9. It has some of my favorite things in life. Pat Fitzhugh is best known for his extensive research and books about the history, legends, and lore of the American South, and his epic investigations of the paranormal. Kurt Cobain: Visiting the final resting place of Kurt Cobain's ashes involves several trips. The caller had been waiting for someone to pick him up at the mall. Ronnie Van Zant (1948 1977), born on Woodcrest Street in Westside Jacksonville, was the frontman and founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. It is adjacent to the ball field where the famous fly ball incident occurred, which became the bands starting point. Age of Death. Van Zant was passionate about fishing, and he used it to relax and escape his busy life as a rock star. Aviation Accident And Incident. This is that day. Clay County Sheriff's deputies found Van Zant's unopened casket on the ground about 3 a.m. at the rear of a marble mausoleum on the northern edge of the cemetery grounds next to the Orange Park Mall on Blanding Boulevard. With an audience of approximately 150,000 and 200,000 people, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered a performance that took the southern rock artiststo new heights. Finally, on May 11, 1976, they gave Steve Gaines a chance. The remains of Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, two founding members of the '70s Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, will be relocated to unmarked graves in the aftermath of the recent . Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrd's Deadly 1977 Plane Crash By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The ashes of her partner, Maria Desiderio, and their dog Ember were later interred with her. "Investigators said it's unlikely anybody could have broken it with their fist or foot. Steve Gaines was born on September 14, 1949 in Miami, Oklahoma, USA. Thank you for signing up to the Rocks Off. When Steve was 15 years old, he sawThe Beatleslive in Kansas City. October 20, 1977. Van Zant was buried in Jacksonville, Florida, with his signature Texas Hatters hat and his favorite fishing pole (via Mental Floss). The bag containing Gaines' ashes was broken, and some were spilled. Sammie Ketcher, a member of two of Gaines early bands recalls. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. And the music was all I played while learning guitar and for the first 25-30 years of my musical life. She was buried near her children. Steven Earl Gaines was an American musician. Van Zant and the Gaines siblings were originally laid to rest in nearby plots at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, Florida, with Van Zant entombed in a marble mausoleum. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines were laid to rest at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, vandals broke in and disturbed their remains. Teresa Gainesm. Gaines was cremated and his ashes were buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but were relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zant's tombs on June 29, 2000. Van Zant's nephew, Ronnie Morris of Jacksonville, said yesterday he was speechless upon hearing the news. We've got a gig to do." "(The plots) were my wife's parents', and they decided to go the crematory route where we was buried, because he passed away last year," said Bryant Cochran, who owned the plots. 7. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. Three days after the release of Street Survivors and five dates into their highest selling tour, a tragedy happened. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The plot at Jacksonville Memory Gardens containing the former tomb of Ronnie Van Zant, and the graves of Steve and Cassie Gaines and their parents, along with Steves widow, Teresa Gaines Rapp. Once you cross this bridge heading west, you are officially in Skynyrd Country. The Lynyrd Skynyrd historic sites will begin at Green Cove Springs (a few miles past this bridge), and extend north some 20 miles into Jacksonville. He died on October 20, 1977 in the plane crash that also took the lives of Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines. Theirmausoleumsremain as memorials for fans to visit. He was an actor, known for A Way Back In (2010), Locked in! Steve Gaines (1949-1977) - Find a Grave Memorial Cassie and Steve Gaines were buried in Orange Park, Florida . Steve Gaines. Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines(September 14, 1949 October 20, 1977) was an American musician. Musician. Tragic Details Found In Leon Wilkeson's Autopsy Report - Grunge.com On February 15, 1979, the mother of Steve and Cassie, also named Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie are buried. Though they shipped out for Macon, Georgia just a few weeks later, their impact was immense in their city of origin, with a number of bands following in their footsteps over the next decade. Lynyrd Skynyrd was next up, and by 1973 had joined the Allman Brothers as standard bearers for the Southern rock sound. Steve has two other albums, which are known to be very rare bootleg albums from different record companies:I Know A Little(a collection of live recordings with Crawdad) andOkie Special(a collection of live recordings with Crawdad as well asDetroit). The secret was leaked through Craigslist. "They are no longer at Jacksonville Memory Gardens," said Mary Justino, sheriff's spokeswoman. Cochran said he's been trying to see the lot for a couple of months now. