Steve Gaines was a fuckin’ awesome musician and fit in perfectly with the band. Singing, songwriting, guitar playing, and live performances were all high quality. He took Skynyrd to a higher level. His solo work kicks ass too!!
IMHO HE HAD NOT FINISHED MATURING YET EITHER -- HE STILL HAD ANOTHER 3-4 YEARS BEFORE HE WAS TRULY AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME -- HE WAS GONNA BE A GREAT ONE FOR SURE
Steve was amazing. He always killed it on that strat and then les paul on free bird ( black beauty). I’m so glad Alan let him in on the free bird solo near the end. Just think of where he would be today. Like Randy Rhoads. Maybe they would’ve been jammin together. That would’ve been awesome !!!❤
I was just listening to Steve’s “One in the Sun,” a fine, fine song. I’d say he was the most technically advanced guitar player Skynyrd had, and he was smart enough to not spend a lot of time showing off. Consider that Steve died in October 1977, and the first Van Halen album rolled out less than 6 months later. If Steve had lived, he could very well have ended up another revered virtuoso whose name would be spoken in the same breath as Edward Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Except that he would be playing bitchin’ songs and mind-melting solos that drew from blues, r&b, country and jazz. The whole landscape of guitar-intensive rock music could have been changed by this man.
Couldn’t have been better said. IMO, Steve Gaines is the most gifted triple threat (singing, songwriting, guitar) who ever lived. Had he (and Ronnie) lived, Rock-n-Roll and the Blues would’ve greatly benefited and the current Blues Rock landscape scene would be different.
Yes, Steve was a humble guy even though Allen was constantly shooting daggers his way. ha Steve was born with God given talent to be able to play guitar and sing that great at such a young age.
Great documentary. I agree whole heartedly about Steve. A complete package. Might add that I too think Allen was the best guitarist, but Steve was most talented. Just so sad they are all gone. God Bless them all🙏🕯️✝️
I was a founding member of a little garage band in Oklahoma a guy that worked with our drummer said he played a little guitar. And asked to sit in with us. We were blown away. Thinking this guy would never want to join "our" band. He showed up every jam session. He always talked about growing up, and learning to play with "little Stevie". One day I said, "you're talking about Steve Gaines aren't you"? We went on to play fifty four shows our first year out with "Guitar Gary" bringing entire rooms to their feet.
It is remarkable that these Jacksonville boys came together and became something the world had never seen before. They had lightning in a bottle and the best was still to come. Such a tragedy. Thanks for making this video Doc!
@@RiverDocsI hadn't known they were from Jacksonville until I moved here. I actually figured there would be a huge presence in the area. But I see nothing. And they had to be the biggest thing to ever come out of this place
I saw them in October 1977 at the Hollywood Sporatarium in Hollywood Florida Ronnie left the stage when Steve sang aint no good life out of respect for Steve 5 days later they were gone I was and I am still heart broken they were the greatest band I have ever seen.
Don’t know how I missed that. I have been at the Pitatorium we called it all thur the 70 to the mid 80. When they tore it down and close the speedway. Lotta good times at both those places.
Hey Bear the sound was usually not really good in the Sporatarium but that night was different it was clear you could hear everything and Ronnie announced that night they had broke the Florida indoor attendance record there was over 22.000 people there. I still have my ticket stub@@Bear2man858
It is good to see Steve Gaines finally almost 50 years later getting his dues. Any one who doesn’t know just how really talented he was simply go to the internet and search Crawdad and you will find his greatness. He needed Lynyrd Skynyrd but they needed him to achieve the next level of there greatness. Street Survivors was just the tip of the iceberg of what was to come.That last night in Greenville S C I was two rows back directly in front of Steve. It was a super show ,almost as if they knew it was to be the final one. It is truly sad they were taken so young would have been really fun to see them Dominate music for years to come. R I P
Beautifully made mini-documentary of Steve Gaines. Thank you for taking the time it must have took creating this touching episode. Skynyrd's music will never get old & will be heard forever!
I saw Skynyrd front row in Mpls just weeks before the crash, they were as on fire as the album cover portrayed. I am privileged to have such a memory of pure Rock & Roll turned way up loud. I miss America. 👨🌾
That was such a tragedy; I can’t imagine the pain their folks went through after losing two of their children at once. And how awesomely talented they were; only God knows the heights the band would’ve reached had things turned out different. Thank you for this great documentary; love them all. Keep them coming.
What's even more tragic is that it wasn't very long after Steve and Cassie died that their mother got killed in a car wreck, if I'm not mistaken. Just a terrible cloud hanging over that family. Not to mention Steve's daughter having to grow up without her dad.
Off the top of my head, only the Bessette family could relate to losing two adult children in a plane crash. Losing one is bad enough but two...wow---that's quite a shocker.
Teresa Gaines eventually remarried. Her husband was a guy from The Henry Paul Band and they had a child together, giving Corrine a half sibling. Teresa died at age 66 some years back.
They did all play awesome together and know one trying to put due the other flowed like no other band they were incredible just watched a live performance of needle and spoon couple days ago I highly recommend it it's awsome to watch them go back and forth
Steve was a great singer and player which we heard on Street Survivors. And that was only the beginning...and sadly, the end. RIP to all who perished in that senseless tragedy.
I always have loved what the Lynyrd Skynyrd band brought to the table musically, and to this day still have my 2 record set of “ One more from the road” The cassette tape version has long since passed into oblivion from getting played to death in my tape decks as I grew older . I watched the live shows on UA-cam where Ronnie lets Steve go into one of his solos & you can just see the big smile come across His face as he listens & then watches Steve playing. Classic scenes like this one are small slices of history, and I agree there was SO MUCH MORE music that could have been made , & that we lost some great talent in that horrific plane crash.
It's really hard for me to think back on the end of Lynurd Skynyrd....... It seemed that everyone I knew who was a fan of this band, which was most everyone I knew, just stopped talking about them. Any time the subject of the plane crash came up, conversation sort of just trailed off...... It was almost like losing family members. We were all genuinely affected by it. They left a legacy of great Southern Rock for us to remember them by..... Many thanks to River Docs for keeping the memory alive!!!
