>>> LYNYRD SKYNYRD CLASSIC
SWEET HOME ALABAMA NO. 8 ON THE
MUSIC CHARTS WHEN IT FIRST CAME
OUT BACK IN 1974.
THREE YEARS LATER TRAGEDY HIT
JACKSONVILLE HOMETOWN BOYS.
>> SOME OF THE HOMETOWN BOYS
ARE STILL CARRYING ON THE BAND
LEGACY RECENTLY A STANDING ROOM
ONLY CROWD ROCKED THE LOCAL
FAVORITE WHEN LYNYRD SKYNYRD
PLAYED IT LIVE DURING A CONCERT
AT SAINT AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATE
AT SAINT AUGUSTINE
AMPHITHEATER.
I WAS THERE.
BEHIND THE SCENE
♪♪♪♪THAT SONG NEVER FAILS TO STIR
FANS OF THE SOUTHERN ROCK BAND
THAT GREW TO INTERNATIONAL FAME
FROM THE LOCAL ROOTS AT LEHIGH
SCHOOL GOING BACK 51 YEARS.
THIS CONCERT LIKE SO MANY
OTHERS BEFORE IT ONCE SEEMED
IMPOSSIBILITY PAUSE OF WHAT
HAPPENED 40 YEARS AGO LAST WEE
HAPPENED 40 YEARS AGO LAST
WEEK.
ON OCTOBER 20TH, 1977, LYNYRD
SKYNYRD CHARTERED PLANE CRASHED
IN THE MISSISSIPPI WOODS FLYING
FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO
LOUISIANA TO PLAY A CONCERT AT
LSU.
6 PEOPLE DIED.
LEAD SINGER RON VAN ZANDT,
GUITARIST STEVE GAINS, HIS
SISTER SINGER CASTIE GAINS,
ROAD MANAGER DEAN KILPATRICK
AND THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT WHO
INVESTIGATORS SAY FAILED TO
REALIZE THE PLANE WAS OUT OF
FUEL UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.
20 PEOPLE WERE BADLY INJURED
INCLUDING THE BAND'S OTHER TWO
FOUNDING MEMBERS ALLEN COLLINS
AND GARY ROSSING TON.
DRUMMER ART PILE SUFFERED
CRACKED RIBS BUT STILL MANAGED
TO WALK OUT OF THE WOODS TO GET
HELP.
THIS WOMAN MOVING TO THE MUSIC
JUST OFF STAGE IS MORE THAN A
FAN.
SHE'S RON'S WIDOW JUDY.
BEFORE THE CONCERT ACCOMPANIED
BY TWO OF HER GRANDCHILDREN,
SHE TALKED WITH ME ABOUT HER
LATE HUSBAND.
WERE YOU MARRIED TO HIM FOR 5
YEARS.
TELL US WHAT HE WAS REALLY LIKE
AT HOME.
>> WELL AT HOME HE WAS TOTALLY
DIFFERENT.
HE WOULD LIKE TO COME OFF THE
ROAD JUST SO THAT HE COULD
CHILL OUT A BIT.
HE LIKED TO FISH.
HE LIKED TO HANG OUT.
WOULD I COOK AND WE LIVE RIGHT
ON DOCTOR INLET.
SO HE WOULD GO FISHING A LOT
WIT GARY AND HE WAS, HE WAS A
DIFFERENT PERSON AT HOME THAN
ON THE ROAD.
>>Reporter: DO YOU THINK ABOUT
THE CRASH OR DO YOU ONLY THINK
ABOUT THE CRASH WHEN PEOPLE
LIKE ME COME ALONG AND ASK YOU
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CRASH.
>> I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE
CRASH.
BUT YOU KNOW THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN IT COMES UP AND OF COURSE
WITH THE 40th ANNIVERSARY WHICH
40 YEARS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN
30 YEARS.
10 YEARS.
5 YEARS.
WHATEVER.
SO EVERY DAY FOR THAT MATTER
BUT I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT I
BUT I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT
IT.
IT'S NOT IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF
THE WORST DAYS OF MY LIFE.
>>Reporter: BUT HE IT STILL IS
THE WORST DAY ISN'T IT.
>> YES.
>>Reporter: LIKE ALL
GRANDPARENTS SHE'S HAPPIEST
WHEN I CHANGE THE SUBJECT TO
HER GRANDCHILDREN.
>> THIS IS MARIAH, 17.
CODEY IS 11.
THESE ARE MELANIE KIDS AND I
HAVE OOD ANOTHER GRAND-DAUGHTER
IN NEW ORLEANS WHO IS 4 YEARS
OLD.