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Cassie convinced him to drive to Kansas City from his small farm just outside West Seneca, Oklahoma. However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zants tombs were broken into. 19741977 Don't worry! He died on October 20, 1977 in Gillsburg, Mississippi, USA. But he soon proved his worth and his career thus took off. In the course of researching that article, I came across a lot of tales about the cremated remains of rock stars. Portions of the Nirvana front man were scattered in a dozen places, including the muddy banks of the Wishkah River, in various ceremonies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Some very odd things have occurred with famous ashes, so being the resident morbid person on staff, I've gathered those stories to present them to you. His family requested supporters to make contributions to the Musician's Assistance Program instead of giving flowers. In December 1975, Steve's older sister, Cassie, became a member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's female backup singers, The Honkettes. Copyright 2012 by ClickOrlando.com. "We're really bummed," Carpenter said. Per Rolling Stone, the surviving members of the band weren't immediately told about Van Zant's death to allow them to heal from their grave injuries before hearing the devastating news. So confident was Skynyrd's leader of Steve's abilities that the album (and some concerts) featured Steve 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 thanRonnie Van Zant. In 1988, MCA Records released the recordings from the session under the album titled One in the Sun. Download Image. Green Cove Springs, FL. Jacksonville's Southern rock graves | Modern Cities The crash also killedRonnie Van Zant, Steve's sisterCassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary, and co-pilot William Gray. Steve Gaines: Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Steve Gaines was cremated and had his ashes housed not far from the gravesite of fellow Skynyrd member Ronnie Van Zant. Lacy and Marion Van Zant (Ronnie, Johnny, and Donnies parents) graves at Riverside Memorial Park. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Our content aims to be informative and entertaining, often discussing the lesser-known moments in history. Whenever you saw him, he was always playing the guitar.. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It does not store any personal data. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Steve Gaines, the 28-year-old guitarist so full of promise that Van Zant once claimed the band would "all be in his shadow one day," was buried along with his sister Cassie on October 23rd . A listing name reads: "Two plots with vaults adjacent to the late Ronnie Van Zant.". 10. Today Gary Rossington is the last surviving member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup. He has now been laid to rest. How were Steve and Cassie Gaines related? To me, this was the most somber, heart-wrenching site on my entire trip. Bassist Leon Wilkeson is shown wearing his bull horns hat while driving a souped-up dune buggy across the bridge and into the sunset while Freebird is played in the background.This stretch of the highway leads from I-95, and west to Green Cove Springs, FL. Steve Gaines: Southern Rock's Magic Man - Rocksoffmag The Surprising Thing Ronnie Van Zant Is Buried With - Grunge.com There have been a few other minor incidents of vandalism to Van Zant's burial tomb, including the theft in February 1982 of a stone memorial with an inscription by country singer Charlie Daniels. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. After the death of three of their members, the band decided to change the cover photo of the album, which initially featured a picture of the band engulfed in flames. Although the band themselves couldn't hear Steve's playing onstage, soundman Kevin Elson was listening through headphones and told the band that Steve was an outstanding player. Yoko Ono had Lennon's body cremated at the Ferncliff Cemetery, and scattered his ashes in Central Park, in sight of their New York apartment. "Ronnie knew that he was going to die," he said. The Surprising Thing Ronnie Van Zant Is Buried With. Burial. Gaines theology is best described as conservative and evangelical.Steve Gaines (pastor). In fact, Southern rock is arguably as popular now as it was in its heyday, and more recent Jacksonville bands, including JJ Grey and Mofro and the Tedeschi Trucks Band, continue to carry on its legacy. Only three days later on October 20, tragedy struck when the plane carrying the band crashed in a Mississippi countryside, leaving vocalists Ronnie Van Zant and Cassie Gaines, as well as guitarist Steve Gaines dead. Amy Winehouse: Winehouse is another member of the 27 club who was cremated after her death. Both have since been moved to secret locations. It runs past the site of his last home, which is a quarter-mile down a modest rural lane just behind the camera. Members of the band party with friends in 1975. Van Zant himself realized that Steve Gaines was bringing about a rebirth of the band. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. In June 2000, the graves of Van Zant and Steve Gaines were vandalized. He is most well known as a guitarist and songwriter forsouthern rockbandLynyrd Skynyrd, and is the younger brother ofCassie Gaines, who was a back up vocalist for the band's live performances. The guys were in shock and the car was silentwell, except for Allen Collins, who started muttering something to the effect of I was cuttin the rug down at a place called the jug. The rest is history. They also found a bag containing Gaines' cremated ashes on the ground. The plane landed in a swampy area and crashed into trees. She was buried near her children. In June 2000, the graves of Van Zant and Steve Gaines were vandalized. Gaines and Van Zant were 29 years old when they died in the 1977 plane crash. But the break-in at the mausoleum has left the family particularly shaken, Justino said. How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. His first band recorded its debut at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, and later bands included RIO Smokehouse and Rusty Day. In 2000, nearly 23 years after Van Zant and. Like Van Zant had forecasted that the band would be under the shadow of Gaines one day, it is sad we never got to experience it. Ronnie attended Lee High