Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell has died

[Gerk]

Billy Powell, the only keyboardist Lynyrd Skynyrd ever had, died last night at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56. No cause of death has been announced, and a post on the official Synyrd Website reads, “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.” The band is canceling upcoming shows and directing fans to its Website for tour updates.
Powell first joined Skynyrd in 1973 after serving as the band’s roadie for a year. His keyboard work features prominently on the band’s debut (pronounced ‘leh-’nerd ’skin-’nerd), with Powell credited for crafting the intro for their epic anthem “Free Bird” (Number 191 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time). After impressing Ronnie Van Zant with his work on the song, Powell was officially invited to join the band, and remained a member from their debut album until 1977’s Street Survivors.
Powell survived the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines and other crew members. Despite suffering injuries including facial lacerations and nearly losing his nose, Powell was the first to be discharged from the hospital and was the only member to attend his bandmates’ funerals. After Skynyrd, Powell joined the Christian rock band Vision, but reunited with Skynyrd after a decade-long hiatus for some concerts in 1989, and ultimately remained with the band until now. In May, Skynyrd played their first-ever gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden with Kid Rock.
Powell and the rest of his Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. With Powell’s death, guitarist Gary Rossington becomes the lone surviving original Skynyrd member

[Morphius]

Sad news.

love Skynyrd

[smitch124]

omg, how horrible, a big loss

Check out some of his great work on:

Poison Whiskey (Pronounced)

T for Texas (One more from the Road)

Call me the Breeze (Second Helping)

only one left is Gary Rossington...

[steel69]

Rip

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Gerk

. In May, Skynyrd played their first-ever gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden with Kid Rock.

was at that show. They rocked the house.

RIP Billy.

On another note, as I approach 45 (next month) I start thinking about how 56 is WAAAAAY too young to go.

[Gobbler's Knob]

Free bird used to be No.2 on alot of all time lists, it has really dropped over the years. Sad to hear but not a fan.

[Everything]

I was at a concert the night that plane went down in 1977.
Amazed they reformed and had such a long HOF career.

Sad to hear he was part of the original gang...

[Bobtheicon]

Play it pretty for Heaven.

[jonny delta]

RIP Billy P - helluva career brotha