| .....In July 1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd
released their first live album entitled
"One More From The Road". Not having to
go into the Recording Studio gave them a chance
to look for the elusive third guitarist they
needed. They found the answer in The Honkettes, a
female gospel band. Lynyrd Skynyrd had toured
with this group of Gospel singers, and Cassie
Gaines, a member of this group, made plans for
her brother to play, even before he was
introduced to the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band. His name
was Steve Gaines. But it seems Cassie forgot to
tell him! His familiarity with the Lynyrd Skynyrd
Band had influenced Crawdaddy, the band he was
in. One of the songs they performed was Saturday
Night Special. While Steve was surprised at this
turn of events, his guitar-playing ability soon
had Ronnie Van Zant and the rest of the Lynyrd
Skynyrd Band in shock themselves. At the age of
26, Steve Gaines was already a veteran in the
music industry, and it showed when he stepped on
the stage to jam to T for Texas. ....It was the influence of Allen
Collins that eventually landed Steve Gaines the
job, and he was called two weeks later to
accompany the band to Myrtle Beach, NC for a gig.
Following this concert, the band began rehearsing
for the live album concert. They only had a month
before this concert, but it was all they needed.
"One More From the Road" is truly a
Lynyrd Skynyrd Band classic. Lynyrd Skynyrd then
went to the Knebworth Festival in Great Britain
to play. They stole the show from another group
of long-hairs (and lips) known as The Rolling
Stones. Even though they had some problems, when
"One More From the Road" was finally
released, it climbed to the Top 10 level in no
time, and went to Gold and Platinum Record
status. This elevated them into the upper echelon
of the music business. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band
had finally made it! Lynyrd Skynyrd again entered
the studio to record their next album, but they
were not satisfied with it. They again hit the
road to tour, playing with such artists as
Santana, Frampton and "The Outlaws".
....The newly found
prestige was well accepted and earned. Shortly
after the end of the tour, they again went into
the Miami Recording Studios -- only to find Tom
Dowd unavailable. However, he sent a replacement,
Barry Rudolph, to fill in. Rudolph's previous
recording experience with Waylon Jennings was
well received, and the band was able to re-do You
Got That Right and That Smell. Tom Dowd did not
return to finish the project, and if you look,
you'll see there are no producer credits on the
album. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Band released
"Street Survivors" in October 1977. It
was only 3 days later that the Lynyrd Skynyrd
Band's private jet ran out of fuel and crashed in
a wooded area near McComb, Mississippi as it
attempted to land. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines,
Cassie Gaines and Dean Kilpatrick were all killed
instantly. The remaining band members were also
injured, but survived the ordeal.
....The Lynyrd Skynyrd
Band was the premiere Southern Rock band that had
yet to reach their pinnacle. We can only dream of
what they might have done...
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