A plane crash could not finish him, but a heart attack may have. Billy Powell, the on-again, off-again keyboard player with Lynard Skynard, died early this morning in Orange Park, FL at age 56. He had had a recent history of heart problems.
People of a certain age (meaning, those of you who grew up in the 1970s and/or were listening to rock music), will remember him as one of seven shaggy guys who first got the public's attention with the anthemic song "Free Bird." (Those of you who grew up and/or were listening to rock music in the 1990s will remember it became a joke to shout this as a request at any live music show, no matter who was on stage. If you're still doing that, it's long past time to stop.) Powell was originally a roadie with the band, but the work he did crafting the intro to Free Bird impressed founding member Ronnie Van Zant so much he was invited to perform full time. Lynard Skynard went on to have other hits with "What's Your Name," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Sweet Home Alabama."
The 1977 plane crash that took the lives of Van Zandt, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines marked the end of the band's performing days. For awhile. Powell and the other survivors went their separate ways until 1989, when they reunited for a series of concerts. Ultimately Powell decided to stay on, and had remained with the group up to the present day. His death leaves guitarist Gary Rossington as the only original member.
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