Billy Powell
Encyclopedia
William Norris "Billy" Powell (June 3, 1952 – January 28, 2009) was an American
musician
. He was the longtime keyboardist
of Southern rock
band Lynyrd Skynyrd
, from 1970 until his death in 2009.
, Powell grew up in a military
family (his father was in the U.S. Navy
) and spent several years of his childhood living in Italy where his father was stationed. After his father died of cancer
in 1960, he moved with his family back to the United States and settled in Jacksonville, Florida
. He met his lifelong friend, Leon Wilkeson
in elementary school. Billy's interest in piano began to grow and he began taking piano
lessons from a local teacher named Madeleine Brown. She swore he did not need her, claiming that Billy was a natural and picked things up well on his own. When it was time for high school, his mother enrolled Billy and his brother, Ricky at Sanford Naval Academy in Sanford, FL.
. When he graduated in 1970, he enrolled briefly in a community college, majoring in Music Theory. Around this time he found work as a roadie
for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Billy remained a member of the Skynyrd crew for two years (which included, amongst the grittier shows, highlights such as Skynyrd landing a support slot for Leslie West's "Mountain") In his second year with them, 1972, Skynyrd played one particular gig, a show at the Bolles school prom. After his usual routine working with Kevin Elson, Billy had time to rest for a short while. In the corner he spotted a piano, so Billy went over and sat down with it. Just fooling around, Billy launches into his piano based version of Freebird for the boys in the band to listen to. Ronnie, astonished at his roadies hitherto secret ability said 'You mean to tell me, you've been playing the piano like that and you've been workin' for us for a year....'. Billy replied , "Well, you know, I've been classically trained most of my life.' He was then told Skynyrd were looking for a keyboard man, and Billy was in!
In 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd was signed to MCA Records and received national exposure with the release of their first album, . The band's popularity soared in 1974 with their follow-up album, Second Helping
, which featured their highest-charting single, "Sweet Home Alabama
". The band enjoyed great popularity over the next three years, culminating in the 1977 release of Street Survivors
, which many considered to be their strongest effort to date.
However, three days after the release of Street Survivors
, Skynyrd's chartered plane crashed into a forest near McComb, Mississippi
. The crash took the lives of singer Ronnie Van Zant
, guitarist Steve Gaines
, his sister and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines
, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, and both pilots. The remainder of the band suffered injuries ranging from mild to severe. Powell suffered severe facial lacerations
, almost completely losing his nose but was otherwise relatively uninjured. He was the first to be released from the hospital, and the only member able to attend the funerals of his fallen band-mates.
During the time between the plane crash and the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion in 1987, Powell joined a Christian rock band named Vision in 1984..during this time he recorded 3 albums and toured extensively.."Mountain in The Sky"/self titled "Vision" and soon to be released(previously unreleased).."Streetfighter" His keyboard playing was spotlighted in Vision concerts. Powell also spoke during the concerts about his new found Christianity...as is featured on 2 bonus tracks..("Mountain in The Sky") where Skynyrd/Vision bandmate Leon Wilkeson and he give testimony of their conversions.
Powell rejoined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987 for a tribute tour, and remained with the band until his death. Guitarist Gary Rossington
is the only member from the classic lineup who continues to record and perform with the band today.
In 2007, two years before his death, Powell played piano on Kid Rock
's summer anthem "All Summer Long
" (which samples "Sweet Home Alabama").
. Powell called 911
at 12:55 a.m., complaining of shortness of breath. He missed his appointment with the doctor on the day before his death; the appointment was for a checkup on his heart. The EMS
responders found Powell unconscious and unresponsive, with the telephone still in his hand. Rescue crews performed CPR
, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 am. A heart attack was the suspected cause of death, but an autopsy was not performed. A private memorial service for Billy Powell was held on Saturday, January 31 with Billy's friend, Dr. Bob Winstead officiating...The music he had recorded with Vision was played exclusively and Kid Rock
sang a tribute song to Billy at the service. Many southern rock musicians were in attendance, including the Skynyrd and Vision bandmates .. their families, Hank Williams Jr. and others.
He leaves behind his family; wife, Ellen, sons Brandon and Joel, daughters Layla, Ashley, and Maggie, brother, Rick, and sister, Donna.
The song 'Gifted Hands' was later written and recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd as a tribute to Powell.
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 was the longtime keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
of 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...
, from 1970 until his death in 2009.
Biography
Born in Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, Powell grew up in a military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
family (his father was in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
) and spent several years of his childhood living in Italy where his father was stationed. After his father died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in 1960, he moved with his family back to the United States and settled in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. He met his lifelong friend, Leon Wilkeson
Leon Wilkeson
Leon Russell Wilkeson was the bassist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 until his death in 2001.-Early life:...
in elementary school. Billy's interest in piano began to grow and he began taking piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons from a local teacher named Madeleine Brown. She swore he did not need her, claiming that Billy was a natural and picked things up well on his own. When it was time for high school, his mother enrolled Billy and his brother, Ricky at Sanford Naval Academy in Sanford, FL.
