Southern Rock Loses Another Original
Lynyrd Skynyrd's Leon Wilkeson Dead At 49
With another band member gone, the Lynyrd Skynyrd faithful will gather at one more memorial service this week.
Leon Wilkeson, the bassist and founding member of one of America's most enduring southern-rock bands, was found dead in a Ponte Vedra Beach hotel room on Friday. He was 49.
A spokesman for the band says that Wilkeson died his sleep. An autopsy by the St. Johns County medical examiner found that Wilkeson suffered from chronic liver and lung disease, but apparently died of natural causes. Toxicology testing for drugs and alcohol was done, but results won't be back for at least two weeks.
The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Evergreen Cemetery, 4535 North Main Street, Jacksonville. The event will be open to the public.
The band, best known for the songs "What's your Name?," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Freebird," debuted in 1973 and was named after the members' Jacksonville high school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner.
Wilkeson survived a 1977 plane crash in Mississippi that killed the band's founder Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie Gaines, a back-up singer. Three others also died in the crash.
The group disbanded after the crash, but re-formed with others in 1987 for a reunion tour with Ronnie's brother, Johnnie, as lead singer. They toured and released new material throughout the 1990s.
But tragedy still haunted the group. Another original member of the band, Allen Collins, suffered crippling and eventually fatal injuries in a traffic accident.
The only founding members still left are guitarist Gary Rossington and keyboardist Billy Powell.
Skynyrd was taking a one-week vacation from their summer tour when the death occurred. The group's next four concerts have been postponed until further notice, but the tour is scheduled to resume on Aug. 9 at Mountain View, Calif.
At this point, Skynyrd is planning to keep their home-town concert date on Aug. 23 at Jacksonville's Metropolitan Park.
In a 1999 interview, Wilkeson said that he would stop playing when he finally fell down and couldn't do it any more. He said he was proud that the band quit the booze and the drugs and could play clean. He says quitting all that did have an effect on their music -- they liked it a whole lot more.
A friend of who was with Wilkeson the night before he died told WJXT that he was in great spirits and felt the best he had in years.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Musician's Assistance Program. Donations may be mailed to 817 Vine Street, Suite 219, Hollywood, Calif. 90038.
Discussion:
The only founding members still left are guitarist Gary Rossington and keyboardist Billy Powell.
Skynyrd was taking a one-week vacation from their summer tour when the death occurred. The group's next four concerts have been postponed until further notice, but the tour is scheduled to resume on Aug. 9 at Mountain View, Calif.
At this point, Skynyrd is planning to keep their home-town concert date on Aug. 23 at Jacksonville's Metropolitan Park.
In a 1999 interview, Wilkeson said that he would stop playing when he finally fell down and couldn't do it any more. He said he was proud that the band quit the booze and the drugs and could play clean. He says quitting all that did have an effect on their music -- they liked it a whole lot more.
A friend of who was with Wilkeson the night before he died told WJXT that he was in great spirits and felt the best he had in years.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Musician's Assistance Program. Donations may be mailed to 817 Vine Street, Suite 219, Hollywood, Calif. 90038.
Previous Story:&Forum=118&Topic=4294">Share Memories Of Wilkeson, Skynyrd
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