Steve Gaines
Encyclopedia
Steven Earl Gaines was an American
musician
. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter for southern rock
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
, and is the younger brother of Cassie Gaines
, who was also a member of the band. He was born on the same day as Ed King
, whom he would replace as a guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1976.
, and raised in Miami, Oklahoma
. He began playing guitar after seeing The Beatles
in concert as a teenager. His first band, The Ravens
, made its first recording at the famous Sun Records
Studio in Memphis, Tennessee
. Gaines later played with bands ILMO Smokehouse, Rusty Day
, Detroit
and Crawdad in the 1970s. In 1975, he recorded several songs with Crawdad bandmates at Capricorn studios in Macon Georgia that were recorded in 1975 (but remained unreleased until 1987, when the new Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup began touring) by MCA Records
as his only official solo album, One in the Sun
. He has 2 other albums, which are known to be bootleg albums from different record companies: I Know A Little (Live 1975) and Okie Special (Live 1975)
In December 1975, Gaines' older sister, Cassie
, became a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd's
female backup singers, The Honkettes
. During this time, the band was in the midst of searching for a guitarist to replace Ed King
, who left the band in mid-1975. Cassie recommended her brother, and after initial reluctance, the band allowed Gaines to join them onstage for a show in Kansas City on May 11, 1976. Although the band themselves couldn't hear Gaines' playing onstage, soundman Kevin Elson was listening through headphones and told the band that Gaines was an outstanding player. They jammed with Gaines informally a couple of more times, then invited him into the band just in time for the recording of Skynyrd's live album One More From The Road
. The first of three shows recorded for the album was Gaines' third gig with the band. Interestingly, Ed King and Steve Gaines were both born on September 14, 1949.
Gaines' guitar and songwriting skills were a major revelation to the band, as proven on his one studio album, 1977's Street Survivors
. Publicly and privately, Ronnie Van Zant
marvelled at the vocal and instrumental skill of Skynyrd's newest member, claiming that the band would "all be in his shadow one day." Gaines' contributions included his co-lead vocal with Van Zant on the co-written "You Got That Right" (a solid hit single released after the plane crash) and the rousing guitar boogie "I Know A Little" which he had written before he joined Skynyrd. So confident was Skynyrd's leader of Gaines' abilities that the album (and some concerts) featured Gaines delivering his self-penned bluesy "Ain't No Good Life" - one of the few songs in the pre-crash Skynyrd catalog to feature a lead vocalist other than Ronnie Van Zant.
On October 20, 1977, three days after the album was released (and four dates into the band's most successful tour yet), a plane carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina
to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
, crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi
. Steve Gaines was killed on impact; he was 28 years old. The crash also killed Ronnie Van Zant
, Steve's sister Cassie Gaines
, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, as well as pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.
Gaines was cremated and buried in Orange Park, Florida
in 1977, but was relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zant
's tombs on June 29, 2000. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit.
Gaines is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother
" by rock
band Drive-By Truckers
.
Less than two years after the plane crash, the Gaines' mother, Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie were buried. She was buried near her children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter for southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, and is the younger brother of Cassie Gaines
Cassie Gaines
Cassie LaRue Gaines was an American singer. She was a member of the female gospel vocal trio The Honkettes, who in 1975 became the backup singers for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
, who was also a member of the band. He was born on the same day as Ed King
Ed King
Edward C. King is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
, whom he would replace as a guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1976.
Life and career
Gaines was born in Seneca, MissouriSeneca, Missouri
Seneca is a city in Newton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,336 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-2008 tornado:...
, and raised in Miami, Oklahoma
Miami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
. He began playing guitar after seeing The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in concert as a teenager. His first band, The Ravens
The Ravens
The Ravens were an American R&B vocal group, formed in 1946 by Jimmy Ricks and Warren Suttles. They were one of the most successful and most influential vocal quartets of the period, and had several hits on the R&B chart in the late 1940s and early 1950s....
, made its first recording at the famous Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
Studio in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Gaines later played with bands ILMO Smokehouse, Rusty Day
Rusty Day
Russell "Rusty Day" Edward Davidson was a rock vocalist and frontman, best known for his work with the bands Amboy Dukes and Cactus. He was known for his powerful vocals and out-of-control lifestyle.-Career with The Amboy Dukes:...