>>Reporter: THIS IS A BIG
NIGHT FOR YOU.
>> YES.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER
SEEING THEM LIVE AND I ACTUALLY
JUST WATCHED FREE BIRD THE
MOVIE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK TO
GET A FEEL OF IT.
THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT
NIGHT FOR ME.
>>Reporter: THE CONCERT WILL
ALSO BE A FIRST FOR THIS BOY.
>> I'M TRULY EXCITED FOR IT AND
JUST WANT TO SEE HOW GOOD IT I
JUST WANT TO SEE HOW GOOD IT
IS.
>>Reporter: WHAT SHE DIDN'T
KNOW WHEN WE TALKED IS THAT HER
UNCLE JOHNNY HAD A BIG SURPRISE
FOR HER WHEN THE BAND PLAYED
THEIR NEXT TO LAST SONG.
♪♪♪♪SWEET HOME ALABAMA.
>>Reporter: THAT'S THE
VOCALIST DURING SWEET HOME
ALABAMA.
♪♪♪♪COULD SHE HAVE SOME VAN SARNT
TALENT IN HER BLOOD?
SOMEBODY IMPRESSED UPON YOU
THAT YOU ARE RON'S
GRAND-DAUGHTER DO PEOPLE
IMPRESS IT ON YOU.
DOES ANYBODY EVEN TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THAT.
>> PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW
ABOUT IT UNLESS I BRING IT UP
OR UNLESS THEY KNOW WHO MY MOM
.
UNCLE JOHNNY HAD A SURPRISE
FORTH BOY.
THEY CARRIED THE AMERICAN FLAG
FOR ALL THE CROWD TO SEE.
AFTER 90 SOLID MINUTE OF MUSIC
THE SHOW CLOSED WITH THE MOST
CROWD PLEASING SONG OF THEM AL
CROWD PLEASING SONG OF THEM
ALL.
♪♪♪♪FREE BIRD ♪♪ ♪♪.
>>Reporter: WHEN I TALKED WITH
THE ONLY SURVIVING MEMBER OF
THE BAND STILL IN THE BAND
GUITARIST GARY BEFORE THE SHOW,
HE TOLD ME HE KNOWS HOW
IMPORTANT FREE BIRD IS TO THE
FANS AND TO THE BAND.
>> EVERY NIGHT WE PLAY FREE
BIRD IT'S LIKE BRAND NEW.
THE PEOPLE GIVE YOU SUC ENER
THE PEOPLE GIVE YOU SUCH
ENERGY.
PEOPLE COME UP AND SAY WE
PLAYED THAT AT MY BROTHER'S
FUNERAL OR FREE BIRD WAS AT MY
WEDDING
THE MUSIC IS WHAT KEEPS IT
GOING AND KEEPS ME GOING AND
THE REASON I'M HERE IS THE
MUSIC.
IF THAT -- THAT NEVER DISHTIOND
YOU KN
YOU.
>>Reporter: TO CLEAR ANY
CONFUSION I MAY HAVE CAUSED
GARY IS THE ONLY SURVIVOR IN
THE CRASH DRUMMER ART PILE AND
SINGER LESLIE HAWKINS ALSO
SURVIVED AND THEY ARE ALIVE AND
WELL.
AS YOU KNOW PART OF THE STORY
IS THIS ALBUM STREET SURVIVORS.
IT WAS RELEASED JUST THREE DAYS
BEFORE THE CRASH AND WITHIN A
MATTER OF DAYS, 10 DAYS OF
BEING IN RECORD STORES IT WENT
GOLD AND LATER WAS DOUBLE
PLATINUM.
>> WOW! I REMEMBER AFTER THE
CRASH THAT THERE WERE SOME
OBJECTIONS TO THIS SPECIFIC
COVER BECAUSE OF THE FLAMES
THERE BEHIND THE BAND.
>>Reporter: PARTICULARLY
BEHIND STEVE GAINS.
OUT OF RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO
DIED MCA WITHDREW THE ORIGINAL
COVER AND REPLACED IT WITH A
SIMILAR PICTURE OF THE BAND IN
FRONT OF THE SIMPLE BLACK
BACKGROUND.
>> THIS IS LATE 1970'S.
I DON'T RECALL MANY LOCAL TV
STATIONS SENDING REPORTERS OUT
TO COVER SUCH TRAGEDY OR ANY
STORY REALLY OUT OF TOWN.
RIGHT.
>>Reporter: DIDN'T GO MUCH
FARTHER THAN TALLAHASSEE.
PRETTY UNCOMMON FOR LOCAL
REPORTERS TO GO VERY FAR FROM
HOME.