One in The Sun was a great song, His album by the same name was fantastic. Steve is and was fantastic and a much needed shot in the arm for the band that was road weary and after several huge tours getting a little run down. He is sorely missed
I saw Skynyrd in 1977 at the Apollo theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. I was 14 years old and it was my first concert. The band were incredible, I will never forget it and look back at that night from a distance now. Still for me the best event I have ever been to. Thank you Skynyrd and Steve Gaines.
Steve was excellent, but Ed King's contributions truly put, and kept them on the map while he was there. Sweet Home Alabama, Saturday Night Special, Am I Losing, etc were all home runs. Ed's solos were incredible! All played with a surgeons hand.
Seems to me the best music came from writing teams...Lennon and McCartney, Page and Plant etc... Ronnie and Ed King wrote all the knockouts together.. unlike most other acts when Ed King left they actually continued to get better because of Mr. Gaines and what he brought to the table.. everything they ever did is in the "Standards" category IMHO....
@@scottmont1966 Pffft. I said Steve was excellent. He was. Ed only left because Ronnie was an abusive, drunken asshole who literally cut Ed's hand up with a broken bottle. I'd leave too. Ed always said he loved writting with Ronnie, but he was different on the road.
Steve Gaines is one of the most underrated musicians to ever perform, he was an all-around talented musician. Thanks for the Doc, very nicely done as always!
I never the history of all the guitar playing & drama. All I knew is, I just can't stop listening to Street Survivors over and over to this day. I have been doing research on the plane crash, and just was at the memorial site. Driving home from New Orleans to Michigan, we found it by accident On 55 when we hit Mississippi. My heart still bleeds. Great accomplishment Steve. Your name will always be remembered.
I've never got to visit the actual memorial site but the site of the actual crash itself is apparently a little bit down the road from where they built the memorial. People still go there and find wreckage to this very day.
The Motes sold their chicken farm to a Vietnamese family who knew nothing of the 1977 event on their land, and didn't take kindly to all the fans who trespassed as a part of their pilgrimage to the crash site.
What a horrible loss. Condolences to the Gaines family and everyone else who suffered from that senseless plane crash. Oh my goodness, what could have been 😓
If Steve Gaines had lived, I can see him playing regularly with Eric Clapton--trading licks with him at his "Crossroads Festival". You hear the songs he wrote and sang on with Lynyrd Skynyrd, such as "Ain't No Good Life", they transform into a different band--playing Chicago Blues instead of Southern Rock. More like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
Gaines was definitely a much needed upgrade for the band. He was a triple threat for sure. We can only speculate what the band would have done in future years. I’m still an Ed King super fan though! Thanks RD!
You're welcome. All of them guitar players were top notch. I plan on doing a video about Ed next year. Great guitarist and a super interesting and nice guy.
Is four guitarists too many I always wondered what it would have been like if Ed was to join them with Steve, Black Oak Arkansas had 6 guitarists @@RiverDocs
Another gem, Doc. Well done and fine research. The Miami Tribe formerly natives to Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan is the namesake of Steve and Cassie’s hometown. RIP
You're welcome Chucky. You know I try to keep it real and still give a different take on some of these same old tales to keep these musicians memories alive. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
If you haven’t heard his previous music you’re missing out! Search ‘crawdad live’ and you’ll find a few live albums that have some of his best playing and singing on, I think he is one of the best of all time
very nice narration,...and compilation of facts and rare photos,..i appreciate you sharing it,....so unfair what happened in Oct 77,....so glad they left us the recordings to enjoy.
Thank you so much for this excellent "doc" of the great Steve Gaines! The Beatles' influence, lovely sister Cassie's involvement in getting him heard by Skynyrd, and how his musicianship infused the band with new energy, all speak to who Steve was. The accompanying photos (especially the ones of Leslie West with Ronnie, and Artimus with the guitar) made for a wonderful visual treat! "You sho' got that right!" RIP, folks...
I'm not sure I'd say which one is the most talented, but the chemistry and history between Allen, Gary, and Ronnie was what really made that band. Everyone else was great too.
Still makes me cry...the wholefkdup plane crash deal. My favorite album was "one more for/ from the road," nothing less than stellar, for a live album, just really great, every single track. But l loved everything they did, before and after that too. Those guy,s were my faves back then, along with too many other,s to mention. Lol. Love your vid,s man...thanx.. ✌️❤️😁
I waited for years to see my band! I still have the original ticket October 1977 for the concert in baton rouge. It was a really sad day for this teenager. R.I.P. Ronnie, Steve, and beautiful Cassie and the other 3. The conair CV240 took the best band away that blew the rolling stones away on stage. Now we have lost all but 1 the bad ass drummer. Live on FREE 🐦
I did like your video. It lifted Steve up without putting anyone down. His talent was so untapped. He was just getting started. I love that guy. Then again, I love all of Skynyrd's member's.
Another Homerun..I love these! You are the only journalist who has featured Steve Gaines. Boy you echo my sentiment about this Man,'s gifts. People think I'm insane but I won't withdraw my assertion that had he lived, Steve Gaines would be one of the guitar players against whom others are compared. Mind blowing musicality! Great job again my friend. These are excellent!
Thanks for the video. Saw him with Skynyrd in 76 at Knebworth and 77 at the London Rainbow. Street Survivors by far my favourite Skynyrd album, Steve took them to another level. I can honestly say that the plane crash was only time I actually shed a tear about any musicians passing. A great loss.
The band was extremely talented already Steve brought his arsenal of talent to add another element of greatness Love how Ronnie and Steve exchanged lead vocals on You Got that right ❤
Steve was an incredible guitarist, his timing and technique were excellent, couple that with a great ear for beautiful melodies and you got great lead solos. "That Smell" is just awesome, his timing, tone, sustain, vibrato and phrasing are textbook perfect.
