billy powell

This article is about the Matt Soergel Billy Powell, a longtime keyboard player for Lynyrd Skynyrd. He died at his Orange Park condo early this morning.
Orange Park Police Chief James Boivin said Powell called 911 from his condo in Club Continental and was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m. after rescue crews performed CPR on him. Boivin said he was told Powell had an appointment with his heart specialist Monday but never made the appointment.


Current Lynyrnd Skynyrd singer Johnny Van Zant spent 22 years with Powell in the band. He said the took the news of Powell's death hard.

"You know, they say they've got one hell of a band up in heaven. My brother Ronnie up in heaven is probably saying, 'Billy, what took you so long?' I'm sure they're catching up on things in heaven."


Powell, who went to Bishop Kenny High School, joined Skynyrd in 1972 after working for the Jacksonville band for a couple of years as a roadie. He was seriously injured in the Oct. 20, 1977 plane crash that killed singer Ronnie Van Zant and five other people.


Johnny Van Zant said his brother invited Powell to join the band after he heard him playing piano during a rehearsal of "Free Bird." "Ronnie said, 'What's that?' and Billy said, 'That's the introduction to 'Free Bird.' Ronnie said, 'I like that. You're in the band.'"


The piano introduction to the song became a highly anticipated part of the band's live show, though Johnny Van Zant said Powell was sometimes relucant to jump into the spotlight with it.


"He'd say, 'I don't want to do that, I'm embarrassed to do that,'" said Van Zant. "I'd make him do it: I'd say, 'Come on, it'll make their night.' It made mine."


Earlier this month, Powell and the band took a four-day cruise, called the Simple Man Cruise, on a ship out of Miami with "4,000 crazy Skynyrd fans," said Van Zant.


The band had recorded several songs for a new album and had upcoming gigs in Lousiana, Mississippi and Orlando. They will be canceled, said Van Zant.


"We've got to lay our brother to rest," said Van Zant. "That old saying, the show must go on, always counts. Unless you die.