the plague in Thebes and how can it be fixed? Portions of the Nirvana front man were scattered in a dozen places, including the muddy banks of the Wishkah River, in various ceremonies. He was standing beside a road on the other side of a row of trees separating the cemetery property from the mall. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. It's disrespectful.". She was buried near her children. His older sister Cassie Gaines, a backup vocalist with the band, likewise died in the crash. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "Due to the June 29th, 2000 vandalization of his original grave site, his casket was moved to this new location and buried in a massive underground concrete burial vault. He said he used the information he received from the funeral home for Unit 1, Lot 22, spaces 3 and 4 next to a grandfather oak tree. Published on August 28, 1998 12:00 AM. Musician. and help keep the future of the Houston Press, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. 9. Brooks & Dunn Boot Scoot Through 21st RodeoHouston Performance, Apes of the State Is Here to Defend Folk Punk, Opening Night RodeoHouston 2023: Parker McCollum, Become a member to support the independent voice of Houston You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Steve Gaines, Cassie's younger brother, was 28. Johnny Ramone: Half of the original Ramones are laid to rest in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery sort of. After he was hit by a car in 1990, he left the hospital without being seen because he was bored. 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. This is that day. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day. Train, roll on. The pair shared vocals on the song You Got That Right.. He is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother" by rock bandDrive-By Truckers. Theres no telling what he would have developed cause he kept progressing. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Gaines was born in Miami, Oklahoma. . But for the year and a half he played with Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were simply untouchable. "Their remains were moved sometime over the weekend. Let's go, man. On October 20, 1977, the band and the crew members were flying from Greenville, South Carolina to Baton Rouge, Louisiana when their plane crashed outside of Gillsburg in Mississippi. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The remains of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, two founding members of the 70s Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be relocated to unmarked graves in the aftermath of the recent vandalizing of their Florida burial sites. 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. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. It happens. Present-day Skynyrd band members, including Johnny Van Zant, have been spotted there, as have former members of .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, and all those other famous Jacksonville bands. "We're really bummed," Carpenter said. We cannot record everything. A listing name reads: "Two plots with vaults adjacent to the late Ronnie Van Zant.". Cochran said he's been trying to see the lot for a couple of months now. What reasoning is from general to specific? His family requested supporters to make contributions to the Musician's Assistance Program instead of giving flowers. He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. The Jug. Like Van Zant had forecasted that the band would be under the shadow of Gaines one day, it is sad we never got to experience it. A fish that dies naturally in the ocean sinks to the depths, taking with it all the carbon it contains. 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. 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. Rocks Off Magazine is reader-supported. The listing claims the value is at $8,780, but Cochran is selling it for $4,000. He looked at life and music in a positive way, never taking his success for granted. All rights reserved. Powell's nose had been nearly ripped from his face after crashing head first through a table. They also found a bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes on the ground. He died tragically on the 20th of October in 1977. Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines(September 14, 1949 October 20, 1977) was an American musician. Yoko Ono had Lennon's body cremated at the Ferncliff Cemetery, and scattered his ashes in Central Park, in sight of their New York apartment. He was 28 years old. Copyright 2012 by ClickOrlando.com. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and. Leonard Skinner Cassie Gaines/Place of burial. Interestingly, Ed King and Steve Gaines were both born on September 14, 1949. But their greatest achievement was playing a show in Memphis with ZZ Top. 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. Everybody Knows The Words, But What Is Hotel California About? Steve Gaines/Age at death. 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.. It's about 2 inches thick.". He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). 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. 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. We would be grateful if you would support our work by recording your loved ones, preserving their memory for future generations. Cassie convinced him to drive to Kansas City from his small farm just outside West Seneca, Oklahoma. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Gaines and Van Zant were 29 years old when they died in the 1977 plane crash. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. With an audience of approximately 150,000 and 200,000 people, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered a performance that took the southern rock artiststo new heights. "Ronnie knew that he was going to die," he said. Today Gary Rossington is the last surviving member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The plane landed in a swampy area and crashed into trees. Use your Rocks Off Mag account to vote in our "G.O.A.T. He is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother" by rock band Drive-By Truckers. This store was the inspiration for The Ballad of Curtis Lowe.. 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. Also in the area are benches bearing inscriptions about music. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines were laid to rest at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, vandals broke in and disturbed their remains. This was reflected in his sole studio album with the band, Street Survivors (1977). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It was hard for the band to hear Gaines playing onstage amid the distortions and sounds. Amy Winehouse: Winehouse is another member of the 27 club who was cremated after her death. Both have since been moved to secret locations. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Five years later, the Strawberry Fields Memorial was dedicated on the approximate spot, and more or less serves as Lennon's official gravesite. "(The plots) were my wife's parents', and they decided to go the crematory route where we was buried, because he passed away last year," said Bryant Cochran, who owned the plots. After the release of the album, the band and Gaines seemed to be entering a new and improved era musically. Van Zant's family decided to relocate his remains to Riverside Memorial Park cemetery in Jacksonville. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Funding for the park and its ongoing operations is provided by The Freebird Foundation. Kurt Cobain: Visiting the final resting place of Kurt Cobain's ashes involves several trips. 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.