Man! Never fails that I learn something about my best guitar players or bands. We didn’t have the web back then which is good and bad it was all about the jam and the look. I sure do miss those days. Thanks 😊
Good Video 👍 Steve was taken just before his Worldwide chance to shine, with Street Survivors. Lightning has struck dozens of times over with every phenomenal member of the LS Family. They've had many Great Guitarists 🎸🎶 over time, including Rickey, Hughie, Sparky, Randall, and now Damon. But the Legenendary, Unique, World Class 4 were Gary, Allen, Ed, and Steve !!!!! How can you really pick 1 of the 4, although Steve was incredible !!! Of al the tragic stories in the LS family, to me Steve and Cassie's stand out, their chance to shine so bright, so very short. What an amazing band in R&R Heaven, I'm sure Steve & Ed, 2 humble greats, are fast friends. Fly on Free Birds 🦅🙏 Rest in Peace but Rock the House. When its my time, I'll be at your Party every weekend ✌️
For the past twelve years, I’ve had this idea swimming in my head about making a movie biopic about Steve, starting from when he saw the Beatles live in 1964 (thus inspiring Steve to pick up the guitar in the first place), and ending with when Steve officially joins Lynyrd Skynyrd. The film would focus on the various projects Steve was involved in before Skynyrd (particularly Manalive, Rio Smokehouse, Detroit with Rusty Day, and Crawdad), his relationship with Teresa, and his becoming a father. The film would be about the road that led Steve to Skynyrd. I’m thinking it could be called Okie, and the J.J. Cale song of the same name could be an opening and closing theme for the biopic.
That would be an awesome project. Now is the time to do it. There are still quite a few of his old band mates still living. Sadly Teresa passed away in 2015 or 16 I think. Steve really deserves something like that!
@@RiverDocs I am currently working on a book about Rusty Day. Maybe some of the guys I interviewed for that could help with this, too. I did recently get to talk with John Sinclair (yes, THAT John Sinclair) about the Detroit band, which he managed when Steve was in it. Yeah, we lost Teresa in November 2016. We lost Terry Emery in 2020. We just recently lost Detroit bass player Nathaniel Peterson, whom I’d tried to reach out to for a couple years. I definitely hope to interview some of Steve’s friends and former bandmates as well, including Jimmy Hawkins, Dennis Tieken, John Moss, John Seaberg, Johnny Rose, and anyone else who is still around today.
I think Gains was assuredly a very self kreated talented Musician, my favorite kreative talent in Lynyrd Skynyrd was Allen Collins with his Guitar work! I am still interested to look for his playing when I hear a Lynyrd Skynyrd song to see what he was doing in that kreative session! He was the Guitarist I picked out of 60s & 70s Rock Bands as a kid to learn how to play a Guitar in my own style and brand. Because he was center tone accurate, ordered and had a very strong sense of kreative roaming with very nice unique and original appeal everytime he wrote a recorded Guitar track! He was one I really enjoyed sharing kreative intuition with when I heard his work on Guitar. I thought Van Zant was also very kreatively appealing and solid with most of his Lyric writing, they were a very interesting pair of Musicians!!
This lineup of LS imo was there best.They where peaking&could blow any other band away live. I love Steve Gaines solo work.My favorite song his" One with the Sun"
How crazy was it that this insane guitarist was not only right under their noses before they decided to try him out, but that he was just languishing playing small bars before Skynyrd? He seems like he was the perfect guy to come into the band at that time, not only musically, but with his laid back personality
The first Skynyrd album I bought was the live album and it is awesome to this day. The second was Street Survivors which IMO is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums ever. What would have been? You always put out great videos sir and this one did not disappoint. Well done!
Steve Gaines is one of the biggest losses this world ever faced in guitar terms, his light was just freshly lit and man did it shine bright. He was all of the best qualities of Southern music rolled up in one guy. He achieved so much in such a short time, his talent was for all to see, it stood out then, and stands up still. Without a doubt a household name today had he lived. No doubt he was bigger than Skynyrd. His songs had an energy and musical depth they didnt know they were missing until he brought it. I dont think he would have left them, but like Charlie Starr today, he would have had a career outside of them. I heard years ago Ronnie was thinking of a sabbatical, so he could do a country album leaving Steve hold the reigns for a year or so and you know he could have done it no problem. If there ever was a musician to aspire to its Steve.
Very wonderful tribute. I saw the band twice before the crash, but both times were before Steve joined. I did buy "Street Survivors", and his talent is obvious on that album. What a tragic loss. Cassie also.
So cool that he shared a "Birthday!" With Ed King!!!👑. I've been by Ed's House in the Nashville area, And neighbors said that, Ed's House was sold and his wife was moving... It still was an Awesome Experience! Just driving by we're he lived "His Last Day's!!!".... 🇺🇲🤘🎸🤘🇺🇲
I couldn't say anything better. You said it all perfectly. AC: Favorite, SG: Most Talented All-Round. But I did hear the son of a well known Skynyrd roadie, tell of Allen doing a beautiful rendition of the Mark Knopfler ballad: "Romeo & Juliet" while sitting in the den of his Florida home, some years after the crash. I just wonder if A.C. ever reached his true potential. Wouldn't it be sweet if a cassette tape of that little jam ever turned up somewhere. The guy who heard it, knew Allen well, and said he could hardly believe what he was hearing. It's obvious that he was never able to get over the passing of his Sweetheart.
Your right about that Steve was sensational. I know a little is some slick picking for a young fella. Even still. T for Texas slide work stands right up there with duanne !!! One thing I read was that after he was officially in the band that they discovered he was born on the same day of the same year as ed king. How unbelievable is that ? God bless u Steve. I really wish we could have heard 10 more albums from u. I know they would have been some of my favorites.
Great video. Ronnie did a wise yet rare thing when he allowed new band member Steve to write, sing and receive proper credit on Street Survivors. They cultivated some incredible music.