I HAVE BEEN ASKED AGAIN AND
AGAIN HOW IT WAS THAT WE WENT
TO THE SCENE OF THE CRASH.
THE WOODS.
SWAMP REALLY AND MISSISSIPPI
ABOUT 6000 MOO IS FROM
JACKSONVILLE.
THE DECISION TO GOOD THERE WAS
MADE BY OUR NEWS DIRECTOR AT
THE TIME JOE MOORE LAND
SOUTHERN MAN AND HUGE FAN OF
THE BAND.
CRASH ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND THE
NEXT MORNING THE PHOTOGRAPHER
AND I FLEW TO ABOUT THE ON RUN
AND I FLEW TO ABOUT THE ON
RUNL.
FIRST TIME ANY OF US IN OUR
NEWSROOM HAD GONE OUT OF TOWN
WITH BRAND NEW VIDEOCAMERA
WHICH WERE REPLACING FILM
CAMERA IN TELEVISION BACK IN
THOSE DAYS.
>> BIG DEAL.
>>Reporter: YES.
BIG DEAL.
AIRLINE WOULD NOT LET JOE HOLD
THE CAMERA IN HIS LAP SO WE HAD
TO PUT IT IN THE OVERHEAD BIN
WE GOT TO BATON ROUGE IT WAS
BROKEN.
I'M OVER IT BUT ENGINEERS AT
BAT ON ROUGE TV STATION FIXED
IT FOR US AND THE PILOT FLEW US
TO McCOMB MISSISSIPPI AND DROVE
RECENTED CAR TO GILLS BURG.
FOUND THE MAKE SHIFT ROAD FIRST
RESPONDERS HAD USED TO GET THE
VICTIMS.
>> DEEP IN THE SWAMP.
>>Reporter: OUT OF THE SWAMP
YES.
WE WALKED THAT ROAD UNTIL WE
REACHED THE WRECKAGE.
WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE.
AS I SHARED WITH YOU YESTERDAY,
YES, IT WAS A HORRIBLE HOTTE
YES, IT WAS A HORRIBLE HEART
BREAKING UNFORGETTABLE SIGHT.
>> HOW REMARKABLE IS IT THAT
THE TITLE ON THE ALBUM IS
SURVIVOR.
INCLUDE THE WORD SURVIVOR EVEN
AFTER SUCH A TRAGEDY SO LONG
AGO THE MUSIC OF LYNYRD SKYNYRD
STILL SURVIVE AND REALLY
HITTING AUDIENCE GENERATION
AFTER SCREEN RATION.
>>Reporter: YOUNG PEOPLE NOT
BORN AT THE TIME OF THE PLANE
CRASH.
ONE MORE THING I WANT TO THANK
JUDY FOR THE USE OF THE HOME
VIDEO YOU SAW THE BAND IN MY
STORY TODAY AND THE ONE
YESTERDAY.
THEY ARE FROM FREE BIRD THE
MOVIE.
THIS PAST WEEKEND JUDY POSTED A
MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK THAT I WANT
TO READ TO YOU ALL.
SHE SAID OCTOBER 20, 1977 IS A
REMINDER OF THE WORST DAY OF MY
LIFE,I APPRECIATE THAT TOM
WELLS AND WJXT 4 WANT TO PAY
TRIBUTE TO O FAMILY SAD DAY
FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS EVEN
40 YEARS LATER BUT IT IS
WONDERFUL THAT THEY ARE
REMEMBERED AND LIVE ON.
MAYBE SHE SAID WE COULD PUT
HATE ANGER AND DISRESPECT ASIDE
FOR ONE DAY.
>> THEY ARE FRIEND THEY ARE
FRIEND OF OURS.
>>Reporter: YES THEY ARE.
>> RIGHT.
>>Reporter: YES.
AND TOMORROW HER GRAND-DAUGHTER
WILL JOIN VIC AND NICKY LIVE
DURING THE 9:00 O'CLOCK HOUR OF
THE MORNING SHOW.
>> THAT I DID NOT KNOW.
WE GET TO HEAR HER.
>>Reporter: YES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE HAVE HER
DO BUT BET TUNE IN TOMORROW AT
9 AND FOUND OUT.
IF YOU GO TO OUR WEB SITE YOU
CAN FIND MORE OF MY INTERVIEW
WITH JUDY AND GARY AND SLIDE
SHOW OF THE BAND FROM NOW AND
THEN.
READ THE NTSB REPORT ON THE
CRASH AND YOU CAN WATCH THE
SPECIAL LYNYRD SKYNYRD REPORT
THAT WE PUT TOGETHER 40 YEARS
AGO IN 1977.