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Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Billy Powell dead at 56 By Matt Soergel, Jacksonville.com (story updated at 2:19pm on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009) Billy Powell, a longtime keyboard player for Lynyrd Skynyrd who survived the band's 1977 plane crash, died at his Orange Park condo early this morning, according to police. Orange Park Police Chief James Boivin said Powell called 911 from his condo in Club Continental and was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m. after rescue crews performed CPR on him. Boivin said he was told Powell had an appointment with his heart specialist Tuesday but never made it to the appointment. Current Lynyrnd Skynyrd singer Johnny Van Zant spent 22 years with Powell in the band. He said the band took the news of Powell's death hard. "You know, they say they've got one hell of a band up in heaven. My brother Ronnie up in heaven is probably saying, 'Billy, what took you so long?' I'm sure they're catching up on things in heaven." Powell, who went to Bishop Kenny High School, joined Skynyrd in 1972 after working for the Jacksonville band for a couple of years as a roadie. He was seriously injured in the Oct. 20, 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant and five other people. Johnny Van Zant said his brother invited Powell to join the band after he heard him playing piano during a rehearsal of "Free Bird." "Ronnie said, 'What's that?' and Billy said, 'That's the introduction to 'Free Bird.' Ronnie said, 'I like that. You're in the band.'" The piano introduction to the song became a highly anticipated part of the band's live show, though Johnny Van Zant said Powell was sometimes relucant to jump into the spotlight with it. "He'd say, 'I don't want to do that, I'm embarrassed to do that,'" said Van Zant. "I'd make him do it: I'd say, 'Come on, it'll make their night.' It made mine." Earlier this month, Powell and the band took a four-day cruise, called the Simple Man Cruise, on a ship out of Miami with "4,000 crazy Skynyrd fans," said Van Zant. The band had recorded several songs for a new album and had upcoming gigs in Louisiana, Mississippi and Orlando. They will be canceled, said Van Zant. "We've got to lay our brother to rest," said Van Zant. "That old saying, the show must go on, always counts. Unless you die." Guitarist Gary Rossington and Powell were the only members of the pre-crash incarnation of Skynyrd who were still playing with the band. As for the future of the band,Van Zant said, "That's really the last thought in my head. I've given 22 years to the band and hope to do it for another 22." Van Zant he spoke with Rossington, who lives in the Atlanta area, this morning. "He's hurting," he said. "You know, he was very sad and wondering why all us brothers are leaving him, why he's still here." Rossington's wife, Dale, reached by telephone this afternoon, said her husband was too distraught to come to the phone. "We're just lost," she said, fighting back tears. She said band members had long been worried about Powell's health. "But he had such a big huge heart of gold, such a huge abiding faith in God and his savior Jesus," she said. Powell was married to Ellen Vera Powell and had four children. "For me," said Van Zant, "if anybody reading your article wants to do something, say a prayer for Billy and his family. That would be greatly appreciated." From Rolling Stone Magazine: (Some of this info is repeated, but there is some info here not included above.) I am also including some excerpts from other stories I have run across whilst seeking more info.... Rock & Roll Daily, Your non-stop music news source. Previous Next Latest Lynyrd Skynyrd Keyboardist Billy Powell Dead at 56 1/28/09, 12:15 pm EST Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Billy Powell, the only keyboardist Lynyrd Skynyrd ever had, died last night at his home near Jacksonville, Florida. He was 56. No cause of death has been announced, and a post on the official Skynyrd Website reads, “A Great Loss — Beloved Pianist for the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, Billy Powell, passed away last night. We will post more info shortly. The family and band request your respect and understanding during this difficult time. Thank you.” The band is canceling upcoming shows and directing fans to its Website for tour updates. Powell first joined Skynyrd in 1973 after serving as the band’s roadie for a year. His keyboard work features prominently on the band’s debut (pronounced ‘leh-’nerd ’skin-’nerd), with Powell credited for crafting the intro for their epic anthem “Free Bird” (Number 191 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Songs of All Time). After impressing Ronnie Van Zant with his work on the song, Powell was officially invited to join the band, and remained a member from their debut album until 1977’s Street Survivors. Powell survived the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines and other crew members. Despite suffering injuries including facial lacerations and nearly losing his nose, Powell was the first to be discharged from the hospital and was the only member to attend his bandmates’ funerals. After Skynyrd, Powell joined the Christian rock band Vision, but reunited with Skynyrd after a decade-long hiatus for some concerts in 1989, and ultimately remained with the band until now. In May, Skynyrd played their first-ever gig at New York’s Madison Square Garden with Kid Rock. Powell and the rest of his Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. With Powell’s death, guitarist Gary Rossington becomes the lone surviving original Skynyrd member touring with the band. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ His son Brandon Powell is a guitarist in the Jacksonville based rock band Syntenic. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Powell, whose fluid piano runs spiced such classic Skynyrd songs as "Freebird," "Call Me the Breeze" and "Sweet Home Alabama," and founding guitarist Gary Rossington were the only two surviving band members aboard the 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backup vocalist Cassie Gaines. Since then, guitarist Allen Collins and bassist Leon Wilkeson have also died; former drummer Artimus Pyle survived the crash but no longer tours with the band, which reformed in 1987 and still is a powerful concert draw. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Earlier this month, Powell and the band took a four-day cruise, called the Simple Man Cruise, on a ship out of Miami with "4,000 crazy Skynyrd fans," said Van Zant. The band had recorded several songs for a new album and had upcoming gigs in Lousiana, Mississippi and Orlando. They will be canceled, said Van Zant. "We've got to lay our brother to rest," said Van Zant. "That old saying, the show must go on, always counts. Unless you die." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R.I.P. Billy Powell Birth name William Norris Powell Born June 3, 1952(1952-06-03) Corpus Christi, Texas , U.S. Died January 28, 2009 (aged 56) Orange Park, Florida Genre(s) Southern rock, Hard rock, Country rock, Blues rock Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter Instrument(s) Piano, Synthesizer, Organ, Hammond organ Years active 1973-2009 Associated acts Lynyrd Skynyrd