The tragedy of Steve's life was not so much what we lost, but what music Steve had in him that we will never get to experience. The band was destined to become one the biggest acts in rock history. A group of us lived in Metairie, LA and one of the group picked up a slew of tickets for the Baton Rouge concert, we were all going up together to enjoy a great show. When we heard the plane went down, we were [and some of us still are] emotionally devastated. Music has lost some greats through plane crashes, Glenn Miller, the Buddy Holly\Big Bopper\Richie Valens crash or the Stevie Ray Vaughn crash or the Otis Redding crash. But I will forever wonder how great this band could've been had the plane not gone down. Rock in Peace, Steve, Cassie, Ronnie and the rest of the band.
I was there (Hollywood ‘Sporto’ 1977). 1st concert my parents let me go to only because they were/are my all-time favorites. Learned to play guitar, played in Bands for years because of them.
Thank you for the great documentary about a great man a great guitar player and his sister a great singer. I agree that is one of the best live rock ‘n’ roll albums ever. They were so much fun.. I always have this urge to go back in time somehow stop them from getting on that plane. 😢 All your videos are really interesting. Keep it up
I saw them in Greenville SC the night before the plane crash, It was a great show,& I'll always remember that concert. RIP to all that died on that flight.
Wow!! Didnt know this existed!! Steve was a shooting star. Ive listened to everything he ever recorded….everything available that is. Go listen to his band Crawdad. Steve was an astonishingly good player. Technically off the charts, but he always had great feel and soul. You are sorely missed steve!!
You nailed it. Everything you said I agree with and was spot on. Allen was my fav too but Steve was something special. Cant imagine how great the music would have been if that crash had never happened…
Until the arrival of Steve Gaines, Billy Powell was the most talented musician in the band. As pointed out in the video, Steve brought so much more to the band then just being a talented musician. The plane crash and subsequent deaths of Ronnie, Stevie and Cassie not only wiped out the creative soul of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it almost certainly contributed to the demise of the Southern Rock movement. In matter of a couple of years Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and eventually Hair Bands wood take over the rock-n-roll landscape. It would be a decade before the Tribute Band would embark on its Anniversary Tour and rekindle the flames of the Southern Rock. The remaining band members would keep the original music alive, but without the creative soul of Ronnie and the contributions Steve brought to the table, the new material would never resonate like the original band's music. We never know what might have been had that plane not fallen from the sky that fateful October night. The Band inspired by Steve's enthusiasm may have been able overcome their hard partying ways and refocused and had a career with the longevity that rivaled the Rolling Stones. One thing is certain. Thousands of musicians and bands have come and gone, very few have left the legacy Skynyrd created before it all came crashing down in small community in Mississippi.
My favorite Skynard song has always been "I know a little". May the Gaines family know the joy Steve and Cassie brought the world.
Look up the bootlegs of Steve doing that song before he joined Skynyrd. It's insane what Ronnie heard in it to turn it into what it became.
It's an awesome song one of my very favorites. But depending on what the day feels like, there's so many awesome Skynyrd songs.
Sweet Little Missy was an extra from the Street Survivors recordings, it’s one of my favorites
Amen
Same here
Steve Gaines was a fuckin’ awesome musician and fit in perfectly with the band. Singing, songwriting, guitar playing, and live performances were all high quality.
He took Skynyrd to a higher level. His solo work kicks ass too!!
Yes he was , you said it all correct ☮️🍻🎸
IMHO HE HAD NOT FINISHED MATURING YET EITHER -- HE STILL HAD ANOTHER 3-4 YEARS BEFORE HE WAS TRULY AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME -- HE WAS GONNA BE A GREAT ONE FOR SURE
Steve & Ronnie would have been the next Lennon & McCartney or Jagger & Richard's had they survived
You got that right.
Steve was amazing. He always killed it on that strat and then les paul on free bird ( black beauty). I’m so glad Alan let him in on the free bird solo near the end. Just think of where he would be today. Like Randy Rhoads. Maybe they would’ve been jammin together. That would’ve been awesome !!!❤
I was just listening to Steve’s “One in the Sun,” a fine, fine song. I’d say he was the most technically advanced guitar player Skynyrd had, and he was smart enough to not spend a lot of time showing off.
Consider that Steve died in October 1977, and the first Van Halen album rolled out less than 6 months later. If Steve had lived, he could very well have ended up another revered virtuoso whose name would be spoken in the same breath as Edward Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Except that he would be playing bitchin’ songs and mind-melting solos that drew from blues, r&b, country and jazz. The whole landscape of guitar-intensive rock music could have been changed by this man.
Couldn’t have been better said. IMO, Steve Gaines is the most gifted triple threat (singing, songwriting, guitar) who ever lived. Had he (and Ronnie) lived, Rock-n-Roll and the Blues would’ve greatly benefited and the current Blues Rock landscape scene would be different.
Yes, Steve was a humble guy even though Allen was constantly shooting daggers his way. ha Steve was born with God given talent to be able to play guitar and sing that great at such a young age.
@@johnsmith-ug5tpS tím Allenem to myslíš jak? Respektive, o čem přesně mluvíš? 🤔
Great documentary. I agree whole heartedly about Steve. A complete package. Might add that I too think Allen was the best guitarist, but Steve was most talented. Just so sad they are all gone. God Bless them all🙏🕯️✝️
Maybe more like SRV than VH...
I will always remember when Ronny said (on the live album) We're gonna sick an Okie on ya..." referring to Steve.
I was a founding member of a little garage band in Oklahoma a guy that worked with our drummer said he played a little guitar. And asked to sit in with us. We were blown away. Thinking this guy would never want to join "our" band. He showed up every jam session. He always talked about growing up, and learning to play with "little Stevie". One day I said, "you're talking about Steve Gaines aren't you"? We went on to play fifty four shows our first year out with "Guitar Gary" bringing entire rooms to their feet.
It is remarkable that these Jacksonville boys came together and became something the world had never seen before. They had lightning in a bottle and the best was still to come. Such a tragedy. Thanks for making this video Doc!
It is very remarkable! Really makes you think back and wonder why we didn't enjoy it even more than we did! Thanks for watching!