Musical career
Billy returned to Jacksonville where he enrolled at Bishop Kenny High SchoolBishop Kenny High School
Bishop Kenny High School is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational Catholic high school in Jacksonville, Florida. It is located in and administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine...
. When he graduated in 1970, he enrolled briefly in a community college, majoring in Music Theory. Around this time he found work as a roadie
Road crew
The road crew are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians...
for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Billy remained a member of the Skynyrd crew for two years (which included, amongst the grittier shows, highlights such as Skynyrd landing a support slot for Leslie West's "Mountain") In his second year with them, 1972, Skynyrd played one particular gig, a show at the Bolles school prom. After his usual routine working with Kevin Elson, Billy had time to rest for a short while. In the corner he spotted a piano, so Billy went over and sat down with it. Just fooling around, Billy launches into his piano based version of Freebird for the boys in the band to listen to. Ronnie, astonished at his roadies hitherto secret ability said 'You mean to tell me, you've been playing the piano like that and you've been workin' for us for a year....'. Billy replied , "Well, you know, I've been classically trained most of my life.' He was then told Skynyrd were looking for a keyboard man, and Billy was in!
In 1973, Lynyrd Skynyrd was signed to MCA Records and received national exposure with the release of their first album, . The band's popularity soared in 1974 with their follow-up album, Second Helping
Second Helping
Second Helping is a 1974 album by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was the band's second album, and featured its biggest hit single, "Sweet Home Alabama", an answer song to Neil Young's "Alabama" and "Southern Man". The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1974...
, which featured their highest-charting single, "Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama (song)
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping.It reached #8 on the US charts in 1974, and was the band's second hit single.-Creation and recording:...
". The band enjoyed great popularity over the next three years, culminating in the 1977 release of 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...
, which many considered to be their strongest effort to date.
However, three days after the release of 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...
, Skynyrd's chartered plane crashed into a forest near McComb, Mississippi
McComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. The crash took the lives of singer 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...
, guitarist Steve Gaines
Steve Gaines
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...
, his sister and backing vocalist 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, and both pilots. The remainder of the band suffered injuries ranging from mild to severe. Powell suffered severe facial lacerations
Facial trauma
Facial trauma, also called maxillofacial trauma, is any physical trauma to the face. Facial trauma can involve soft tissue injuries such as burns, lacerations and bruises, or fractures of the facial bones such as nasal fractures and fractures of the jaw, as well as trauma such as eye injuries...
, almost completely losing his nose but was otherwise relatively uninjured. He was the first to be released from the hospital, and the only member able to attend the funerals of his fallen band-mates.
During the time between the plane crash and the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion in 1987, Powell joined a Christian rock band named Vision in 1984..during this time he recorded 3 albums and toured extensively.."Mountain in The Sky"/self titled "Vision" and soon to be released(previously unreleased).."Streetfighter" His keyboard playing was spotlighted in Vision concerts. Powell also spoke during the concerts about his new found Christianity...as is featured on 2 bonus tracks..("Mountain in The Sky") where Skynyrd/Vision bandmate Leon Wilkeson and he give testimony of their conversions.
Powell rejoined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987 for a tribute tour, and remained with the band until his death. Guitarist Gary Rossington
Gary Rossington
Gary Robert Rossington is a founding member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He plays lead and rhythm guitar. He is also a founding member of The Rossington-Collins Band along with former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate, the late Allen Collins...
is the only member from the classic lineup who continues to record and perform with the band today.
In 2007, two years before his death, Powell played piano on Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
's summer anthem "All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
" (which samples "Sweet Home Alabama").
Death
On January 28, 2009, the keyboardist died at the age of 56 at his home in Orange Park, FloridaOrange 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...
. Powell called 911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
at 12:55 a.m., complaining of shortness of breath. He missed his appointment with the doctor on the day before his death; the appointment was for a checkup on his heart. The EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
responders found Powell unconscious and unresponsive, with the telephone still in his hand. Rescue crews performed CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 am. A heart attack was the suspected cause of death, but an autopsy was not performed. A private memorial service for Billy Powell was held on Saturday, January 31 with Billy's friend, Dr. Bob Winstead officiating...The music he had recorded with Vision was played exclusively and Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
sang a tribute song to Billy at the service. Many southern rock musicians were in attendance, including the Skynyrd and Vision bandmates .. their families, Hank Williams Jr. and others.
He leaves behind his family; wife, Ellen, sons Brandon and Joel, daughters Layla, Ashley, and Maggie, brother, Rick, and sister, Donna.
The song 'Gifted Hands' was later written and recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd as a tribute to Powell.