Cassie Gaines was a talented singer who joined the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975 as part of the backup vocal trio The Honkettes. She was also the sister of guitarist Steve Gaines, who became a member of the band in 1976. Cassie and Steve were among the six people who died in a tragic plane crash on October 20, 1977, that also claimed the life of the band’s lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. In this article, we will explore the circumstances of Cassie Gaines’ death and how it affected the band and the music industry.
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Cassie Gaines’ Background and Career
Cassie Gaines was born on January 9, 1948, in Miami, Oklahoma. She grew up with her younger brother Steve, who shared her passion for music. Cassie started singing at an early age and performed in various bands and clubs. She moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1974, where she met JoJo Billingsley, another singer who later became her friend and colleague.
In late 1975, Billingsley invited Cassie to join Lynyrd Skynyrd as a backup singer. Cassie had never heard of the band before, so Billingsley lent her a copy of their first two albums: (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) and Second Helping. Cassie was impressed by the band’s sound and agreed to audition for them. She was accepted and became part of The Honkettes, along with Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins. The Honkettes added a gospel and soul flavor to the band’s hard rock style and harmonized with Van Zant’s vocals.
When Lynyrd Skynyrd needed a guitar player to replace Ed King, who left the band in 1975, Cassie recommended her brother Steve, who was also a skilled musician. Steve auditioned for the band and joined them in 1976. He contributed to the band’s third album, Nuthin’ Fancy, and co-wrote some of their songs, such as “I Know a Little” and “You Got That Right”.
Lynyrd Skynyrd became one of the most popular and influential bands in the Southern rock genre, with hits such as “Free Bird”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, and “Gimme Three Steps”. They toured extensively and performed in front of large crowds. They also faced some challenges, such as drug abuse, alcoholism, and legal disputes. Despite these difficulties, the band continued to make music and released their fifth album, Street Survivors, in October 1977.
Cassie Gaines’ Final Flight and Death
On October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd was scheduled to play a concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of their Street Survivors tour. They boarded a Convair CV-240 airplane that was supposed to take them from Greenville, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge. However, the plane had a history of mechanical problems and had experienced a fire in one of its engines the previous day. Cassie Gaines was reluctant to fly on the plane and wanted to travel by the band’s tour truck instead. She was persuaded by Van Zant and other passengers to board the plane, against her better judgment.
The plane took off from Greenville at 4:02 p.m. and flew for about three hours. At 6:42 p.m., the pilots reported that they were low on fuel and requested an emergency landing at McComb, Mississippi. However, before they could reach the airport, both engines failed and the plane started to descend rapidly. The pilots attempted to make a controlled landing in a wooded area near Gillsburg, Mississippi, but the plane hit some trees and crashed.
The crash killed six people: Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and pilots Walter McCreary and William Gray. The other 20 passengers, including the rest of the band members and crew, were injured to varying degrees. Some of them were trapped in the wreckage and had to wait for hours before the rescuers arrived.
Cassie Gaines survived the initial impact of the crash, but suffered severe lacerations to her throat that caused her to bleed profusely. According to Billy Powell, the band’s keyboardist who also survived the crash, Cassie Gaines died in his arms while he tried to stop the bleeding. Powell later said that Cassie’s last words were “Where’s Steve?”.
Cassie Gaines’ Legacy and Impact
Cassie Gaines’ death, along with the other victims of the plane crash, shocked the music world and devastated the fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band’s album Street Survivors, which had been released just three days before the crash, became a commercial and critical success, but also a haunting reminder of the tragedy. The original cover of the album featured the band members surrounded by flames, which was deemed inappropriate after the crash and replaced by a plain black background.
The surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the crash and pursued solo careers or joined other bands. They reunited in 1987, with Johnny Van Zant, Ronnie’s younger brother, as the new lead singer. They also recruited new members, including Rickey Medlocke, who had played with Steve Gaines in an earlier band. The Honkettes were not part of the reunion, as Billingsley and Hawkins had retired from the music industry. However, they occasionally joined the band on stage for special occasions.
Lynyrd Skynyrd continued to perform and record new albums, honoring the memory of their fallen comrades and keeping their legacy alive. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, with Cassie and Steve Gaines among the honorees. They also embarked on their farewell tour in 2018, titled “The Last of the Street Survivors”.
Cassie Gaines was buried in Orange Park, Florida, next to her brother Steve. Their mother, also named Cassie LaRue Gaines, died in a car accident near the cemetery in 1979 and was buried near her children.
Cassie Gaines was a talented and passionate singer who left a mark on the Southern rock scene with her voice and personality. She was part of one of the most iconic and influential bands in American music history, Lynyrd Skynyrd. She also shared a close bond with her brother Steve, who was also a gifted musician and songwriter. Cassie Gaines’ death was a tragic loss for the band, the fans, and the music industry. She will always be remembered as a rock and roll legend and a beloved sister.