@@RiverDocsI hadn't known they were from Jacksonville until I moved here. I actually figured there would be a huge presence in the area. But I see nothing. And they had to be the biggest thing to ever come out of this place
I saw them in October 1977 at the Hollywood Sporatarium in Hollywood Florida Ronnie left the stage when Steve sang aint no good life out of respect for Steve 5 days later they were gone I was and I am still heart broken they were the greatest band I have ever seen.
Don’t know how I missed that. I have been at the Pitatorium we called it all thur the 70 to the mid 80. When they tore it down and close the speedway. Lotta good times at both those places.
Hey Bear the sound was usually not really good in the Sporatarium but that night was different it was clear you could hear everything and Ronnie announced that night they had broke the Florida indoor attendance record there was over 22.000 people there. I still have my ticket stub@@Bear2man858
I was supposed to see them November 77
I was just lucky Albert do you still have your ticket?@@albertbeaney2580
I know a little. Was so great
It is good to see Steve Gaines finally almost 50 years later getting his dues. Any one who doesn’t know just how really talented he was simply go to the internet and search Crawdad and you will find his greatness. He needed Lynyrd Skynyrd but they needed him to achieve the next level of there greatness. Street Survivors was just the tip of the iceberg of what was to come.That last night in Greenville S C I was two rows back directly in front of Steve. It was a super show ,almost as if they knew it was to be the final one. It is truly sad they were taken so young would have been really fun to see them Dominate music for years to come. R I P
Wow...to say you were at their last show is really cool.
Beautifully made mini-documentary of Steve Gaines. Thank you for taking the time it must have took creating this touching episode. Skynyrd's music will never get old & will be heard forever!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
I saw Skynyrd front row in Mpls just weeks before the crash, they were as on fire as the album cover portrayed.
I am privileged to have such a memory of pure Rock & Roll turned way up loud.
I miss America. 👨🌾
Me too.
Same here!!
I was there too
She ain’t gone.
That was such a tragedy; I can’t imagine the pain their folks went through after losing two of their children at once. And how awesomely talented they were; only God knows the heights the band would’ve reached had things turned out different. Thank you for this great documentary; love them all. Keep them coming.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
What's even more tragic is that it wasn't very long after Steve and Cassie died that their mother got killed in a car wreck, if I'm not mistaken. Just a terrible cloud hanging over that family. Not to mention Steve's daughter having to grow up without her dad.
@@SimpleManGuitars1973 Wow; so heart wrenching.
Off the top of my head, only the Bessette family could relate to losing two adult children in a plane crash. Losing one is bad enough but two...wow---that's quite a shocker.
Teresa Gaines eventually remarried. Her husband was a guy from The Henry Paul Band and they had a child together, giving Corrine a half sibling. Teresa died at age 66 some years back.
They were all very talented. I would not put one above the other.
The other guitar player Californian Ed King, from the band "Strawberry Alarm Clock", was also a great guitarist.
@@oceancrosby4578 agree 100%
@@oceancrosby4578
Absolutely.
They did all play awesome together and know one trying to put due the other flowed like no other band they were incredible just watched a live performance of needle and spoon couple days ago I highly recommend it it's awsome to watch them go back and forth
They definitely were all awesome but I have to say Steve added a little something special to the band ?
Yep he could do it all !!!❤❤❤
Great video. Gaines was the spark Ronnie needed for the next phase of Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's a shame we didn't get to see it.
I totally agree.
Agree. Roll Tide!
Steve was 100% fire on guitar
Steve was a great singer and player which we heard on Street Survivors. And that was only the beginning...and sadly, the end. RIP to all who perished in that senseless tragedy.
I always have loved what the Lynyrd Skynyrd band brought to the table musically, and to this day still have my 2 record set of “ One more from the road” The cassette tape version has long since passed into oblivion from getting played to death in my tape decks as I grew older . I watched the live shows on UA-cam where Ronnie lets Steve go into one of his solos & you can just see the big smile come across His face as he listens & then watches Steve playing. Classic scenes like this one are small slices of history, and I agree there was SO MUCH MORE music that could have been made , & that we lost some great talent in that horrific plane crash.
It's really hard for me to think back on the end of Lynurd Skynyrd.......
It seemed that everyone I knew who was a fan of this band, which was most everyone I knew, just stopped talking about them.
Any time the subject of the plane crash came up, conversation sort of just trailed off......
It was almost like losing family members. We were all genuinely affected by it.
They left a legacy of great Southern Rock for us to remember them by.....
Many thanks to River Docs for keeping the memory alive!!!
Truth. I am still heartbroken to this day.
@@timothybenetti5322
Same
One in The Sun was a great song, His album by the same name was fantastic. Steve is and was fantastic and a much needed shot in the arm for the band that was road weary and after several huge tours getting a little run down. He is sorely missed
I saw Skynyrd in 1977 at the Apollo theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. I was 14 years old and it was my first concert. The band were incredible, I will never forget it and look back at that night from a distance now. Still for me the best event I have ever been to. Thank you Skynyrd and Steve Gaines.
Steve was excellent, but Ed King's contributions truly put, and kept them on the map while he was there. Sweet Home Alabama, Saturday Night Special, Am I Losing, etc were all home runs. Ed's solos were incredible! All played with a surgeons hand.
Seems to me the best music came from writing teams...Lennon and McCartney, Page and Plant etc... Ronnie and Ed King wrote all the knockouts together.. unlike most other acts when Ed King left they actually continued to get better because of Mr. Gaines and what he brought to the table.. everything they ever did is in the "Standards" category IMHO....
@@scottmont1966 Pffft. I said Steve was excellent. He was. Ed only left because Ronnie was an abusive, drunken asshole who literally cut Ed's hand up with a broken bottle. I'd leave too. Ed always said he loved writting with Ronnie, but he was different on the road.
ED Kings solo on Sweet Home Alabama LEGENDARY!!!!!!!!!
I agree 100 %
It would have been great for Ed and Steve to get together. They were both fabulous musicians.
As a musician heavily influenced by Skynyrd I believe Steve was the best guitarist in the band. The guy could do it all and he had a great voice
Steve brought it! And had soooo much more to give!! He was brilliantly talented, and imo the best!
