Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Allen Collins, Gary Rossington And Ronnie Van Zant

Florida Times-Union Thursday, January 19, 1978
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
What’s In Store For The Band Now?
By Roy Simpson – Staff Writer

Friday will mark three months since the tragic plane crash in McComb, Miss. that took the lives of Lynyrd Skynyrd band members Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines. Since that time, the remaining members have been recuperating, taking a much needed rest and spending some time with family and friends.

During that time, guitarist Allen Collins and Gary Rossington, keyboardist Billy Powell, bassist Leon Wilkeson and drummer Artimus Pyle have been trying to make some plans about the future of the band.

“When we get back in shape, Gary and I are going to start all over again,” said Collins. “I’m not sure about the others. It’s going to be just about impossible to go on without Ronnie, but we have to. We can do other things, but music is our lives.”

Rossington, who now fills Van Zant’s position as President of Lynyrd Skynyrd Productions, Inc., the company that handles the group’s business affairs, including tours and albums, agreed with Collins.

“Lynyrd Skynyrd was Allen, me and Ronnie.” he said. “Now, one of us is gone and there’s two remaining. We’re going to start from there. The only thing we know we’re going to do for sure is studio work and writing songs. We might even do our own album and just get other people to sit in.”

Music has certainly not left their lives. This is further shown by the various offers most of the Skynyrd musicians have had from other bands.

“I’ve had offers from about six well-known groups,” Rossington said, “and groups that I could make it with, but I just don’t want to go back on the road right away. I’m sure that Allen, Billy, Leon and Artimus and I will jam and play together again, but we’re not going to play as Lynyrd Skynyrd.”

Artimus Pyle, who was probably the least-injured band member, is currently performing with some friends at The Torch Club, in the mountains of South Carolina. He would like very much to play again in a group with his friends and former bandmates.

“If they – Allen, Gary, Billy and Leon – want to do another band, all they have to do is tell me because I’ll play with them any time, any where, any day. All I have to do is hear a word, just them saying, ‘Let’s go play’ and I’ll go play… because I’m their drummer until they don’t want me to be.”

Billy Powell was reached at The Schoolhouse Studio in Connecticut, where he was laying down some piano tracks on a new album by .38 Special, whose members include vocalist Donnie Van Zant, Ronnie’s younger brother. The tunes Billy was working on were “I”m A Fool For You Baby” and “Take Me Back”.

“‘Take Me Back’ is a sort of ballad that Donnie wrote for Ronnie,” said Powell, “and it’s real slow and pretty.”

Powell is finding that there are certain advantages to not travelling – namely, being able to have more time with his son, who just turned seven months old Tuesday. “I’m getting to watch Brandon grow up,” Powell said. “Otherwise, I would have been on the road.” With such a family man instinct clawing at him, does Powell still think he will play again with the remaining Skynyrds?

“Well, I hope so, but I can’t really answer that,” he said with some hesitation. “I do hope to get back with them, but I’ll be honest with you, I really don’t want to tour anymore. Who knows, I might end up as a studio musician, doing what I’m doing now. I am going to keep playing. No matter what I do, it’s going to be playing the piano. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be up here right now.”

Because of the extent of his injuries, Leon Wilkeson was one of the last crash victims transferred to a Jacksonville hospital and the last to be released to go home. In spite of that, he continues to be the most visible of the band, showing up at local lounges to spend time with friends he rarely got to see when he was on the road.

“I don’t miss touring and the life out of a suitcase and all that craziness,” he said. “This is the first chance I’ve had to identify with my own self in a long time. I’m taking life as an individual, not being a musician and not being a public figure. But, I’m definitely interested in getting back in a band, even though I don’t think a whole lot about playing right now.”

One message that ran through each of the musicians statements, which shows their continuing love for their hometown, is best reflected in a statement by Rossington.

“I hope that when you write something in the paper, you’ll let everyone know that we really appreciate Jacksonville and that we couldn’t have made it without their prayers.”

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