Seems like yesterday, but 45 years ago tonight we lost Ronnie, Steve, Cassie, and Dean in McComb Mississippi. Will always treasure seeing the original bunch, including Bob Burns, twice.
Thankfully got to see them the year before this tragedy ... at Knebworth in 1976 on the same bill as the Stones ... what a day etched in my memory that was!
I flew on a Convair twin prop engine with my dad in 1952 when American Airlines had a good number of them in their fleet. Still have the ticket stub.
Here is an example of one taking off. Over 1,000 were built from the late 1940's thru the early 1950's. They used two Pratt and Whitney R2800 CB-16 radial piston engines spinning a big 3 blade propeller.
Was lucky enough to have seen them with Ronnie in October 27th 1976 in Waterbury, CT. Amazing performance as that band never dissapointed.
Was listening to the deluxe edition of "One More From The Road" yesterday in my Jeep while running errands. One of the greatest live albums of all time IMHO. Wish they would release a box set of the complete Fox Theater shows like the Brothers complete Fillmore East concerts.
Also got to see Rossington-Collins Band and, while not the same as the original, they put on a great show as well.
I was Blessed to see them the 1st & 3rd night of the Fox Theater run in Atlanta that wound up being the live album "One More for the Road". We were so excited and will never forget those awesome shows. We also had tickets for a show at the Omni (half house) that would have been in early 78 but that obviously didn't happen. Just couldn't bare to return the tickets for a refund. A year later, to the date (10/20/78) and at about the same time my girlfriend and I came upon a fatal car accident, just off the road, that took her younger brother and a very close friend. I had to identify the bodies. We were 18, he was 16 and it was his birthday. October 20 has always been a difficult day.
Dec 27, 1973, Birmingham, AL - opening for Wet Willie - the only time that I actually saw Skynnard. We stood at the front of the crowd against the stage. I was impressed with how Ronnie worked the crowd - shaking every hand that was thrust his way. They were never one of my hard-core favorite bands, but I have revisited them in recent years. There was a documentary where Bob Dylan recited some of the lyrics ... Ronnie was one of those "every man" writers. Dylan's recitation sold me.
(Dylan starts at about :40)