Steve Gaines is one of the most underrated musicians to ever perform, he was an all-around talented musician. Thanks for the Doc, very nicely done as always!
I never the history of all the guitar playing & drama. All I knew is, I just can't stop listening to Street Survivors over and over to this day. I have been doing research on the plane crash, and just was at the memorial site. Driving home from New Orleans to Michigan, we found it by accident On 55 when we hit Mississippi. My heart still bleeds. Great accomplishment Steve. Your name will always be remembered.
I've never got to visit the actual memorial site but the site of the actual crash itself is apparently a little bit down the road from where they built the memorial. People still go there and find wreckage to this very day.
The Motes sold their chicken farm to a Vietnamese family who knew nothing of the 1977 event on their land, and didn't take kindly to all the fans who trespassed as a part of their pilgrimage to the crash site.
One From the Road still is the best album ever recorded. I saw them at Knebworth in August 1976. They blew everyone away.
Yes on the first song he played not plugged in i think cause they didn't know how would do
What a horrible loss. Condolences to the Gaines family and everyone else who suffered from that senseless plane crash. Oh my goodness, what could have been 😓
Exactly,senseless. Ignorance chases chaos.
You just keep topping yourself RD! Another well done documentary. RIP Steve, Cassie, Ronnie and the others killed in that crash!
Thanks Ferd. Appreciate it.
If Steve Gaines had lived, I can see him playing regularly with Eric Clapton--trading licks with him at his "Crossroads Festival". You hear the songs he wrote and sang on with Lynyrd Skynyrd, such as "Ain't No Good Life", they transform into a different band--playing Chicago Blues instead of Southern Rock. More like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
I could see him doing a lot. It is such a shame he died so young. Thanks for watching!
I was always a fan of both Steve Gaines & Ed King, and it always blew me away that they were both born on September 14, 1949
That's very cool info... What a coincidence!
Really?? That's cool the bd
Yeah Steve was the most talented but Cassie will always be my favorite band member. God bless and rest them both.
Gaines was definitely a much needed upgrade for the band. He was a triple threat for sure. We can only speculate what the band would have done in future years. I’m still an Ed King super fan though! Thanks RD!
You're welcome. All of them guitar players were top notch. I plan on doing a video about Ed next year. Great guitarist and a super interesting and nice guy.
@@RiverDocsYes; he seemed like a very accessible and down to earth guy. He is missed as well.
Is four guitarists too many I always wondered what it would have been like if Ed was to join them with Steve, Black Oak Arkansas had 6 guitarists @@RiverDocs
Thanks for all you do. Steve G. was amazing. I wish I could have seen him as well as Skynyrd live.
You're welcome!
Saw the band in Statesboro Ga. 77. Great video.
If SteveGsines hadn't died, he would have been one of the 5 best guitarists in the world
Steve was a very calming influence on Skynyrd at a time when they were very wild
Always enjoy your docs. Keep on keeping on.
Thanks, will do!
I had such a crush on Cassie Gaines as a 14 year old kid seeing them for the first time, live in Oakland, California at Day On The Green.
I had it for Leslie...there was a photo in a Skynyrd guitar songbook where she had really tight pants.
U nailed sir. He was a special guy.
I always remember the day Steve’s sister pushed a record player in the classroom and said , I’m your substitute teacher for the class .
Another gem, Doc. Well done and fine research. The Miami Tribe formerly natives to Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan is the namesake of Steve and Cassie’s hometown. RIP
Cool..I didn't know that!! Thanks for watching.
Saw the July 4th Show 1977 at Oakland Colisieum. It was an incredible Show!
You got that right,,,,no doubt . Good one Doc. Thanks for your time and sharing.
You're welcome Dennis. Thank you for watching!
Agree. He blew me away. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for this video and all the content on your channel. The episodes are informative and not full of B.S. I look forward to watching many more.
Thank you. I appreciate that and you support also.
I wasn't even going to listen because I've read so much and also saw them but it turned out to be one of the best,thanks.
You're welcome Chucky. You know I try to keep it real and still give a different take on some of these same old tales to keep these musicians memories alive. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.
@@RiverDocs And I'm 65 and love that Era and always give it a good take,thanks liked and subscribed and shared
Appreciate it man! Thanks!
Very thankful for all the music that came from Lynyrd Skynyrd but it makes me sad to think of all the music that didn't get to be created.
If you haven’t heard his previous music you’re missing out! Search ‘crawdad live’ and you’ll find a few live albums that have some of his best playing and singing on, I think he is one of the best of all time
very nice narration,...and compilation of facts and rare photos,..i appreciate you sharing it,....so unfair what happened in Oct 77,....so glad they left us the recordings to enjoy.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
I grew up in the Chicago area, listening to Soul n Rock n Roll. THEN,,,,,, I heard Skynrd. THEY changed my life!! 😚😍💖👏👏
Thank you so much for this excellent "doc" of the great Steve Gaines! The Beatles' influence, lovely sister Cassie's involvement in getting him heard by Skynyrd, and how his musicianship infused the band with new energy, all speak to who Steve was. The accompanying photos (especially the ones of Leslie West with Ronnie, and Artimus with the guitar) made for a wonderful visual treat! "You sho' got that right!" RIP, folks...
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
I'm not sure I'd say which one is the most talented, but the chemistry and history between Allen, Gary, and Ronnie was what really made that band. Everyone else was great too.
Exactly true!
Still makes me cry...the wholefkdup plane crash deal.
My favorite album was "one more for/ from the road," nothing less than stellar, for a live album, just really great, every single track.
But l loved everything they did, before and after that too. Those guy,s were my faves back then, along with too many other,s to mention. Lol.
Love your vid,s man...thanx..
✌️❤️😁
Thanks man. Appreciate you watching and your comment!
I waited for years to see my band! I still have the original ticket October 1977 for the concert in baton rouge. It was a really sad day for this teenager. R.I.P. Ronnie, Steve, and beautiful Cassie and the other 3. The conair CV240 took the best band away that blew the rolling stones away on stage. Now we have lost all but 1 the bad ass drummer. Live on FREE 🐦
I did like your video. It lifted Steve up without putting anyone down. His talent was so untapped. He was just getting started. I love that guy. Then again, I love all of Skynyrd's member's.