School in Jacksonville with fellow band members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins. I always felt that Ronnie belonged to his fans but I never thought anyone would do something like this to his resting place.". To open the vault would . The Surprising Thing Ronnie Van Zant Is Buried With - Pictellme We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Artimus Pyle emerged with several broken ribs, and bleeding everywhere you could. Following her death in the 1977 plane crash, Gaines was buried just behind her brother Steves grave in Jacksonville Memory Gardens. Steve used a Fender Standard Stratocaster as his main guitar when playing with Lynyrd Skynyrd and can be seen in this source image with one from a live performance. #tbt: A look back at Lynyrd Skynyrd | CNN JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For more than 10 years, people have wondered where Jacksonville's own Lynyrd Skynyrd front man Ronnie Van Zant was buried. In addition to the Van Zant and Gaines vaults, Justino said, vandals also broke walls of three other small vaults containing cremated remains, but those were not disturbed. All rights reserved. The final resting place of backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steves sister) and their parents, at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. However, Kevin Elson, the sound technician, had been listening intently through headphones. Original grave of Steve Gaines Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. However, they had to relocate it to a new location after his and Van Zant's tombs were broken into. Security manager Gene Odom was seriously burned on his arm and face and lost the sight in one eye as a result of an emergency flare on board the plane that was activated during the crash. Their mausoleums remain as memorials for fans to visit. Some have told me that Derek Trucks, formerly of the Allman Brothers Band and a Jacksonville resident, has also been spotted there a few times with is wife, Susan, and others from their musical camp. Get even more exclusive content on my Patreon page:https://www.patreon.com/RNRTrueStoriesToday we take a look at the 2000 news story. He obtained his first guitar at about age 14. After his and Van Zants graves were damaged by vandals in 2000, Gaines family reportedly removed his ashes to a private location. This place is more than 50 years old, and figures prominently into Lynyrd Skynyrd history, both past and present. Steve Gaines was killed instantly upon impact and his sister Cassie Gaines perished as well. This is a very lengthy, detailed post. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Buried Here - Cassie Gaines, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines Cassie began suggesting her brother for the role, but the band had hesitations. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Born Steven Earl Gaines, the son of Cassie Hatfield and Earl Gaines. His experience in the field spans nearly four decades. If you can't make the recordings, you can support us by donating. In a bizarre twist to the case, 40-year-old David Jennings of Jacksonville was arrested and charged early Monday with damaging a temporary, plywood wall on the rear of Van Zant's Mausoleum, Justino said. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Steve 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. After the break-in was discovered, additional deputies, investigators and evidence technicians, including a team from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, were called to the scene. Steve Gaines, Actor: A Way Back In. The relocation was prompted by a June 29 break-in at the crypts for Van Zant and Gaines at Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Orange Park, where fans had gathered to pay tribute to the band for more than 22 years. Died: Band's plane wreck. 5. He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). "I used that as a segue to try to sell the lots because it was right next to the people, so I thought, 'OK, somebody might be interested in it just because of that reason,'" Cochran said of why he mentioned Van Zant's burial site in the listing. In 1977, the body of Steve Gaines was cremated and his ashes buried in Orange Park, Florida. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Gaines was cremated and his ashes were buried in Orange Park, Florida in 1977, but were relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and bandmate Ronnie Van Zants tombs on June 29, 2000. Steve Gaines, Septembe. Joe Carpenter had traveled from Bradenton to Orange Park to show his girlfriend, Jenney Marsh, Van Zant's grave yesterday. The ash remains of Cassie Gaines, Steve Gaines' sister and a vocalist with the band, were undisturbed. On February 15, 1979, the mother of Steve and Cassie, also named Cassie LaRue Gaines, was killed in an automobile accident near the cemetery where Steve and Cassie are buried. As reported by Rolling Stone, Wilkeson was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville. Steve Gaines_CROPPED.jpg. Steven Earl Gaines was born on the 14th of September in 1949 in Miami, Oklahoma. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When not researching cases and sharing his findings on radio and TV, Pat Fitzhugh can be found speaking at paranormal conferences, teaching classes on paranormal research, and leading live, professional investigations of Americas most haunted locations. The first of the three shows recorded for the album was only Gaines third time playing with the band. Cassie was buried in Orange Park, Florida, together with her brother, Steve Gains. Dee Dee has a proper grave, but Johnny sports a cenotaph as a memorial marker for fans to visit. In the not-too-distant past, I created and took a self-guided tour of the various sites associated with the Lynyrd Skynyrd band. Among the six who died were Van Zant, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines, and guitarist Steve Gaines.