It happens. When the tampering was discovered, investigators found Van Zant's coffin on the ground amid broken pieces of marble from the rear wall of a mausoleum. Judy Jenness, Van Zant's widow, announced the decision in a statement issued through the Clay County Sheriff's Office yesterday. Memorial bench for Teresa Gaines Rapp, widow of guitarist Steve Gaines and sister-in-law of backup singer, Cassie Gaines. 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. Ronnie grabbed a pillow from the back of the plane, walked back to his seat, and smiled at Pyle. "I hope they [the vandals] get help, because they have to be twisted to do what they did," Morris said. The program provides counseling about different issues including depression, stress, anxiety, and relationships. After recovering, Leon revealed that he had been sitting on a cloud with Ronnie Van Zant and Duane Allman. 5. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Jacksonville's own Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. Just beyond the bridge wall and under the power lines is the train trestle where the main photo for the Nuthin Fancy album was made. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Due to the June 29th, 2000, vandalizing of his original grave site, his casket was moved here and buried in a massive underground concrete burial vault. 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. He was 29 yeas old. Vince Neils Daughter Inspired More Than Just A Song, Rudy Sarzos Tragic Detailing of Randy Rhoads Plane Crash, The 10 Best Bob Dylan Songs That Defined His Career. When I think of Ronnie, I think of trains, probably due to the opening line of his masterpiece, Tuesdays Gone, and another song he penned, Railroad Song. If you really think about it, Ronnies entire life was analogous to a train. Aviation Accident And Incident. 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. This is that day. What reasoning is from general to specific? With an audience of approximately 150,000 and 200,000 people, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered a performance that took the southern rock artiststo new heights. And, as one might guess, the lake where Ronnie kept his fishing boat is just to the left. Fans will be permitted to continue visiting this site to pay their respects. On June 29, Van Zants tomb and Gainess mausoleum were broken into. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. Joe Carpenter had traveled from Bradenton to Orange Park to show his girlfriend, Jenney Marsh, Van Zant's grave yesterday. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)-Even in the face of death, friends say, Adrian Rogers exemplified the Christian faith he spent a lifetime sharing. Leon Wilkeson, the band's bassist, is buried right across from Van Zant and his family. Ronnie Van Zant, the lead singer of Jacksonville rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd,is buried at Riverside Memorial Park on the Westside. 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. "We were lucky that they were not able to pry open the casket. Drummer Artimus Pyle said that it seemed Ronnie was aware of his imminent death when they were about to go down. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In 1964, when he was just fifteen, he went to see the Beatles live in concert in Kansas City. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In December 1975, Steve's older sister,Cassie, became a member ofLynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers,The Honkettes. privacy policy. The ashes of her partner, Maria Desiderio, and their dog Ember were later interred with her. To open the vault would . An amateur guitarist, avid music lover, movie buff and Owner of Rocks Off Magazine. Cassie began suggesting her brother for the role, but the band had hesitations. 19741977 Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. His grave was vandalized on June 29, 2000, which prompted his family to move his remains to an unknown location. 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. Van Zant was passionate about fishing, and he used it to relax and escape his busy life as a rock star. Ronnie Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948 in Jacksonville, Florida. Their father worked for the Illinois Central Railroad and retired in 1976 as a track supervisor. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. The listing claims the value is at $8,780, but Cochran is selling it for $4,000. But the break-in at the mausoleum has left the family particularly shaken, Justino said. This store was the inspiration for The Ballad of Curtis Lowe.. "I hope the Lord will forgive them for what they have done.". This school building is Hyde Park Elementary, where Ronnie Van Zant and some other band members attended when they were kids. Johnny's widow Linda has his actual remains in her keeping. "The family has said they need a day or two to decide whether or not they want to put the casket back in [the original mausoleum], with additional security, bury it somewhere else on the property, marked or unmarked, or move it to another burial site," Justino said. 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. fishing, seafood, and live music. Van Zant was passionate about fishing, and he used it to relax and escape his busy life as a rock star. Steve Gaines/Spouse. 