Another Homerun..I love these!
You are the only journalist who has featured Steve Gaines.
Boy you echo my sentiment about this Man,'s gifts.
People think I'm insane but I won't withdraw my assertion that had he lived, Steve Gaines would be one of the guitar players against whom others are compared.
Mind blowing musicality!
Great job again my friend. These are excellent!
Thank you. I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the video. Saw him with Skynyrd in 76 at Knebworth and 77 at the London Rainbow. Street Survivors by far my favourite Skynyrd album, Steve took them to another level. I can honestly say that the plane crash was only time I actually shed a tear about any musicians passing. A great loss.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and your comment!
The band was extremely talented already Steve brought his arsenal of talent to add another element of greatness Love how Ronnie and Steve exchanged lead vocals on You Got that right ❤
Steve was an incredible guitarist, his timing and technique were excellent, couple that with a great ear for beautiful melodies and you got great lead solos. "That Smell" is just awesome, his timing, tone, sustain, vibrato and phrasing are textbook perfect.
Man! Never fails that I learn something about my best guitar players or bands. We didn’t have the web back then which is good and bad it was all about the jam and the look. I sure do miss those days. Thanks 😊
I miss em too bro.
RIP Steve and Cassie Gaines! Truly a sad day for southern rock, but at least he left us his legacy!🎸🙏
Good Video 👍 Steve was taken just before his Worldwide chance to shine, with Street Survivors. Lightning has struck dozens of times over with every phenomenal member of the LS Family. They've had many Great Guitarists 🎸🎶 over time, including Rickey, Hughie, Sparky, Randall, and now Damon. But the Legenendary, Unique, World Class 4 were Gary, Allen, Ed, and Steve !!!!! How can you really pick 1 of the 4, although Steve was incredible !!! Of al the tragic stories in the LS family, to me Steve and Cassie's stand out, their chance to shine so bright, so very short. What an amazing band in R&R Heaven, I'm sure Steve & Ed, 2 humble greats, are fast friends. Fly on Free Birds 🦅🙏 Rest in Peace but Rock the House. When its my time, I'll be at your Party every weekend ✌️
Thanks. Appreciate you watching and your comment!
For the past twelve years, I’ve had this idea swimming in my head about making a movie biopic about Steve, starting from when he saw the Beatles live in 1964 (thus inspiring Steve to pick up the guitar in the first place), and ending with when Steve officially joins Lynyrd Skynyrd. The film would focus on the various projects Steve was involved in before Skynyrd (particularly Manalive, Rio Smokehouse, Detroit with Rusty Day, and Crawdad), his relationship with Teresa, and his becoming a father. The film would be about the road that led Steve to Skynyrd. I’m thinking it could be called Okie, and the J.J. Cale song of the same name could be an opening and closing theme for the biopic.
That would be an awesome project. Now is the time to do it. There are still quite a few of his old band mates still living. Sadly Teresa passed away in 2015 or 16 I think. Steve really deserves something like that!
@@RiverDocs I am currently working on a book about Rusty Day. Maybe some of the guys I interviewed for that could help with this, too. I did recently get to talk with John Sinclair (yes, THAT John Sinclair) about the Detroit band, which he managed when Steve was in it. Yeah, we lost Teresa in November 2016. We lost Terry Emery in 2020. We just recently lost Detroit bass player Nathaniel Peterson, whom I’d tried to reach out to for a couple years. I definitely hope to interview some of Steve’s friends and former bandmates as well, including Jimmy Hawkins, Dennis Tieken, John Moss, John Seaberg, Johnny Rose, and anyone else who is still around today.
@heathinvaderstudios email me and let me know when you get the book on Rusty Day out. I buy books all the time. Best of luck to you in your projects!
Gains pre Skynyrd story, would be great. I'd love to see it and or read the book. In the public's consciousness Steve Gains is still rising.
I think Gains was assuredly a very self kreated talented Musician, my favorite kreative talent in Lynyrd Skynyrd was Allen Collins with his Guitar work! I am still interested to look for his playing when I hear a Lynyrd Skynyrd song to see what he was doing in that kreative session! He was the Guitarist I picked out of 60s & 70s Rock Bands as a kid to learn how to play a Guitar in my own style and brand. Because he was center tone accurate, ordered and had a very strong sense of kreative roaming with very nice unique and original appeal everytime he wrote a recorded Guitar track! He was one I really enjoyed sharing kreative intuition with when I heard his work on Guitar. I thought Van Zant was also very kreatively appealing and solid with most of his Lyric writing, they were a very interesting pair of Musicians!!
Absolutely brought Skynyrd to a new level. Street Survivors is one of my top 10.
He along with his sister Cassie and Ronnie unfortunately left this world way too soon..
Really appreciate this on Steve! Gone way too soon. There is no telling where Skynyrd would’ve went!
I wore out One more from the road.
Thanks for your awesome docs!
Glad you like them!
This lineup of LS imo was there best.They where peaking&could blow any other band away live.
I love Steve Gaines solo work.My favorite song his" One with the Sun"
How crazy was it that this insane guitarist was not only right under their noses before they decided to try him out, but that he was just languishing playing small bars before Skynyrd? He seems like he was the perfect guy to come into the band at that time, not only musically, but with his laid back personality
Love all your videos. Thanks for taking time to share
You are welcome!
The first Skynyrd album I bought was the live album and it is awesome to this day. The second was Street Survivors which IMO is one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums ever. What would have been? You always put out great videos sir and this one did not disappoint. Well done!
Thanks Dave I appreciate it!
Steve Gaines is one of the biggest losses this world ever faced in guitar terms, his light was just freshly lit and man did it shine bright. He was all of the best qualities of Southern music rolled up in one guy. He achieved so much in such a short time, his talent was for all to see, it stood out then, and stands up still. Without a doubt a household name today had he lived. No doubt he was bigger than Skynyrd. His songs had an energy and musical depth they didnt know they were missing until he brought it. I dont think he would have left them, but like Charlie Starr today, he would have had a career outside of them. I heard years ago Ronnie was thinking of a sabbatical, so he could do a country album leaving Steve hold the reigns for a year or so and you know he could have done it no problem. If there ever was a musician to aspire to its Steve.
