He looked at life and music in a positive way, never taking his success for granted. Both Cassie and Steve Gaines lost their lives in the crash as well as Ronnie Van Zant. Rocks Off Magazine is reader-supported. The Surprising Thing Ronnie Van Zant Is Buried With. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Theirmausoleumsremain as memorials for fans to visit. As reported by Rolling Stone, Wilkeson was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. But for the year and a half he played with Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were simply untouchable. Steve Gaines grave site at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. "Investigators said it's unlikely anybody could have broken it with their fist or foot. 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 . Everybody Knows The Words, But What Is Hotel California About? 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. 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 plastic bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes and an urn also were found nearby, said Mary Justino of the Sheriff's Office. The Highway 16 bridge over the St. Johns River, a good ways south of Jacksonville. The bands bassist, Leon Wilkeson, was one of the survivors of the plane crash. 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 . These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. "Ronnie knew that he was going to die," he said. 10. Her ashes were buried in the garden outside her bedroom window in Connecticut underneath a Japanese Maple Tree. Due to the June 29th, 2000, vandalizing of this gravesite, his casket was moved to Riverside Memorial Park and buried in a massive underground concrete burial vault. Shortly after, he had started his first high school band, The Ravens. Assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, the pilot, and co-pilot Walter McCreary and William Gray also died. Musician. Please enter the adress associated with your account. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. As of yesterday, donations from fans had increased the reward to $22,000. Van Zant's resting place was moved after his gravesite was vandalized, but nobody knew where, until Thursday. 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.". 2023 The Outlaws and Ghosts of The NatchezTrace, Movie Trailer: The Mark of the BellWitch, "From Turkey Creek A Memoir" Fan Page on Facebook, "Ghostly Cries From Dixie" Fan Page on Facebook, "MORE Ghostly Cries From Dixie" Fan Page on Facebook, "The Bell Witch: The Full Account" Fan Page on Facebook, "The Outlaws and Ghosts of The Natchez Trace" Fan Page on Facebook. Go get yourself a six-pack, kick back, and start reading. Steven Earl Gaines was an American musician. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. Gaines theology is best described as conservative and evangelical.Steve Gaines (pastor). 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. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day. 19741977 King left in 1975 and was replaced by Steve Gaines in 1976. He died tragically on the 20th of October in 1977. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Some very odd things have occurred with famous ashes, so being the resident morbid person on staff, I've gathered those stories to present them to you. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Excerpts and links may be used in the interests of education and fair use, and in a non-defamatory manner, provided full and clear credit is given to Pat Fitzhugh and www.patfitzhugh.com, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. It's disrespectful.". She was buried near her children. The Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park is on Highway 17 near Green Cove Springs, Florida. ", The new burial sites, Justino said, "will not be disclosed for security reasons.". You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. To open the vault would . Steve Gaines was born on September 14, 1949 in Miami, Oklahoma, USA. 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. 28years (19491977) Green Cove Springs, FL. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. She was buried near her children. If you can't make the recordings, you can support us by donating. 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. Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. It was a Lynyrd Skynyrd that hadnt been seen before, blowing the Rolling Stones out of the water. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A remarkable singer and guitarist, Gaines may have had his initial inspiration from the Beatles. Also, several of the band interviews in Freebird: The Movie were filmed on the dock. How old was Steven Gaines when he played guitar? Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. 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. The final resting place of backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steves sister) and their parents, at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. The program provides counseling about different issues including depression, stress, anxiety, and relationships. 5. Steve Gaines (1949-1977) - Memorial Find a Grave Musician. A $22,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the culprits has been posted, says the sheriff. The original tomb remains in place. Her mother, also named Cassie Gaines, and father Earl Gaines are buried in adjacent plots and memorialized on the same headstone. 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. Is Sweet Home Alabama Song racist? 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. Cassie Gaines, the bands backup vocalist, was his older sister. local news and culture. This is that day. 7. Recently, I explored some of the strange things that musicians have been buried with. Her mother, also named Cassie Gaines, and father Earl Gaines are buried in adjacent plots and memorialized on the same headstone. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. 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. 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. Whenever you saw him, he was always playing the guitar.. 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. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Jacksonville's own Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. A bit of an old soul who enjoys a good hit of nostalgia! Cassie recommended her brother, and after initial reluctance, the band allowed Steve to join them onstage for a show in Kansas City on May 11, 1976. They also found a bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes on the ground. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Cassie Gaines (1948 1977) joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975 as a backup singer, one of a trio of gospel vocalists dubbed the Honkettes. 