Burns and Gary Rossington were already friends, and the three got together and jammed on their instruments. After the plane crash, the remaining members said that Lynyrd Skynyrd was finished, with Collins stating, 'Some people are telling us we should keep the name because it obviously has value since people recognize it. The way the band formed is unusual, with original member Ronnie Van Zant hitting then-drummer Bob Burns with a ball on a ball field in 1964. At the height of its fame in 1977, the popular southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, was struck with tragedya plane crash that killed the band’s founder and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant along with Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray. You’re probably also familiar with other hits like “Simple Man,” “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Gimme Three Steps,” all released before 1977. A plane crash killed the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1977, and 40 years later, the drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Artimus Pyle, can still remember that day. The group wasn’t without their issues - violence among members wasn’t uncommon - but their music nonetheless spoke to the American public. Photo Courtesy: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images Lynyrd Skynyrd rose to fame in the early 1970s with songs like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama.” The band was made up of several members, including guitarists Gary Rossington, Allen Collins and Leon Wilkeson, drummer Artimus Pyle, keyboardist Billy Powell, and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Was the crash really a simple malfunction, or was it something that could have been avoided? Who Were They? Find out why so many fans were left dazed and confused after this tragedy. Their talent and the promise of amazing things to come made their untimely demise all the more devastating for fans - especially when the circumstances of the crash left a mountain of unanswered questions.