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. She was buried near her children. The bag containing Gaines' ashes was broken, and some were spilled. 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. I always felt that Ronnie belonged to his fans but I never thought anyone would do something like this to his resting place.". 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. Van Zant was buried in Jacksonville, Florida, with his signature Texas Hatters hat and his favorite fishing pole (via Mental Floss ). However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zants tombs were broken into. This was reflected in his sole studio album with the band, Street Survivors (1977). This scene also featured in the video to the song, Down on Brickyard Road, written by Johnny Van Zant in paying tribute to his late brother. Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines(September 14, 1949 October 20, 1977) was an American musician. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Initially, the band members did not expect a lot from Gaines. Cause of Death. Gaines, along with Allen Collins and Gary Rossington (who later formed the Rossington Collins Band), came together for what is arguably the best guitar trio in rock music. "We're really bummed," Carpenter said. He has been in the band from day one and his six-string slinging has been featured on every one of the bands releases. Sky Michele written and performed by Jake Fisher (MidniteliteCo) with a beautiful tribute and moving piece to Steve and Cassie Gaines. The band ended up recording a single for Stax Records in 1971. In 1975, his sister, Cassie, whose group had been hired to sing back. Her ashes were buried in the garden outside her bedroom window in Connecticut underneath a Japanese Maple Tree. In December of 1975, Cassie Gaines, Steves older sister, was inducted into Lynyrd Skynyrds The Honkettes, a group of female singers who sang backup vocals for the band. How were Steve and Cassie Gaines related? Don't worry! The Van Zant family plot at Riverside Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Green Cove Springs, FL. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Musician. When not researching cases and sharing his findings on radio and TV, Pat Fitzhugh can be found speaking at paranormal conferences, teaching classes on paranormal research, and leading live, professional investigations of Americas most haunted locations. Steve Gaines (1949-1977) - Memorial Find a Grave Musician. As reported by Rolling Stone, Wilkeson was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. Whiteys Fish Camp. Gaines and her fellow singers Jojo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins provided a crucial element to the bands distinctive sound. Dee Dee has a proper grave, but Johnny sports a cenotaph as a memorial marker for fans to visit. Pat Fitzhugh - Author / Researcher / Paranormal Adventurer. The Gaines siblings and Van Zant, along with three members of the group's road crew, were killed in October 1977 when their twin-engine airplane crashed into a Mississippi swamp. As the birthplace of so many bands, Jacksonville also has been the final resting place for many Southern rock musicians. Less than two years after the plane crash, the Gaines' mother, Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie were buried. He was standing beside a road on the other side of a row of trees separating the cemetery property from the mall. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Let's go, man. The first of the three shows recorded for the album was only Gaines third time playing with the band. The original mausoleum remains in place. 10. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But for the year and a half he played with Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were simply untouchable. Arguably the first true Southern rock group, the Allman Brothers Band, formed following a jam at a Riverside home known as the Gray House. A lonesome railroad track runs through a rural area between Middleburg, Florida, and Doctors lake, in the Brickyard community, where Ronnie Van Zant started a family and spent his last years. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 6. Celebrities Who Died in Plane and Helicopter Crashes, The Rock Road Claims Another Tragic Victim: Ronnie Van Zant of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, The Skynyrd Tragedy Behind Them, Rossington Collins Now Plays 'Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere', Remembering the 59 Slain Victims of the Las Vegas Concert Massacre, 3 Years Later, Heaven's Gate, 25 Years Later: Remembering 38 People Who Died with Cult Leader. Both have since been moved to secret locations. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Next thing, her husband bolts through the front door and threatens Ronnie with his life. The plane landed in a swampy area and crashed into trees. He is best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1976 until his death in the October 1977 airplane crash that claimed other band members and crew. It was Steve Gainess only solo album. Also in the area are benches bearing inscriptions about music.