The gift of music concert is held at the auditorium on January 30, 2020 The photo was taken byBrett Carlsen.
More than four decades after he survived the crash that took the lives of three of his fellow lynyrd skynyrd band mates, Artimus Pyle still feels the loss.
He says it has been 45 years since the plane crash. I think about it all the time.
As the anniversary of the crash approaches, his memories become a little more vivid.
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On October 20, 1977, members of the band boarded their private plane in South Carolina and headed for Louisiana.
The members of the band pose for a publicity picture. The photo was taken by Chris Walter.
They were going to perform at Louisiana State University. They couldn't make it.
The plane ran out of fuel as they neared the end of the flight. The pilot and co-pilot were looking at options for an emergency landing when they realized they couldn't make it to a nearby airport to refill their tanks. As those on board prepared for what that might mean, Pyle, who had served in the Marines as an Aviation Electronics Technician, moved into action.
He remembers going into survival mode. The pilots were told to put out their cigarettes, turn off their lights, and conserve power while I was in the cockpit. I knew it was serious when I didn't have time to think.
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The story of what happened before, during, and after the crash of the Skynyrd plane is depicted in a film. The movie, which was released in 2020 during the Pandemic, shows his account of the crash and the reactions of the people around him.
There is a documentary about the crash of the Skynyrd plane.
Some of the band freaked out in the movie because a couple of guys got really mad at our pilot and co-pilot for making the terrible mistakes that got us into this situation. Everybody was cool and collected, even though there was some anger. We were still worried. Everybody was saying, 'Oh shit, we're going down.'
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He remembers the last time he talked to Van Zant.
I remember thinking to myself that it was a good idea forRonnie to go back to the front of the plane. The back of the plane might be a little safer than the front. He came back to his original position. He stopped at my seat and shook my hand. Ronnie had a happy expression.
Pyle chokes up and stops crying. He moved forward. He had something in his hands. That was the last time I sawRonnie.
On July 10, 1976, in Atlanta, Georgia, there was an interview with a singer. The photo was taken by Tom Hill.
The plane didn't make it to the field or highway the pilots were hoping for. The aircraft quickly came down out of the clouds in a swampy area of Mississippi.
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The pine trees were three feet thick. It took 10 to 12 seconds for the plane to split in two.
The twisted wreck of a twin engine Convair 240 that smashed into some trees in a rural area killed six people. The photo was taken.
The wreck of a twin engine plane lies in a wooded area in Mississippi. Six people were killed in a plane crash, including three members of the Skynyrd band. The photo was taken.
After Pyle was taken to the hospital, he found out that Van Zant didn't survive. He was told by the doctor that he had died from a single blow to the head. He thinks he was struck by the heavy Sony Trinitron machine that was loose and flying through the plane after impact.
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Along with the assistant road manager, Dean Kilpatrick, the Gaines sisters and guitarist Steve were killed. The co-pilots William Gray and Walter McCreary were the last to die. Many of the people on the plane were injured, but 20 of them survived.
After the crash, Pyle went for help, helping to pull one victim out of the wreck. He spotted a farmhouse that he was going to visit.
Along the way, he would get shot.
The farmer was protecting his family I looked like Charles Manson when he came out of the house. When he shot me.
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The farmer denied shooting the man. Some thought it might have been a shot from the other direction.
The man says he doesn't care what it was. I saw the gun. I thought I was dead when I stumbled. I thought I was going to die when something tore through my arm.
The farmer rushed to help the crash victim.
The film accurately depicts the events of October 20th, but due to budget constraints producers weren't able to get the exact type of plane that crashed The music for the soundtrack was written by Artimus Pyle and his band.
He thought it was time to tell the story.
I wanted the fans of Skynyrd to know what happened. They met their deaths bravely.
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Rock & Roll history changed after the 1977 crash. The band's most famous songs would no longer be written by the man. Johnny took on the role of lead singer when three of the band's members left.
All of the original Skynyrd songs are as popular as they were when they were first written.
The power ofRonnie's writing is what it is. People really like "Simple Man", "Freebird", "Sweet Home Alabama", and "Tuesday's Gone" 45 years after the plane crash, these songs are still as powerful as ever.
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The place where the plane went down is marked by black granite walls. One of the most popular sites in Mississippi is the Skynyrd Monument.
It has become a place for fans of the band, fans of Southern Rock, and singers, writers, and musicians who want to honor the legacy of the band he created.
The location where the plane went down is marked by a monument.
There is a wall listing the passengers on the plane that crashed.
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They were pioneers of the genre and did a lot of things not many bands before them had done. The site of Southern Rock is where I grew up, and I feel like visiting it is a way to pass time.
There is a singer/songwriter named Kayleigh Mathews.
She says there is something special about music.
As a writer, I think about that. As a person, you won't live forever, but your music and work will. It is proof of great music when it surpasses the generation you are writing it for and lives beyond it.
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The 74-year-old drummer is currently working on a tribute album toLynyrd Skynyrd. He and Gary Rossington will be playing on the record.
Some big names will add their voices and personal touches to some of the band's best songs.
Dolly Parton and Sammy Hagar will be performing.
The record is still in production and other major artists will also be involved. Sometime early next year, the tribute album will be released.
Artimus Pyle, Scott Raines, Jerry Lyda, and Brad Durden are members of the band.
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He says he will honor the legacy of Skynyrd. He said that it was interesting to note that the man was determined to make it count even though he only had a short time on this earth.
Ronnie told me years ago that he wouldn't live to see 30 but he would go out with his boots on. Being on the road is a requirement for a musician. He was correct regarding both. He was just 29 years old when he wore his boots on his last day.
The anniversary of the crash will be reflected on and talked about on Fox & Friends on October 19th.
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