Outstanding. Very well done.
Bless your heart. Thank you for these insightful videos.
You are so welcome
Beautiful tribute. Amen and God bless.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Very wonderful tribute. I saw the band twice before the crash, but both times were before Steve joined. I did buy "Street Survivors", and his talent is obvious on that album. What a tragic loss. Cassie also.
Thank you. Appreciate it!
Some of my older cousins talked about going to watch Steve when he played in the park in Miami.
Thanks for the video,
👍.
You are very welcome. Appreciate you watching and commenting.
So cool that he shared a "Birthday!" With Ed King!!!👑.
I've been by Ed's House in the Nashville area,
And neighbors said that,
Ed's House was sold and his wife was moving...
It still was an Awesome Experience!
Just driving by we're he lived "His Last Day's!!!"....
🇺🇲🤘🎸🤘🇺🇲
I couldn't say anything better. You said it all perfectly. AC: Favorite, SG: Most Talented All-Round. But I did hear the son of a well known Skynyrd roadie, tell of Allen doing a beautiful rendition of the Mark Knopfler ballad: "Romeo & Juliet" while sitting in the den of his Florida home, some years after the crash. I just wonder if A.C. ever reached his true potential. Wouldn't it be sweet if a cassette tape of that little jam ever turned up somewhere. The guy who heard it, knew Allen well, and said he could hardly believe what he was hearing. It's obvious that he was never able to get over the passing of his Sweetheart.
I do think Allen was the best
Your right about that
Steve was sensational.
I know a little is some slick picking for a young fella. Even still.
T for Texas slide work stands right up there with duanne !!!
One thing I read was that after he was officially in the band that they discovered he was born on the same day of the same year as ed king. How unbelievable is that ?
God bless u Steve. I really wish we could have heard 10 more albums from u. I know they would have been some of my favorites.
Totally agree, and you said what I been thinking since I heard the first solo after Verse 1 in "That Smell" Wonderful video , God Bless You.
Thanks. Appreciate it. Bless you too!
Great video. Ronnie did a wise yet rare thing when he allowed new band member Steve to write, sing and receive proper credit on Street Survivors. They cultivated some incredible music.
Without a doubt, everything you said is true . I always felt the same thing, he was a powerhouse! He was just the whole package!
I saw their last concert in "The Brown Shoebox" in Greenville, SC, Such a great night to a terrible day. It's been a LS tribute band ever since.
The tragedy of Steve's life was not so much what we lost, but what music Steve had in him that we will never get to experience. The band was destined to become one the biggest acts in rock history.
A group of us lived in Metairie, LA and one of the group picked up a slew of tickets for the Baton Rouge concert, we were all going up together to enjoy a great show. When we heard the plane went down, we were [and some of us still are] emotionally devastated.
Music has lost some greats through plane crashes, Glenn Miller, the Buddy Holly\Big Bopper\Richie Valens crash or the Stevie Ray Vaughn crash or the Otis Redding crash. But I will forever wonder how great this band could've been had the plane not gone down.
Rock in Peace, Steve, Cassie, Ronnie and the rest of the band.
I was there (Hollywood ‘Sporto’ 1977).
1st concert my parents let me go to only because they were/are my all-time favorites.
Learned to play guitar, played in Bands for years because of them.
Absolutely right about One More From The Road, you don't skip one single song, drop the needle and let it play 👍
He was on his way to helping Skynyrd to another level. Pure talent. What a shame. RIP Steve and Cassie.
Nice job on this mini documentary.
Just think of all the Great Songs we missed out on because of the Plane Crash
Thank you. A very nice interesting view. This band were good, very good.
You're welcome.
Another great doc ... Doc!!
Thank you sir!!
Thank you for the great documentary about a great man a great guitar player and his sister a great singer.
I agree that is one of the best live rock ‘n’ roll albums ever. They were so much fun..
I always have this urge to go back in time somehow stop them from getting on that plane. 😢
All your videos are really interesting. Keep it up
You're very welcome. Thank you for watching!
He was a great songwriter. There's no telling what he could have done.
Never new that stuff about Mr. Steve gains ,And his sister Casey. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE.
I saw them in Greenville SC the night before the plane crash, It was a great show,& I'll always remember that concert. RIP to all that died on that flight.
Wow!! Didnt know this existed!! Steve was a shooting star. Ive listened to everything he ever recorded….everything available that is. Go listen to his band Crawdad. Steve was an astonishingly good player. Technically off the charts, but he always had great feel and soul. You are sorely missed steve!!
Thanks for remembering Steve Gaines. Rip
You nailed it. Everything you said I agree with and was spot on. Allen was my fav too but Steve was something special. Cant imagine how great the music would have been if that crash had never happened…
Another great, informative video. Thanks.
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it
Until the arrival of Steve Gaines, Billy Powell was the most talented musician in the band. As pointed out in the video, Steve brought so much more to the band then just being a talented musician. The plane crash and subsequent deaths of Ronnie, Stevie and Cassie not only wiped out the creative soul of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it almost certainly contributed to the demise of the Southern Rock movement. In matter of a couple of years Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and eventually Hair Bands wood take over the rock-n-roll landscape. It would be a decade before the Tribute Band would embark on its Anniversary Tour and rekindle the flames of the Southern Rock. The remaining band members would keep the original music alive, but without the creative soul of Ronnie and the contributions Steve brought to the table, the new material would never resonate like the original band's music. We never know what might have been had that plane not fallen from the sky that fateful October night. The Band inspired by Steve's enthusiasm may have been able overcome their hard partying ways and refocused and had a career with the longevity that rivaled the Rolling Stones. One thing is certain. Thousands of musicians and bands have come and gone, very few have left the legacy Skynyrd created before it all came crashing down in small community in Mississippi.