, Detroit
Detroit (band)
Detroit was a rock group formed by Mitch Ryder as a successor to his Detroit Wheels in 1970. The only original Wheel in the group was drummer John Badanjek; other members were guitarists Steve Hunter and Brett Tuggle, organist Harry Phillips, and bassist W.R. Cooke. A single album was released by...
and Crawdad in the 1970s. In 1975, he recorded several songs with Crawdad bandmates at Capricorn studios in Macon Georgia that were recorded in 1975 (but remained unreleased until 1987, when the new Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup began touring) by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
as his only official solo album, One in the Sun
One in the Sun
One in the Sun is credited as the only solo album by Steve Gaines, best known as the guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was recorded with Crawdad bandmates at Capricorn studios in Macon Georgia in 1975, but not released until 1988 by MCA Records, 11 years after Gaines' death in a plane crash.- Track...
. He has 2 other albums, which are known to be bootleg albums from different record companies: I Know A Little (Live 1975) and Okie Special (Live 1975)
In December 1975, Gaines' older sister, Cassie
Cassie Gaines
Cassie LaRue Gaines was an American singer. She was a member of the female gospel vocal trio The Honkettes, who in 1975 became the backup singers for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
, became a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd's
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
female backup singers, The Honkettes
The Honkettes
The Honkettes was the name given to the female backing singers of the Southern Rock and Roll band Lynyrd Skynyrd. These members were Cassie Gaines JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins...
. During this time, the band was in the midst of searching for a guitarist to replace Ed King
Ed King
Edward C. King is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
, who left the band in mid-1975. Cassie recommended her brother, and after initial reluctance, the band allowed Gaines to join them onstage for a show in Kansas City on May 11, 1976. Although the band themselves couldn't hear Gaines' playing onstage, soundman Kevin Elson was listening through headphones and told the band that Gaines was an outstanding player. They jammed with Gaines informally a couple of more times, then invited him into the band just in time for the recording of Skynyrd's live album One More From The Road
One More from the Road
One More From the Road is a live album by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. It marked the band's first live album, and the only live album from the so-called "classic" era of the band prior to the plane crash that killed lead singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, as well as band members Steve...
. The first of three shows recorded for the album was Gaines' third gig with the band. Interestingly, Ed King and Steve Gaines were both born on September 14, 1949.
Gaines' guitar and songwriting skills were a major revelation to the band, as proven on his one studio album, 1977's Street Survivors
Street Survivors
Street Survivors is the fifth studio album by Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on October 17, 1977. The LP is the last Skynyrd album ever recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and is the sole Skynyrd studio recording by guitarist Steve Gaines...
. Publicly and privately, Ronnie Van Zant
Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant was an American lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
marvelled at the vocal and instrumental skill of Skynyrd's newest member, claiming that the band would "all be in his shadow one day." Gaines' contributions included his co-lead vocal with Van Zant on the co-written "You Got That Right" (a solid hit single released after the plane crash) and the rousing guitar boogie "I Know A Little" which he had written before he joined Skynyrd. So confident was Skynyrd's leader of Gaines' abilities that the album (and some concerts) featured Gaines delivering his self-penned bluesy "Ain't No Good Life" - one of the few songs in the pre-crash Skynyrd catalog to feature a lead vocalist other than Ronnie Van Zant.
On October 20, 1977, three days after the album was released (and four dates into the band's most successful tour yet), a plane carrying the band between shows from Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, crashed outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi
Gillsburg, Mississippi
Gillsburg is an unincorporated community in Amite County, Mississippi, United States. The community is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. Steve Gaines was killed on impact; he was 28 years old. The crash also killed Ronnie Van Zant
Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant was an American lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
, Steve's sister Cassie Gaines
Cassie Gaines
Cassie LaRue Gaines was an American singer. She was a member of the female gospel vocal trio The Honkettes, who in 1975 became the backup singers for Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, as well as pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.
Gaines was cremated and buried in Orange Park, Florida
Orange Park, Florida
Orange Park is a town in Clay County, Florida, USA, and a suburb of Jacksonville. The population was 8,412 at the 2010 census. The name "Orange Park" is additionally applied to a wider area of northern Clay County outside the town limits, covering such communities as Fleming Island, Lakeside, and...
in 1977, but was relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zant
Ronnie Van Zant
Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant was an American lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and a founding member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
's tombs on June 29, 2000. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit.
Gaines is the subject of the 2001 song "Cassie's Brother
Cassie's Brother
"Cassie's Brother" is a song written and performed by alt-country band Drive-By Truckers. It appeared on the band's 2001 album Southern Rock Opera, the song is about Steve Gaines. His sister, Cassie Gaines, was a back-up singer in Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975. Both died in the plane crash on October 20,...
" by rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
.
Less than two years after the plane crash, the Gaines' mother, Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie were buried. She was buried near her children.