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. The rock star is buried at Riverside Memorial Park,according to WJXT-TV. Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. Gaines and Van Zant were 29 years old when they died in the 1977 plane crash. 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. Prior to the show, members of the band told the sound technician that, Cassies brother is going to come up and play with us, if he does not have the level, unplug him.. 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. The ashes of her partner, Maria Desiderio, and their dog Ember were later interred with her. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. The Gaines Effect shook the world when he joined the band during their legendary performance at Knebworth Festival in 1976. He also appeared in the 2006 motion picture DVD, An American Haunting, starring Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland. In 1975, his sister, Cassie, whose group had been hired to sing back. However, Kevin Elson, the sound technician, had been listening intently through headphones. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Steve's contributions included his co-lead vocal with Ronnie on the co-written "You've Got That Right" (a solid hit single released after the plane crash) and the rousing guitar boogie "I Know A Little" which he had written before he joined Skynyrd. He was 28 years old. The plane landed in a swampy area and crashed into trees. Who did Steve Gaines replace? Gaines was born inSeneca, Missouri, and raised inMiami, Oklahoma. Houston's independent source of Steve Gaines' Death - Cause and Date. Others sustained grave injuries but otherwise survived the accident (via Taste of Country). The band released the album on October 17, 1977, soon becoming gold certified. Rocks Off is a digital collection of stories, articles, and music. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any material without explicit, written permission from this blog/sites owner is strictly prohibited. Aviation Accident And Incident. 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. Whiteys Fish Camp. 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. They soon formed what would become Lynyrd Skynyrd. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. To me, this was the most somber, heart-wrenching site on my entire trip. We would be grateful if you would support our work by recording your loved ones, preserving their memory for future generations. "Their remains were moved sometime over the weekend. Two weeks later, Steve Gaines received a phone call from Ronnie Van Zant inviting him to join the band. Chris Soldt, a Boston photographer who spent much of his life in Jacksonville, recently took a tour of the citys Southern rock graves. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Judy Jenness, Van Zant's widow, announced the decision in a statement issued through the Clay County Sheriff's Office yesterday. The plot at Jacksonville Memory Gardens containing the former tomb of Ronnie Van Zant, and the graves of Steve and Cassie Gaines and their parents, along with Steves widow, Teresa Gaines Rapp. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lynyrd Skynyrds Sweet Home Alabama meaning is often interpreted as being racist because of the the lyrics reference In Birmingham [where a black church was bombed killing 4 young girls] they love the governor [George Wallace ] who was a segregationist. Throughout the 1970s, Steve Gaines played in bands such as ILMO Smokehouse from Quincy, Il, and Detroit. 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. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 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. "They don't understand why, after almost 23 years, anybody would go to this extent to do something like this.". Use your Rocks Off Mag account to vote in our "G.O.A.T. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The first of the three shows recorded for the album was only Gaines third time playing with the band. 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. He was previously married to Teresa Gaines. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. These alleged sightings also happened at Lake Delancy, one of Ronnie's favored fishing spots. 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. Pat Fitzhugh - Author / Researcher / Paranormal Adventurer. Both have since been moved to secret locations. It was here that Ronnie and the band stopped in one afternoon early in their career to have some beer before playing a local dance. "(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. 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. 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. When he was 15 years old, he saw the Beatles performing live in Kansas City. During this time, the band was in the midst of searching for a guitarist to replaceEd King, who left the band in mid-1975. The pair shared vocals on the song You Got That Right.. This school building is Hyde Park Elementary, where Ronnie Van Zant and some other band members attended when they were kids. With an audience of approximately 150,000 and 200,000 people, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered a performance that took the southern rock artiststo new heights. "We are saddened that we had to do this, but we have been left no choice," Jenness said in the statement. Theres no telling what he would have developed cause he kept progressing. Five years later, the Strawberry Fields Memorial was dedicated on the approximate spot, and more or less serves as Lennon's official gravesite. The listing claims the value is at $8,780, but Cochran is selling it for $4,000. Also in the area are benches bearing inscriptions about music. Copyright 2012-2022, Pat Fitzhugh; all rights reserved. The gravesite is on the border of mall and cemetery property, an elaborate memorial of marble set off from the rest of the cemetery, with park benches, hedges and a large magnolia tree. As the birthplace of so many bands, Jacksonville also has been the final resting place for many Southern rock musicians. In the course of researching that article, I came across a lot of tales about the cremated remains of rock stars. (1964) and Surfari (1967). Everyone stayed calm when the plane was about to go down. Burns left and was replaced by Artimus Pyle in 1974. There have been a few other minor incidents of vandalism to Van Zant's burial tomb, including the theft in February 1982 of a stone memorial with an inscription by country singer Charlie Daniels. He was standing beside a road on the other side of a row of trees separating the cemetery property from the mall. Three days after the release of Street Survivors and five dates into their highest selling tour, a tragedy happened. 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
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