Three Members Of Lynyrd Skynyrd Were Killed In A Plane Crash On October 20, 1977

It was October 20, 1977. For four years leading up to that, a group of young Florida rockers had been taking the music industry by storm. Their songs ranged from bluesy tunes to rock and roll masterpieces, and they quickly became American anthems.

That group was named Lynyrd Skynyrd.

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What started as a bunch of young kids who just loved playing music eventually turned into one of the greatest rock bands to ever exist. With songs under their belt such as “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Simple Man,” and the iconic “Free Bird,” Skynyrd was poised at the top of the music world in 1977.

But one tragic day in October changed everything in the blink of an eye. 

The date was October 20, 1977. Three days before that, Skynyrd had released their fifth studio album, Street Survivors.

For some members of the group, it was the final album they ever recorded.

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What Happened On That Tragic October Day…

With new music out, Skynyrd traveled around the country to play at various gigs. On October 20, they had just wrapped up a show in South Carolina and were all set to head to their next performance in Louisiana.

The band and crew loaded up on their chartered Convair CV-240, completely unaware of the life-altering event that would occur moments later.

The plane carrying Southern rock’s shining stars started to run out of fuel as it neared the end of its flight. While the pilots attempted to make an emergency landing, they were unable to do so.

The plane crashed in the forest outside of Gillsburg, Mississippi, and the course of Southern Rock was changed forever.